Loving Simple Living by Lorilee Lippincott.
Simple Living – 30 days to less stuff and more life. I don’t know about you, but I believe that life is entirely TOO Complicated. We have more distractions and conveniences now than ever, yet how many of us are content with our lives?
In the early 2000’s I was introduced to the idea of minimalism and simple living, and let me tell you that the message was right up my alley. I, like you, had become bored with all the “stuff” of life, and I longed to create an experience that was more to my liking.
By learning some basic minimalism practices, I could donate or sell about 35% of my “stuff,” It felt great to do so. For the record, I am not against having stuff we think we need to be happy and content with our lives.
Instead, I am talking about getting rid of stuff that no longer serves us — the mass of things that seem to creep in and multiply, stealing my time and life.
So I say, bring in some simple living, please!
3-2-1- Stop – Loving Simple Living
My blogging buddy Lorilee Lippincott recently wrote a sensational book about simple living called: 3-2-1- Stop – Loving Simple Living.
This is no puny eBook, either. This profound book on simple living is 152 pages long and not something you will finish reading the first day. I have read Lorilee’s book on simple living, and I genuinely love the stories and words of wisdom shared throughout it.
I love the story in the beginning about how Lorilee and her husband decided to get rid of most of their stuff and downsize when the rest of the World is still living by the mantra; “bigger is better.”
Many of us learn through life that having more does not necessarily equate to a better life. Often the stuff that we own owns us.
Loving Simple Living by Lorilee Lippincott eBook
Are you ready to stop crazy and allow simple to flow in? Doesn’t that sound great? Let’s start with the basics – the stuff you can see that trips you up in the dark.
This might seem like the most work, but our stuff is not the worst habit we hold onto as we get going.
Sadly, our society must be on guard and almost wage a battle against too much stuff. People worldwide suffer from lack and do not have even the most basic needs, while we are so blessed and privileged that we need to bar the door against excess.
What I am talking about has been called minimalism, or becoming a minimalist. It is a movement of brilliant people who have questioned the societal norm of bigger, newer, shinier, and better and decided that they didn’t need it or need to be controlled by it.
There is no set definition or list of stuff to have (or not have) to be a minimalist. Minimalists have the stuff they need, love, and want to keep. Nothing more.
On The Go
We are on the go now more than ever, and a forty-hour workweek sounds excellent to those working sixty to eighty-hour workweeks. We keep trying to do more daily, yet most of us are not even remotely fulfilled with our lives.
Somehow, ‘back in the day,’ I had difficulty seeing our ancestors using planners to ensure everything was tightly scheduled and fit.
Now, people have planners everywhere and use them as a lifeline. Somehow when work was so hard, it wasn’t nearly as crazy. So, now that our lives have been made easier with time-saving inventions, we face relational and emotional breakdowns and many stress-related diseases.
Most families don’t know what ‘sitting by the fire for the evening’ is like- they don’t even have the time to sit down for a meal together. Many are eating in the car more than in the dining room. This doesn’t seem right.
Kim John Payne put something that I loved in his Simplicity Parenting book was the idea of ‘soul fever.’ His book is about kids, but kids aren’t the only ones who suffer.
Soul Fever is a sickness of the soul. It is when life gets too crazy and too stressed, and the emotions start getting affected. The symptoms differ for different people, just like the physical flu affects people differently.
The author said personality quirks come to the surface as symptoms. People may become highly social, or they may withdraw. They may give up, or they may become OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder).
The common theme is that a person just isn’t themselves with soul fever. The stress level is too high, and the soul is beginning to suffer.
Setting Boundaries for Yourself
It would help if you had time to take care of yourself. You need to set limits on what you can and can’t do and pamper yourself a bit. This takes time, and it is critical time.
How can we set boundaries to protect ourselves, our families, and our passions and not let other things creep in and take our time and energy?
Learning to say “NO.” Can you hear it? This is what minimalism sounds like. (It is so we can say ‘Yes’ to what we want, but it often comes after many ‘no’s.) It is important to leave it at ‘no’ or one of the examples below.
There is no need to explain or excuse yourself; this leaves room for discussion, and you might lose. Try some of the following, and then change the subject.
- ‘No, I don’t think we will be able to this year/week/season.’
- ‘I am sorry, but it isn’t working out.’
- ‘Thanks, but no. We don’t have time in our schedule for it right now.’
- ‘I am flattered that you would consider/invite me. The idea sounds great, but I can’t say yes this time.’
Money
Debt is the enemy! Let this be super, super, super clear. Evil, dangerous, deadly, trapping, and all other things evil. Debt = pain and stress (i.e., the opposite of simple). Debt comes when the ‘X and Y’ simple-money concept is broken. The consequences are dire.
I love Dave Ramsey’s Financial freedom
stuff and recommend it to people who want a simple, easy-to-follow financial path.
He compares debt and us to a gazelle running away from a cheetah. Debt makes businesses big money, and they do everything they can to get you into debt so they can feed off you.
Bad news! Run! Don’t get into debt; do everything you can to get out. Period.
Living a simple life is about paring back so that you have space to breathe. It’s about doing with less because you realize that having more and doing more doesn’t lead to happiness. It’s about finding joy in the simple things and being content with solitude, quiet, contemplation, and savoring the moment.
Update: This program is no longer being offered, but I have many more courses to recommend here.