Maximum Gratitude, Minimal Stuff

In a world that's constantly urging us to do things faster and with less effort, there's something radical about choosing to do things slowly and carefully. As internet speeds get faster, microwaves and Instant Pots become ubiquitous, and every task is supposed to be speedy and convenient, it's ironic that most of us feel rushed and short of time.  This raises our stress levels and makes us even more impatient and desirous of quick results.  But fast food wrecks our health, fast fashion wrecks our environment, and fast fixes don't work for the really important things. Taking time to create something over a period of hours instead of minutes is an important part of a simpler life and increases competence, pride, satisfaction, and meaning. Not that difficult For generations before us, slow work wasn't a search for value and creativity in a "full speed ahead" culture.  It was survival.  Just read Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House in the Big Woods .*  Gr...

My toilet has a leak.  Not an awful, room-destroying leak!  Just a small leak from the tank into the bowl.  It's undoubtedly a problem with the flapper or the fill valve.  My husband Jon will take a look at it on the weekend. But in the meantime, the little leaky sound is annoying.  It's not just that it's wasting water (which in California is a bad thing).  It's a sound that doesn't stop.  Like a dripping faucet, it gets tiresome very quickly. Fortunately, while I was bemoaning this state of affairs, I had another thought that almost made me laugh.  Somewhere in the world today, someone doesn't have a toilet.  In fact, my grandparents grew up using outhouses.  I don't think any of them had an indoor bathroom until their adult years.  And my mom spent the first years of her life basically camping in a barn . I can get up this minute, go to the kitchen, turn on the tap, and get a glass of clean, refreshing, life-giving water.  I...

Maybe you've done this too: Bought that cookbook because the diet it detailed would get you back on track to healthy eating and a healthier weight. Bought that exercise equipment because it would finally make working out fun, easy, and a permanent feature of your new, better, healthier life. Bought that trendy, stylin' athleisure because you need to look cute while pursuing your new active life. Bought that face cream, serum, skincare regimen, etc. because you want to look as good as you feel. Bought that water-filtering pitcher and stainless steel water bottle so you could hydrate yourself like the healthy, fit people do. Bought that gym membership, massage package, etc. for the same reasons as above. Bought that Bluetooth headset so you could listen to music or podcasts while you pursue your healthy life. Bought that YouTube subscription so you could listen to music and podcasts without so many pesky ads. Bought that meal kit subscription so preparing healthy food would be ea...

I awoke this morning to discover that I had left the back door unlocked.  All night, all of our belongings were freely available to just anybody – not to mention our sleeping selves! Now, I don't seriously believe we were in any danger.  I doubt that anyone creeps up to our apartment in the night to test if locks are open.  No one comes near. But we all do it, don't we – we lock, and double-check, on the slim and far-out chance that someday, someone might be looking for just such an opportunity. Not too attractive I'm fortunate to live in a fairly low-crime area, but even so, my husband Jon and I don't have much that would be attractive to a thief. Jon's bicycle, maybe – although it's about 15 years old.  He does take good care of it. Our TV and Blu-ray player, maybe – although the TV is a few years old and fairly small, and lots of people don't play any type of disc anymore. Our laptops, maybe – but they aren't in plain sight, and they're old enough...

We're all different, and we're all comfortable with more or less clutter.  Some of us lean more minimalist, and some of us don't.  But for most of us, when we improve our surroundings, we improve our state of mind.  When we make order in one area, we see more clearly in another.  When we clear out something that's messy and bothersome, we may be able to clear up a situation that's been giving us trouble. There's no one right way to be, of course.  We've achieved the right level of order when we can find what we need, function well in our space, and feel comfortable in our surroundings.  For some people, that requires zero (or near-zero) clutter.  For others, their tolerance is a little higher. Here are my top tips for getting control of the stuff in my life so that I can feel more in control of my life. Try these quick and easy actions 1.  Make your bed. It's the center of your bedroom, and it sets the tone not just for that space, but for your w...

If you listen to wealth managers, you'll think that growing your net worth is exciting.  I don't think money is exciting.  But saving money can be comforting, satisfying, and freeing. There are several unsexy ways to save money.  They won't rev your heart rate, but they can make life simpler and more secure.  Let's learn how they work. 9 savings strategies 1.  Eat the same meals every week. This habit makes your grocery shopping faster and easier, makes the cost more predictable, and it simplifies your kitchen chores!  Simply choose a couple of breakfasts, two or three lunches, and a half-dozen dinner options that you can rotate.  You'll never wonder what to fix, you'll save a ton of money over eating out or ordering in, and you'll waste less food.  (Wasted food is wasted money!)  Plus, if you're trying to follow any kind of special diet, keeping track of your carbs, calories, fat, or whatever becomes much simpler. Before you knock it, try it...