minimalism Archives — Page 3 of 3

7 Ways To Keep Fear & Worry From Hijacking A Happy Life

By Kathy Gottberg
Filed under: Aware, Rightsized, Sustainable, Thankful

Me in 1995 preparing for my first tandem sky-dive!

Last week I noticed a very suspicious looking blemish on my cheek, and I started worrying. I was especially nervous because when my mother was my age, she developed skin cancer under her right eye. Then several years ago my sister Ann had an angry looking sore on the back of her leg that wouldn’t heal for months. Even though hers turned out to benign, the experience made for some anxious times. So it didn’t require much imagination on my part to convince myself that my blemish could require a big chunk to be cut out of my cheek, scaring me for a lifetime. Or worse.

Finally, after waking up in the middle of the night with worry on my mind, I called the dermatologist. Although he couldn’t see me for a week, I realized that I could continue to allow fear and worry to control my life for the following seven days, or I could do something else. But isn’t that choice something we all face every day in this thing called life? Fear and worry? Or peace and happiness? We decide. [Read more…]

10 Commandments For A SMART & Simple Life

By Kathy Gottberg
Filed under: Aware, Meaningful, Sustainable, Thankful

Ten Commandments for Simple Living

As many of you know Thom and I have been on the path of simplifying our lives for several years. Every January we like to sit down and discuss ways we can better live that example during the coming year. But in case you haven’t noticed, there are many people offering lots of advice that it’s challenging to decide which way to approach the topic. So while we don’t consider ourselves experts on the subject, we do think it’s helpful to list what we consider to be most important. From that point forward we each can then decide where and how we can put our attention during 2014.

So here are our Top 10 Commandments:

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Location, Location, Location–SMART Minimalist Tip #3

By Kathy Gottberg
Filed under: Aware, Rightsized, Sustainable

Riding our bikes to dozens of local amenities

Having a background in real estate is handy for many reasons. While I’m not actively involved in basic buying and selling these days—I still keep my hand on the pulse of what’s happening by writing about it. And one thing I’ve learned in the process is that location is more critical than is usually considered. Not only should it be near the top when evaluating any move—from a minimalist or simple living perspective I think it deserves closer consideration. That’s why I thought it might be SMART to make a list of the advantages that come from living in the right location—no matter where on earth it is.

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Minimalism + Compassion = Healthcare for All

By Kathy Gottberg
Filed under: Aware, Rightsized, Thankful

Minimalism+Compassion=Healthcare

I usually stay away from politics here on SMART Living, but for an obvious reason healthcare is on my mind this week. But let me be clear, I don’t think that healthcare is or should be a political issue. Instead, our health and its care are two issues that touch every single human on the planet—including those of us who practice simple living or minimalism. Unfortunately, with all the blogs I follow—everything from minimalism to personal growth to spirituality—no one seems to be talking about this very all-encompassing concern. So, hopefully, by bringing this important subject out into the light we can recognize how vital it is and arrive at more conscious, aware and responsible actions for our future. [Read more…]

Simple & SMART Living Tips From The Tao Of Pooh

By Kathy Gottberg
Filed under: Aware, Meaningful, Sustainable

The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff

My husband Thom is much more of a Taoist than I am. In case it’s new to you, Taoism (pronounced Dow-ism) is an ancient Chinese teaching originally developed from a book written over 2,500 years ago by a man named Lao Tzu. Often referred to as “The Way,” Taoism emphasizes a harmonious relationship between nature, humanity and the divine. Put another way, Taoism is a path to simple, SMART and sustainable living. This year Thom decided to make the book The Tao of Pooh part of his summer reading. After quickly absorbing the content, he urged me to read it as well. I was surprised to discover that The Tao of Pooh offered both an entertaining and unique perspective on Taoism, as well as a number of simple living lessons that I thought any minimalist might appreciate.
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Midlife Minimalism—How Your Focus Changes & The Rewards Increase

By Kathy Gottberg
Filed under: Aware, Meaningful, Rightsized, Sustainable, Thankful

“We get too soon old and too late smart.” ~Pennsylvania Dutch proverb

I read many online blogs and a large portion of them are about minimalism and simple living. That’s wonderful because I believe there is richness to simple living that goes far beyond having less stuff. I also think that since I’ve been embracing it more and more, my life has become happier, less stressful and far more meaningful. But something I’ve noticed is that the vast majority of blogs about minimalism are written primarily by those in their twenties to thirties. And while I’m psyched to know that young adults are embracing the lifestyle, I also believe that maturity offers a perspective that should not be overlooked. In fact, it is often those who have lived through multiple choices and experiences that have the most to offer others. That’s why I thought a few perspectives from midlife should be included in any discussion about minimalism or simple living.
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The SMART Living Path to Midway Simplicity

By Kathy Gottberg
Filed under: Meaningful, Rightsized, Sustainable

Moderation and Simplicity are great Paths to SMART Living

Several months ago I had the pleasure of doing my first live interview around the subject of simple living. A website named Midway Simplicity.com made it a regular practice to talk with a number of simplicity and minimal living bloggers about his or her version of minimalism or simplicity. I was honored to be included. [Read more…]

SMART Living 365 Recommends TheMinimalists.com 11/14/11

By Kathy Gottberg
Filed under: Meaningful, Sustainable

This week SMART Living 365 recommends a website suggested by Thom. He began reading the blog called “The Minimalists” a few months ago and finds that it is one of his favorites. Why? From my perspective, “The Minimalists” is a “sister” website because many of their posts and much of their perspective is devoted to living a less cluttered and more important lifestyle. And because SMART Living is all about sharing and appreciating all the good around us, we can certainly appreciate the gift that TheMinimalists.com bring to the universal table.

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A Case For Simple Living; Or Why Shiny Objects Don’t Equal Happiness (Part 1)

By Kathy Gottberg
Filed under: Aware, Rightsized, Sustainable

I recently read an interview of a man named James Roberts who is the author of a new book entitled, Shiny Objects—Why We Spend Money We Don’t Have In Search Of Happiness We Can’t Buy. It’s a great title and I’m sure there are very few people who would disagree with what it says. But while we may agree with that statement, most people continue to try to buy happiness every single day. Not only do a large number of people spend money trying to buy stuff they don’t need or oftentimes even use, many actually go into debt in the process. Others spend money so indiscriminately they might as well throw it out of a speeding car window. So, what’s the deal with money? And what are we searching for that we think money can buy?

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