Tag Archives: contendedness

January 18, 2013

Rightsizing Your Finances—A SMART Way To Manage Money

Gott Bills 300x225 Rightsizing Your Finances—A SMART Way To Manage Money

Got Bills? Maybe it’s time to rightsize your finances!

Last week, after publishing my article on Rightsizing vs. Downsizing, a discussion came up while talking with friends at Happy Hour.  I could tell from the direction of the conversation that even though everyone agreed that going debt free was a wonderful element of rightsizing and simple living, most felt it was out of reach for the average family.  That was a great reminder that rightsizing isn’t just about the size of your house, your car, or your credit limit—instead, rightsizing touches every area of your life including (and maybe especially) your finances.  In fact, once a person learns to manage their money—both expenses and income—rightsizing the other areas of life will come more easily.  Down the line a person can eventually achieve the ultimate goal of rightsizing, which is to live a life that uniquely fits and brings the greatest amount of peace, contentment and joy to that individual and family. Continue reading →

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January 11, 2013

Rightsizing vs. Downsizing—Making A Positive Lifestyle Choice

Rightsizing 300x148 Rightsizing vs. Downsizing—Making A Positive Lifestyle Choice

Can you guess which one gets 12 MPG and which gets 40+ MPG? It’s all about rightsizing!

Last month Thom came across an article in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) with a headline that said,  “Everybody Says You Should Downsize. Everybody May Be Wrong.”   We both found that statement to be so incredulous that we had to reread it.  And we weren’t alone in our surprise.  Most of the other comments online also questioned many of the negative points offered in the article.  Clearly the author herself had not downsized and it was also obvious that her focus came from an outdated definition.  Naturally that got me thinking that maybe most of us approach the topic from the wrong direction to begin with.  Instead of thinking of it as “down” sizing—maybe we should consider it to be “right”-sizing.   And once we get the label right—it is much easier to consider the real benefits that come from living a lifestyle that is right-sized from the beginning. Continue reading →

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December 28, 2012

2012–Reflections on Life, Simple Living and Happiness

kg end of year 150x150 2012 Reflections on Life, Simple Living and HappinessAt the end of every year I have a habit of going back and reviewing things that worked well in my life in the last 365 days.  I think it’s useful to explore the actions, mindsets and understandings that have enhanced my well-being and happiness—and recognize those that didn’t, so they can be modified And because a big part of living SMART 365 is staying conscious, awake and aware—this practice might prove valuable for all of us.  I’ll start by sharing a few ideas that increased the quality of my life in 2012. Continue reading →

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October 5, 2012

The SMART Living Path to Midway Simplicity

Thom @ Esalen 300x225 The SMART Living Path to Midway Simplicity

Moderation and Simplicity are great Paths to SMART Living

This week I had the pleasure of appearing on the Midway Simplicity weekly YouTube show.  Each week the website’s author, Mohamed Tohami, interviews someone from the Internet about his or her version of minimalism or simplicity.  This week was my turn.  During the last few months I’ve written a number of articles about minimalism and the simple living approach from a SMART perspective, and those articles have attracted more attention than any others here on the website.   Appearing on the Midway Simplicity show provided me with a great opportunity to get clear about where SMART Living and Simplicity converge.  It also helped me think of a number of specific tips I can offer for those seeking a more SMART and simple lifestyle of their own. Continue reading →

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September 28, 2012

Traveling Through Life in the Wu Wei Way

trip 1 300x225 Traveling Through Life in the Wu Wei Way

Zion National Park, UT

Thom and I just returned from a vacation.  Spanning 12 days, we attended a wedding, visited with family, stayed in six different hotels, drove over 1,600 miles, hiked in three national parks, and explored parts of five different states in the Southwestern United States.  To accomplish this our trip was an orchestration of coordination and planning—as well as an ongoing intention of the Taoist principal of wu wei.  While most people lean one way or another when taking a vacation, I believe that the best of them include a delicate dance between the two.  Much like the Tao symbol of yin and yang, wu wei and planning blend the two aspects of action into a harmonious whole.   In fact, including wu wei in your travel plans just might be the best way to travel on vacation-–or through life itself. Continue reading →

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September 7, 2012

A Good Night’s Sleep—A Big Benefit Of A Simple & Minimal Life

Sleep 21 300x225 A Good Night’s Sleep—A Big Benefit Of A Simple & Minimal LifeThis morning I was surprised to see a blog post on the Internet titled something like, “It’s not easy to be a minimalist.”  Then when I thought about it, most of the articles I read these days about simple living or minimalism focus on the struggle to de-clutter or reduce one’s debts—as through this new lifestyle was a chore instead of a pleasure.  But at the core of how I define simple living are the opulent gifts of freedom, rest, peace, time and contentment.  A great example of any one of those is a good night’s sleep.  While seldom mentioned when listing the benefits of minimalism, I think most people overlook the fact that sleep, and sleeping well, is one of the most luxurious aspects of a richly contented life. Continue reading →

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June 13, 2012

Five Life Lessons I Learned From Dad And Other Thoughts about Father’s Day

Dad Me 300x202 Five Life Lessons I Learned From Dad And Other Thoughts about Fathers DayIt’s been over two years since my father made his transition*.   I still think of him regularly and miss him more than I actually expected.  With Father’s Day (in the US) being just around the corner, he’s been on my mind more than usual.  But who says you can only celebrate Father’s Day when your Dad is present and available?   Besides, if the true sentiment behind Father’s Day is to honor fathers and paternal bonds, maybe the holiday is a good excuse for all of us to acknowledge the care and guidance our father provided—and to celebrate the fathers among us who take the time to nurture and encourage children in many different ways. Continue reading →

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April 10, 2012

The World Happiness Report And How It Applies To You and Me

Happy SMART Day Everyone!

world happiness report 200x248 150x150 The World Happiness Report And How It Applies To You and MeThe World Happiness Report is hot off the presses and critics are lining up to take shots at its diversion from the GDP and the economic status quo. Commissioned for a United Nations Conference on happiness and published by The Earth Institute at Columbia University, a major focus of the report suggests the outrageous idea that seeking the well-being and happiness of individual citizens is much more important than the growth and health of that country’s economy.   Using statistics from over 150 different countries and three prominent world studies, the report offers ways that governments can develop public policies to support and enhance the quality of life for its citizens, and create a more sustainable foundation for happiness for everyone.  What does that mean for you and I?  And why are the critics so worked up about it? Continue reading →

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March 2, 2012

Three Words That Enrich Your Life

Happy SMART Day Everyone!

SMART immage 300x225 Three Words That Enrich Your LifeI just read a short interview by author and activist Gloria Steinem.  In it, she was asked to offer three words that have guided her life.  They were:  Hope, Ideas and Friends.  And while I think all of them are indeed valuable and important in my life as well, it made me ask myself, what three words do I feel enrich my life the most?   Whether you agree with Gloria, or me, it may be worth the time for you figure out three words that bring value to your life and help make them more prevalent in your life today. Continue reading →

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February 7, 2012

When Is Enough Enough? And Five Tips To Help Find Out

Happy SMART Day Everyone!

photo...how much is enough 300x216 When Is Enough Enough? And Five Tips To Help Find Out

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Over the weekend, Thom and I had dinner with a friend whose lifestyle changed dramatically in the last couple of years.  Our friend, Tami* was single for most of the 30+ years we’ve known her.  Then a couple of years ago she started “dating” and then eventually married, a very wealthy man.  Although Tami was always reasonably secure in her life, she now admitted how great it was to never have to worry about her bills or finances ever again.  Unfortunately, her joy was short-lived.  Within five minutes, she began complaining about how many taxes she and her new husband would be paying for 2011, and the drain her new husband’s adult children were on the family.  Later she grumbled about how unfair it was of the current political administration to even consider raising her tax rate. The conversation was a great reminder that it is easy to forget that your and my sense of well-being, comfort and peace of mind has less to do with how much money we have—and everything to do with how we think about it.  In most cases, regardless of how much we actually have—we only think we have enough when we think we have enough. Continue reading →

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