Right-sizing Your Way To Retirement—Step One

By Kathy Gottberg
Filed under: Aware, Rightsized, Sustainable

Simple get-togethers with good friends…

Retirement is a big topic for many of us in midlife. The usual approach is to figure out how much money you can possibly save up so that you can continue the lifestyle you have created for you and your family. The other approach is to downsize and sacrifice so you can live on whatever you think you’ll be forced to get by living on and with. There is another way. Several years ago Thom and I came up with what is a middle (and we think better) way that is seldom mentioned. That way is to “right-size” your life as soon as possible. Then whether you choose to finally retire, or decide you will continue creating in some capacity for as long as you live—your life will be filled with qualities and activities that bring you happiness, purpose, and peace of mind. [Read more…]

Renting Vs Owning—And Other Thoughts On Impermanence

By Kathy Gottberg
Filed under: Aware, Rightsized, Sustainable

“It is not impermanence that makes us suffer. What makes us suffer is wanting things to be permanent when they are not.” ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

Who really owns the journey?

I’ve come to the opinion that our culture is obsessed with owning as opposed to renting. Maybe because Thom and I have a background in real estate, or because we do our best to spend time away from our home every summer when it gets really hot—a reoccurring question we’re asked is, “So when are you going to buy a vacation place?” To be clear, we’re not against owning property—we just prefer to rent our temporary homes instead. But it’s easy to tell that many people don’t understand that we’re perfectly happy renting and have no desire to own regardless of how much we like the properties or enjoy the location. And that got me thinking that perhaps our culture has gotten a bit too attached to owning things and forgotten the fundamental fact that everything in life is impermanent—and ultimately every thing is just a temporary right-to-use or leasehold estate. [Read more…]

Curing Your Addiction To “More”

By Kathy Gottberg
Filed under: Aware, Rightsized

Addicted to more--SMART Living 65

“Hi, my name is Kathy and I have been addicted to more.” What about you? The good news is that I don’t believe that any of us are powerless against it—but we do need to admit that it is a problem to begin with and be on continuous alert to its presence. But what exactly do I mean by being addicted to more, and why is it so important to recognize? Plus, why is our desire for more such an important awareness for living a rightsized life?

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How Trade-Offs and Opportunity Costs Help To Create A Simple & Happy Life

By Kathy Gottberg
Filed under: Aware, Meaningful, Rightsized

Kloe & Me on the day we brought her home from the shelter.

Like it or not, most of us are familiar with the idea that much of life is a trade-off. Like to live in the city? Then you’ll likely have to put up with noise and people. Hate exercising? Then you may gain weight and lose muscle mass. Want to live in the country? Then you might have to drive miles to find a Starbucks for your morning latte. But even if you are aware of the trade-offs you’ve made in your life on a regular basis, you may not have considered them in terms of the “opportunity costs” involved. What I’ve recently discovered is that when faced with trade-offs, calculating what are called “opportunity costs” is a great way to stay true to your values and focused on the benefits of a simple and happy life.
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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 Big Minimalist Question—Kids? Or No Kids?

By Kathy Gottberg
Filed under: Rightsized, Sustainable

I’ve been interested in sustainability, minimalism and simple living for a long time now. But one topic I’ve seen very little written about is the impact that having children has on both the practice of minimalism and the environment. Like a big elephant in the room, this enormous, but highly emotional issue is almost completely ignored on most simple living blogs. Yet when you think about it, until we are willing to talk about it and examine it from a state of awareness and conscious choice, bringing kids into the world becomes just another cultural norm that the majority unconsciously accepts out of habit and societal pressure. For that reason alone, the big question about whether or not to have children (or add to an existing family) should be on every serious young minimalist’s list of important issues to decide.

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Christmas 2013…More STUFF? Or A Meaningful Experience?

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

A great example of Christmas excess.

Before we get too close to Christmas I thought it might be SMART to remind myself (and anyone else who is paying attention) to not get sucked into the holiday frenzy. You know what I mean. Ever since the beginning of September the retail outlets here in the U.S. have been pushing Santa and all things related. Just like any drug, the pushers make everything seem so harmless, tantalizing and attractive. However, the truth is what makes the season special has very little to do with stuff, and everything to do with experience. That’s why remembering why we do what we do and using our money, time and resources in the service of that which we say we support, is especially critical this time of year. [Read more…]

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…]

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

By Kathy Gottberg
Filed under: Rightsized, Sustainable

This 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 though 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 outcome from 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. [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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