The young couple who live across the street from me are selling their home. I’ll be sad to see them go because they’ve become friends and we’ve watched their son Timmy grow from a toddler to a boy. Where are they going? They’ve decided it’s time for a bigger house in a more affluent neighborhood. Of course, it’s hard to sit in judgment after doing something similar years ago. Still, I hope they never find themselves so pressed for time that they forget what gives life meaning, and instead becoming slaves to a big mortgage and extravagant home expenses. In other words, I hope they never find themselves house-broke and unable to do anything about it.
My neighbors aren’t alone. Millions of people around the world routinely buy into the idea that the pursuit of money and the things it affords are more valuable and important than their time. And nowhere is that truth more apparent than in the homes people buy. Even when most of us would admit that time is a precious and dwindling resource, many still seem more than willing to trade it for the outward appearance of material items and goods. Has it always been that way, and is there anything we can do to start honoring a time-rich life instead?
When Did It Start?
Like most baby boomers, I can vividly recall visiting Disneyland when I was a kid. One of my favorite rides in Tomorrowland was the “Carousel of Progress.” There we marveled at a series of families who in the past didn’t even have the benefit of electricity, all the way through to a modern family with every conceivable time-saving advantage. The dream was that our future would offer so many technological products that we’d be free from the drudgery of physical labor and tedious work. Instead, what we have evolved into is not freedom from technology but a deep attachment to the choices and entertainment that each new gadget offers.
Meanwhile, with progress marching forward and offering such tempting devices to delight and amuse, our culture slowly drifted away from the more esoteric values and meaning that we all used to rely on for living fulfilled lives. Internal satisfactions like family, relationships, spirituality, learning, service to others and community all seem to give way to an external focus on money and what it can buy. Rather than an internal quality without a price tag, money has usurped our seeking as the holy grail. And the price tag is often nearly all of the 24 hours in our days.
Don’t get me wrong. Like most people, I enjoy many of the advantages of our modern life and appreciate some of the oppression that has disappeared throughout the eons. Yet, I recognize that it is very easy to forget that what makes for a meaningful, happy and abundant life isn’t all that stuff in the first place.
Somewhere along the line, many of us decided that money was more important than our time. You hear it everywhere. Just this morning I read online the rant of one writer who felt insulted that certain websites would not pay her for her writing. Even suggesting that her writing was only valuable in terms of money is to tie her worth and value as a writer, and as a person, to the amount of income she generates. Is that really what we want to do? Aren’t each of us worthy beyond our incomes? Is our only value what we produce? Is productivity the ultimate god? By tying our inherent worth to our income, we reduce ourselves to mere robots without a soul. Unless of course we’ve morphed into the technology that we used to dream about as kids?
What Can We Do About It?
Back in the 1980s, there was a fitness guru on television who used to scream to the audience, “Stop the madness.” That woman was talking about our addiction to food, but I think it might be SMART for all of us to be equally determined when it comes to the everyday choices of sacrificing our time for more stuff. Sounds logical, right? But it’s hard. Even when talking to our young neighbors about what kind of house they hoped to buy, we chickened out and instead offered support and encouragement. Of course, when they told us that both the Realtor and Loan Officer were urging them to purchase a more expensive home just because they qualified for it, we couldn’t help ourselves and reminded them, “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.” As for the rest of it, most of us need to learn for ourselves that evidence of true wealth doesn’t come from the house you live in, the car you drive, or how much money you take home at the end of the week.
So what can you do? After doing a little research and combing through my personal life experience, here are six things I think might help to remind us what is most important.
- Take steps to Rightsize your life. I won’t go into one of my favorite topics any further because I’ve written about it so much already (and you can find it here on the blog or in my book). Just remember that rightsizing is the conscious and unique choices you make so that you can live as free, happy and fulfilled as possible.
- Just because you can buy something, doesn’t mean you should. Unfortunately, the real estate business is notorious for urging people to buy the biggest and most expensive home you can finance. Don’t do it! Always figure out first and foremost what you can easily afford below your means, and then give that amount to whoever you are working with to help guide the purchase. If they try to sell you something more, then get another Realtor!
- Refuse to buy a home on impulse. Take the time to make a list of what is vital to you (including that price you can easily afford) and then stick to that list. The more impulsive the purchase, the more you will likely regret it.
- Remember that studies show that the longer your commute, the more unhappy you will be. It’s true. Never buy that nicer house further away from where you work thinking it will be worth the drive. Trust me—it won’t. That drive will affect you and your family every single day. Your time with your loved ones is far more valuable than a nicer home.
- Never buy a home thinking it will be a good investment. As I’ve written about before, any place you live is an ongoing expense. Make sure that cost is affordable. On the other hand, investments are what generate income. As the last housing collapse proved, home prices can go down as well us up, so never buy one that you can’t easily afford. Always ask yourself if the tradeoff of time is worth the monthly cost of your current home. And if you expect a loved one to sacrifice their time for you or the family, what are you telling them about what you value most of all?
- Always assume that the real costs to live in any home will be about 20% more than your mortgage payment. Unfortunately, most people neglect to consider that when purchasing and then end up having to work more hours to cover the expense. There is no denying that some expenses add value to your life, but choose wisely.
Distressingly, nearly 50% of most people’s income in the U.S. is now going to either their mortgage or for their rent. Clearly, lots of people are house-broke rather than time-rich. Obviously, if you are barely making enough money to pay either, your choices are limited. But if you have a choice, never choose big and more expensive as a tradeoff for your precious time. The chances are good that you will never, at the end of your life, look back and think, “Oh I’m so glad I spent so much of my life working to pay for that house.”
This morning I woke up when I wanted without an alarm clock. I wrote in my journal before taking a two-mile walk with my dog and my husband, Thom. Back home I did a little work, and then Thom and I rode our bikes to our nearby library where we take a yoga class. Following that we met a couple of girl friends for a long leisurely lunch before finally coming home to write this post.
It’s true that I live in a modest neighborhood in a modest home. But the freedom and time that I have by living a rightsized life makes me feel incredibly abundant. I would never trade my time-rich life for a more lavish home, a more expensive car or a collection of “stuff”. Hopefully, the time will soon arrive when each of us begins to value our time far more than the size or look of our home or what we put inside of it. Until then, the SMART choice is to remember to treasure our time.
Flicker photo credit here.
Hi Kathy,
Related article in Seattle Times http://www.seattletimes.com/business/why-are-more-baby-boomers-who-can-afford-to-buy-a-home-renting-instead/
My husband and I sold our place and became renters a few years ago. We currently live in a downtown high rise, within walking distance from almost everything. They are building a taller building in front of our windows, and if it gets too bothersome we’ll just move. We have found that in renting there is never a need to consider remodeling or upgrading. We don’t have maintenance concerns of a house, and our utilities are 1/6 of our old home.
Hi Alicia! Yes there are many advantages to renting that don’t always get promoted. With so many of us interested in different things and going through different experiences it is so important to “rightsize” what works best for us at any given time. Thanks for sharing what is clearly working for you. ~Kathy
This is such an important topic. As a young family it’s something my husband and I have discussed. We’ve decided the idea of trading up our hoo home is more of a burden that a joy. It just means more to clean maintain and pay for. We live in a neighborhood with smaller homes and wonderful people. Unfortunately though most of our neighbors give into the trade up itch and move on after a few years. I wish more families would stay and take root.
Welcome to SMART Living! And good for you for recognizing that you didn’t need a big house and more stuff to be happy. I know it’s tempting for those just getting on the merry-go-round to go bigger, but I just hope that sooner or later we all wake up. Meanwhile enjoy your neighborhood and stay time-rich! ~Kathy
Hi Kathy,
Our society has come to a point that values everything around money and using it as a distraction for many things. To be honest, money is more like a medicine to most situation, like a happy pill. How many women are stressed and they run to go for “shopping therapy”? Or those people who want to feel that their jobs and work has value, so eventually they will buy a new car and house. There are so many examples, we can see them around us every day.
When I started my spiritual path, the first thing I did was to get rid of my TV. Don’t get me wrong, it is that I don’t like watching the news. It is more about avoiding advertisement and unnecessary dramatic voices while watching the news channel. Along with that, I started reevaluating things I had in my house like clothes I never wore. Then the question came about the house.
At that time I was paying rent but I wanted a better place to live. Not expensive but more comfortable. So instead of buying, I had to rent a new one. I refuse as well to be in debt for the rest of my life for an expensive house. I am glad to read that you have the right priorities in your life. For me, I value a cup of tea with a friend at home more than going out to a fancy restaurant. Life is what you make of it.
Thank you for the great and mind provoking post!
Zaria
Hey Psychic Nest! Thanks for sharing your personal perspective on this issue. I agree that we’ve become a country where money is like medicine to so many people. Good for you for cutting yourself off from TV and mass marketing. What tv I do watch is either movies or we DVR it. We don’t watch any news nor any live TV so that we NEVER watch commercials. Surprisingly though, I read a statistic that says that 85% of the people with a DVR still don’t use it???? What? Sitting through 20 minutes of advertising out of every hour of TV is insanity! It’s no wonder that so many people are addicted to consumerism. Getting rid of your tv is FAR better. And good for you for recognizing in your heart those things that make your life sweet. ~Kathy
This made me think of an engaged couple I met some years ago who were such lovely and loving people and yet were constantly striving to meet and pass financial milestones. They were well-educated and working in lucrative careers. As I stepped into her car the first time, she actually apologized for it. It was a current model, very nice car with leather seats; but it was not “the” car, the purchase of which was being postponed until after their wedding.
Hi Jean! Thank for taking the time to illustrate how this issue can sneak up on any of us. Even when we think we are immune it can catch us if we don’t stay awake and mindful. Plus it points out how we “model” behaviors to everyone who knows us. I am happy to think I can model a more peaceful, non-competitive and appreciative perspective to those who know me. Thanks again for stopping by. ~Kathy
I didn’t appreciate this concept until I was in my late thirties. I have now decided to spend our money on experiences and not possessions, and I couldn’t be happier about that choice. I think part of the problem is maturity, and self esteem. I didn’t have either when we were just starting out, and now I could care less what people think of our house or me, I just want to explore the world with my kids and husband.
Hi Alyson! Thanks for stopping by SMART Living and sharing your thoughts on this issue. Isn’t it the truth? I do think there are a few SMART and aware young adults out there that intuitively know this, but many of us had to learn the LONG way! Good for you for recognizing it when you did and just embracing the best part of life–and yeah, I call that rightsizing. ~Kathy
Such wisdom, especially after reading your book on retirement. When I see your smile, and Thom’s, I know that you are living the dream. Your dream. Of happiness. And that’s everything, Kathy!
Hey Carol! Thank you for checking in on this. Aren’t you and I so very fortunate that we get to write about and share some of the things we’ve learned along the way. Every time I read your blog I am reminded of things I’ve read, things I find fascinating or places I want to visit. Enjoy your current trip and I look forward to chatting about it when you return! ~Kathy
Boy, is this ever true! My daughter and her boyfriend live in Mountain View and make a LOT of money. She said they qualify for a million dollar home, but her good sense prevails and she says she won’t fall into that trap just because she can “afford” it. I must have raised her well 🙂
Hey Terri! I am not surprised at all to hear that your daughter is able to make good choices for herself financially because from what I can tell you provide a perfect example of someone who lives “rightsized.” We really should sit down and talk about it more because I have a lot of question for you–hey! Sounds lIke I should do an interview! If Thom and I get to Sacramento I am going to look you up for sure. Thanks for adding your comment! ~Kathy
I had a bit of a giggle when reading about the “time-saving” gadgets. A friend is gadget crazy, anything new and she has to have it. She spends so much time disassembling, cleaning, airing and reassembling each one after use, I don’t see how it saves her any time at all. I can grate a carrot on an old fashioned grater, rinse that off and dry it, all in ten minutes , while she is assembling, processing, disassembling, rinsing, drying, laying out the parts to thoroughly air dry etc. I’ll stick to the old ways. The only time savers I have that really do save time is the microwave and the blender. Even then, the blender does need to come apart for washing, while the microwave just needs a wipeout.
I agree with “just because you can, doesn’t mean you should”. Too many people out here are struggling and trying to sell their big expensive houses to get out from under the debt.
Hi River! Isn’t it so true! I’ll admit that I do like gadget’s too but do my best to resist them. Thom and I both are pretty good at “talking ourselves down” from buying things we really don’t need by projecting into the future to really think about how much we might use something. I think we’re pretty fortunate to have the two of us with the same intention, but I think we can all find a friend or two who can help do the same. Every single thing we buy either takes away the time to work to pay for it, or all the time, energy and money to maintain it. We would all benefit by thinking that through as carefully as we can! Thanks as always for your thoughts on this! ~Kathy
There was really a Disney ride called “Carousel of Progress?” That is whacky.
Your day today sounds PERFECT.
And I think I’m one of few people who dream about having a smaller place, with less stuff, and less to worry about (and our place now is small!).
Hi Laura! Thank you. I didn’t list it all to brag, although it DOES make me happy! But wouldn’t it would be nice for all of us to encourage each other to take the time to enjoy our lives in such a simple and uncomplicated way? And now that I think about it, maybe we SHOULD be bragging about such simple things but gratifying things in our life? If you long for an even smaller place, just set the intention. Remember, rightsizing is finding that “perfect” place that fits the life you want to live. ~Kathy
The tricky part is that due to the nature of my husband’s business, he has a lot of gear. So, no 500 sq. foot efficiency apartment for us!
Great advice Kathy! They should give this out to all first-time buyers. Of course, the banks and the realtors don’t want to help them they just want to make those big commissions. So many get themselves into trouble. I’ve become obsessed with the tiny houses. I couldn’t do it now, but definitely considering it for later on. Done any research on them?
Hi Rena! Glad you liked this post. But I do have to defend some of the good realtors out there having been a licensed broker for over 30 years now. There are some good ones out there but you do need to be selective. And shows like House Hunters and others are also creating a “feeding frenzy” that don’t help things. But as for tiny houses, I do agree that they are cute and there does seem to be some comraderie about them, but I really think they are too small to be really practical. When your 20 it might be okay to sleep in a loft you can only access but a tiny ladder, but those of us 60+ might not want (or be able) to do it much. I think a RV (wth popouts) or even a park model make much more sense and the prices can be even more competitive. As you know I am a big advocate for rightsizing and small homes on an average, but I keep my practical nature at all times. ~Kathy
It distresses me when I hear our economy being described as “consumer-driven.” Why not “happiness-driven” or “education-driven” or “health-driven”? I’m sure someone who is much smarter about these things can explain why this is a good thing, but the focus on consumerism seems so shallow and unhealthy. Do we really need so much stuff? But, what would happen to our economy if everyone wised up and only purchased what they needed?
Hi Janis! I know you and I are simpatico about this issue! A big problem is that it is so easy to “quantify” purchases and very challenging to do that with things like love and happiness. That’s why I love the fact that The World Happiness Report has begun to annually rate countries based on those qualities (called the GNH Gross National Happiness) rather than the GDP. But the good news is that those of us who know what really matters and have a blog or other ways to share the news with others can do that. I think our voices are so important! ~Kathy
I agree with you for the most part (see my current post called “Guess What We’re Doing”), except I do still think places like the Huffington Post and others should stop taking advantage of writers and start paying them at least a small amount for their efforts. Doesn’t Ariana Huffington know how to say minimum wage?
Hi Tom! Yes, it does seem a bit incongruent with her message–or at least the way I interpret her message. But while I wouldn’t mind getting paid for my posts there, I realize that I have a choice about whether I submit an article to them or not. I am very clear that I am only doing it for exposure and the minute I don’t feel that exposure is valuable I have the choice to stop doing it (or never start in the first place.) The world we live in changes very rapidly so I think it benefits us all to be as adaptable and creative as possible. It reminds me of that song by the group Men At Work who sang, “Money for nothing.” I think a lot of people think if we get any money for our writing or our books, it’s money for nothing. Thankfully as long as some people value writing in some ways we will find other ways to generate income. And now I’m heading over to your blog to see what you mean by “guess what we’re doing~” ~Kathy
Well Kathy as you know, I’ve written my share of free articles for Huff Post and elsewhere, for exactly the reason you say, but I’ve been scaling back recently, again, for the reason you say. To me, it’s different writing for free for a profit-making operation — they’re making money off your efforts — versus writing essentially for free on our own and other people’s blogs where there’s more sharing and it’s more of a community.
Hi Tom! Yes I know you’ve done your share of writing for a couple of online publications. I do agree that there is a level of difference but we still have that choice don’t we? Years ago I was asked by a rather popular speaker and writer if I wanted to put an article in an anthology she was putting together and I was honored to be have one of my articles included in that book. At the time, it felt REALLY GOOD for me to have my writing in a book and associated with that author. Would I do it again Absolutely not! That author continues to make royalties on my writing but I have never, and never will, see I a dime. But at the time it was worth it to me for the reasons I mentioned. I’m not sure it matters to me personally whether someone else is making money off my work or not…I really do feel it boils down to whether I think it matters to me at the time, or not. ~Kathy
My husband was transferred regularly in his career so we moved a lot. For us, it boiled down to the best school district. We did get in over our heads a couple of times but, we moved in less than 2 years and got our $$ back. The other part of going to the ‘best’ new development we always considered was the type of people we’d meet there. Would they be judging or accepting? Plus the commute. Oh, how I hated commuting! So glad those days are long gone!
b
Hey Barbara! Thanks for adding a couple of more pieces to the puzzle. You’re right that picking a good school or a compatible neighborhood really needs to be part of the equation….definitely more than just the square footage. And that commute aspect gets ignored or “justified” in far too many cases. In some ways those TV programs like Househunters or Love it or List it also make it worse. They are always implying that people really should be upgrading and making bigger homes the ultimate goal. Once in a while a couple will choose to stay in a neighborhood they love but most of the time the granite countertops seem win out. Thanks again for jumping in her! ~Kathy
Twelve years ago I retired, we sold our home in Texas and moved to an apartment in Hillsboro, OR. We absolutely love it. I’m thankful we have the income that allows us to live in a nice apartment, at about 30 or 35 % of our income. My husband is in bad health. We have no worries about keeping up property. We have enough income we don’t feel pinched. We put a good size chunk of money into savings each month. Home ownership is highly overrated.
Hi Linda! Thank you for another great example of why buying isn’t always the best choice at any given time. There are so many things that need to be considered before going either way that most people don’t realize. Just like having a child, just because you can doesn’t always mean you should. Thanks for your thoughts. ~Kathy
Great post Kathy. Just because you can doesn’t mean you HAVE TO or SHOULD! Home ownership is not for everyone but if you do own a home the upkeep is inevitable and money has to be set aside to keep up your home.
Hi Haralee! Glad you like that statement. It’s been one I use a LOT in many circumstances. I use it with ALL my buying choices AND I use it when I am faced with commitments and activities too. It’s really easy to say yes when much of the time the answer should be no! ~ Kathy
We have always been smart about the homes we buy. Who cares what friends say if we choose something smaller that we can afford. Our choices have been good ones and we have encouraged our children to do the same. At the moment only one of our kids owns a home–they are all successful in their own way, but things are even tougher now than they were. Great post.
Hi Beth! Good for you for always being SMART about the homes you buy. The housing crisis proved that wasn’t the case in so many ways. I agree that things can be tough for many these days and only hope that they don’t get sucked into believing there is a easy and fast way to make money in real estate the way everyone did before. Sure money can be made and it’s been good to my family, but like so much it isn’t something anyone should do without a lot of education and awareness. Thanks for adding that to the conversation. ~Kathy
Many years ago, my young son asked, “Why can’t we have a new house?” I said we could, we could start tomorrow, but this is what we will give up in order to afford this new house. I listed the things and experiences we would do without if we built a new house. He contemplated that list for a little while, then decided that we didn’t need a new house. to me a home was more important and priceless. Another story – one Christmas we were at my sister’s-in-law home. The house was full of family. After a phone call, B announced that someone else was coming. Her young daughter asked, “Mom, where will we put them?!” to which her mother replied, “Oh, Brenda, in a small house there’s always room for one more.” I’ll never forget those words.
Hey Mona! Thank you so much for sharing such a sweet and personal stories with us all. Both are so poignant and true! And good for you for being awake and aware enough to recognize what they really represent. Thank you again! ~Kathy
I’m now working for a surgeon and his wife would be one of the unhappiest people I know. She is 50 and her four children are now living in the city and don’t need her, she has an enormous (empty) house, more money than she knows what to do with, a husband who works 60 hours a week and has completely lost sight of what is important in life. I have so much less than she does materially, but so much more when it comes to being fulfilled. I hope the following generations learn to balance their lives and not let the pursuit of the mighty dollar kill their hearts.
Hi Leanne! Thank you for your excellent example of how money doesn’t necessarily equate to happiness or peace. I sure hope people don’t think I was bragging when I mentioned all the things I get to do in my life. I realize I am very fortunate but believe me, I’ve made a lot of choices along the way to make sure that now allow me to enjoy the process. So much of it is finding that “balance” you mention. And I’m also convinced that those of us who have found a way to do it need to share that idea with others. Otherwise it is too easy to find ourselves as lemmings just heading over that cliff! -Kathy
Kathy, your day sounds so lovely! I can’t wait to have days like that; it’s our goal, but we’re not there yet. Which got me thinking … rightsizing your life is as much an ongoing process as “monetizing” your life and making the switch from one to the other does not happen overnight, unless you’re already independently wealthy. (Which we’re not!)
While most people I know work toward a financial goal and see time as their tool to achieve it, we have made the mindset shift and are working toward a time goal — growing our free time over time. Money still plays a role, however — it’s just not the goal anymore, but rather the tool to help us reach the goal. Essentially, time and money have switched roles.
That being said, I believe it’s fair to hope for a decent income for my writing … eventually. 🙂 I will never reach my time goal if I do it all for free indefinitely: my time will be swallowed by work that I’ll have to do to pay my bills, on top of the time I need to write.
I think that’s the struggle for a lot of writers out there, which is what drives them to protest the many “big sites” who profit from the free content given to them by writers who still have bills to pay. I wonder … if writers were less willing to write for free, and valued their work more as a result, would that be such a bad thing?
Hi T.O. Thanks for all your thoughts in this and helping to carry on the conversation. First off, you’re right. It certainly doesn’t happen all at once. But I think making a decision to remember what’s important and then following through with choices is essential. Plus, I think it is very important to remember that what we usually are craving, behind all our wants, is the feeling that we believe we will get from whatever we are wanting. It’s that feeling that we REALLY crave. So if we can find the feeling without spending money–or our precious time–the better. So no one has to be wealthy (independent or not!) to feel wealthy and rightsize.
I LOVE how you say that you recognize that “money still plays a role, however–it’s just not the goal anymore.” That’s a real key. Another key is recognizing that real value doesn’t necessarily have to equate to money. As long as we continue to make money synonymous with real value, it’s too easy to get stuck into forgetting that our time is far more priceless. AND we must never forget that without time, it’s very difficult to enjoy any money we do have.
But thank you for helping me clarify that I am NOT suggesting that we run around doing everything and never get paid. But as I’ve written before, compensation comes in many forms–and money is only one of them! ( http://smartliving365.com/payment-doesnt-always-look-like-money/ ) Like I said, and YOU know, I enjoy many things that it takes money to buy. I just want to be very conscious and aware of the trade-off it requires –especially related to time. And I also never want to forget that I write and do other things for many different reasons (with value) than just for the dollars it provides.
Ultimately I do think it comes down to the fact that I do not believe that my writing, when I do choose to give it away without monetary payment, detracts or takes away from any other writer in any way. But that is my personal life philosophy so I “get” that others might disagree. I tend to believe that there is more than enough good in the world for us to share our resources in ways that benefit us any time we want. I can’t take the good that belongs to others away from them, any more than they can take my good from me. Like Tammy Bleck said at #BAMC16, we really aren’t in competition with each other. Of course, with that said, I can’t make another writer feel valuable regardless of whether I get paid or give my writing away for free. Ultimately, each of us has to find our own value and then decide how we will express that with the world. You and I have talked enough that I’m betting you don’t disagree with this at all. It’s just good to say it don’t you think? And thanks again for fleshing this out. It’s a deep subject and we could spend hours on it!!! ~Kathy
P.S. I know this reply is REALLY long but here is one more perspective from another VERY SUCCESSFUL blogger named Leo Babauda on his blog Zen Habits on giving our writing away for “free.” http://zenhabits.net/the-culture-of-free-and-the-power-of-less/
This is oh-so true, Kathy. Commercialism seemed to get stamped into our brains in the mid-century last, and the continuing to work to continue to buy bigger and better, well, that just became ingrained in our way of life.
I just love: “Just because you can buy something, doesn’t mean you should.” Isn’t that so freeing!
I learned to live below my means decades ago, and still do. Now, my home is paid for, as are my vehicles, although at some point one of those may have to be replaced. LOL. But talk about freeing!
Loved this!
Hi Susan! Yes I think one thing that a little free time gives us today is more access to more advertising leading to more stuff. Think about it, if we sit to relax in front of the TV then ply us with commercials. If you surf the internet, just about everywhere you go there are ads trying to separate us from our money (which boils down to the time it takes to earn it!) So important to stay mindful and stop the madness. It sounds like you’ve been rightsizing for quite a while–no wonder I feel connected to you and your writing! Let’s keep reminding each other okay? ~Kathy
Absolutely, my friend! And it’s another reason I LOVED your book 🙂
I agree with Lynn, you are wise. Your post caused me to think about some of my favorite modest homes. When I was a child, both sets of grandparents lived in small farmhouses. They were definitely old fashioned and there was barely enough room for us to squeeze ourselves around the table for family dinners, but we had such great times in those sweet little homes! Makes me want to create a similar haven for my family!!
Hi Pam! Thank you too! And I’m happy I’ve been able to remind you of what really makes a house a home. All the nicest furniture and closets filled with all sorts of stuff doesn’t usually make those kinds of memories. Let’s all strive to create the space and feeling that you remember when you look back and I’m sure your, and our families will benefit. ~Kathy
Kathy, you are so wise! Thank you for putting into words the value of time with loved ones. It takes courage to live a counter-consumer lifestyle. Your leadership helps all of us!
Hi Lynn! Thanks for your comment! I’m working on being wiser and SMARTer as time goes by for sure–but am happy to be just a work in progress. And YES to us all to be brave enough to stand up for something far more meaningful than just a bunch of stuff! If I can inspire just one person to break free from the chains of debt and comparison then writing this post was worth it! ~Kathy