OK, let's recap:
If you're truly, madly, deeply involved in this exercise, by now you've:
1. Identified your CORE values and characteristics
2. Examined your needs, wants, and likes.
3. Started to TAKE ACTION-
-tracking your daily expenses
-identified some spending habits and expenses that are, well, eye-opening
*******
And, if you've been casually reading this thread, following along, but not doing the exercises, chances are you're no different than before you started. :smx4:
So, a quick time out to ask those who have read, but not done, these exercises:
Why not?
What's held you back?
*******
Most of us are here because we are working towards being financially free. We feel a deep need-- a drive-- a burning desire to make more of our lives than the 9 to 5 drudge that everyone else around us seems to think is the only way to go.
We think there is another way.
A better way.
*******
But here's the problem: No matter how much desire, or passion you have, or how frustrated you are with a rat race existence, nothing is going to change. Nothing.
Until you start doing.
*******
So, I ask the "readers" (not the doers) of this thread one last time:
What is preventing you from doing the exercises?
You know the answer of course.
YOU are the only thing preventing you from doing these exercises, taking control of your financial future, and moving ahead.
How long will you let this continue? Until you're 50? 70? In the ground?
*******************************
Part Three: WAKING UP! (taking stock of what is essential)
If you've been doing the exercises, chances are you've had a few big surprises, especially this last phase-- tracking every penny going into and out of your life.
What Happened?
If you're in shock right now, that's absolutely normal. For some of you, this is the first time you'e started to become financially aware of what's going on in their day to day lives.
Kinda like waking up from a dream.
When I first did this exercise, I felt like I had awakened and was now living-- a NIGHTMARE!
My first reaction was shock. Then denial ("these expenses were unusual this month"). Then, after I'd tracked expenses for a few months, I discovered-- to my horror-- that I had "unusual" expenses each and every month.
Dang.
Turns out, I was just being a typical American consumer. Eating out, driving my car(s), and buying stuff.
Buying LOTS and LOTS of stuff.
A sickening amount of stuff.
Stuff that I never used. Or used only occasionally.
Stuff, stuff, stuff.
Those of you that are pack rats know just how much stuff you buy and never use-- it accumulates and takes over your life.
And those of you who are adept at "purging" things that aren't used have been spared the awful truth: That you are essentially working hours/weeks/months, to buy STUFF . . . much of which, you never (or rarely) use. By getting rid of it (giving it away, loaning it to friends, throwing it out, or (gasp!) selling it cheap)-- you are like a tub full of money with a slow leak at the bottom. As you constantly get rid of the things you don't use, you don't realize just how much all of this STUFF is costing you.
**********
This realization affects everyone differently.
Some folks who were "purgers" start hoarding-- never letting anything go. This helps identify how much is coming into your life (by stopping the "leak" of purging). But in most cases, it's terribly depressing. STUFF piles up, and you feel out of control-- like your STUFF owns you, and not the other way around.
Others (the pack rats) often start purging-- via garage sales, donations to Goodwill-- anything to rid them of the STUFF.
Neither one of these approaches is particularly healthy-- but both are pretty normal reactions to waking up and realizing just how much STUFF you have and don't use.
*************
Voluntary Simplicity
The route I took, once I realized how much STUFF was weighing me down, was inspired by a quote from Henry David Thoreau:
"Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify."
I looked at my life, and at what I spent-- and for virtually everything-- I asked:
"Is this essential to my life? My happiness?"
And most important:
"Can I live without this?"
After doing this for a few weeks, I was stunned.
Virtually *everything* in my life was "nice to have around", but not "essential".
Another way to look at this is: If my house was on fire and I can only save what I can carry, what do I choose? (this assumes that every living creature in your home is already out safely).
What I would grab?
My answers (back when I first did this exercise as a single guy, 15 years ago):
I'd grab my photos from traveling the world. And my guitar.
That's it.
Everything else could go.
Everything else was not essential to me-- and was replaceable, on some level.
Note that this was 15 years ago, when I was a younger, single guy. Now, my list is shorter:
Nothing.
The only things that are absolutely essential to me are my family and pets (which were excluded in the above exercise).
Everything else, while nice to have, is just STUFF.
It can be replaced. And if it can't, I could live just fine without it.
*********
I know what you're thinking.
"He's full of cr*p. He'd grab something if he had the chance."
You're right.
I'd grab my laptop, or backup hard drive, because I have so much of my life in there (past work, etc), and my wallet, because it has my ID and credit cards (enough to survive without anything else).
But both of those things are not ESSENTIAL to my continued existence. I could live without them.
**********
Time for some fun. Remember, this is not a REAL fire (in a real fire, you get you and your loved ones out, right away, and don't go back inside!).
What would you grab?
Could you live without ALL of your stuff?
If not: What is ESSENTIAL to your life?
What are the things you cannot live without? (remember, people and pets are excluded from this exercise).
(Let's assume that, if you have insurance, it would cover the losses within 30 days).
-Russ H.
If you're truly, madly, deeply involved in this exercise, by now you've:
1. Identified your CORE values and characteristics
2. Examined your needs, wants, and likes.
3. Started to TAKE ACTION-
-tracking your daily expenses
-identified some spending habits and expenses that are, well, eye-opening
*******
And, if you've been casually reading this thread, following along, but not doing the exercises, chances are you're no different than before you started. :smx4:
So, a quick time out to ask those who have read, but not done, these exercises:
Why not?
What's held you back?
*******
Most of us are here because we are working towards being financially free. We feel a deep need-- a drive-- a burning desire to make more of our lives than the 9 to 5 drudge that everyone else around us seems to think is the only way to go.
We think there is another way.
A better way.
*******
But here's the problem: No matter how much desire, or passion you have, or how frustrated you are with a rat race existence, nothing is going to change. Nothing.
Until you start doing.
*******
So, I ask the "readers" (not the doers) of this thread one last time:
What is preventing you from doing the exercises?
You know the answer of course.
YOU are the only thing preventing you from doing these exercises, taking control of your financial future, and moving ahead.
How long will you let this continue? Until you're 50? 70? In the ground?
*******************************
Part Three: WAKING UP! (taking stock of what is essential)
If you've been doing the exercises, chances are you've had a few big surprises, especially this last phase-- tracking every penny going into and out of your life.
What Happened?
If you're in shock right now, that's absolutely normal. For some of you, this is the first time you'e started to become financially aware of what's going on in their day to day lives.
Kinda like waking up from a dream.
When I first did this exercise, I felt like I had awakened and was now living-- a NIGHTMARE!
My first reaction was shock. Then denial ("these expenses were unusual this month"). Then, after I'd tracked expenses for a few months, I discovered-- to my horror-- that I had "unusual" expenses each and every month.
Dang.
Turns out, I was just being a typical American consumer. Eating out, driving my car(s), and buying stuff.
Buying LOTS and LOTS of stuff.
A sickening amount of stuff.
Stuff that I never used. Or used only occasionally.
Stuff, stuff, stuff.
Those of you that are pack rats know just how much stuff you buy and never use-- it accumulates and takes over your life.
And those of you who are adept at "purging" things that aren't used have been spared the awful truth: That you are essentially working hours/weeks/months, to buy STUFF . . . much of which, you never (or rarely) use. By getting rid of it (giving it away, loaning it to friends, throwing it out, or (gasp!) selling it cheap)-- you are like a tub full of money with a slow leak at the bottom. As you constantly get rid of the things you don't use, you don't realize just how much all of this STUFF is costing you.
**********
This realization affects everyone differently.
Some folks who were "purgers" start hoarding-- never letting anything go. This helps identify how much is coming into your life (by stopping the "leak" of purging). But in most cases, it's terribly depressing. STUFF piles up, and you feel out of control-- like your STUFF owns you, and not the other way around.
Others (the pack rats) often start purging-- via garage sales, donations to Goodwill-- anything to rid them of the STUFF.
Neither one of these approaches is particularly healthy-- but both are pretty normal reactions to waking up and realizing just how much STUFF you have and don't use.
*************
Voluntary Simplicity
The route I took, once I realized how much STUFF was weighing me down, was inspired by a quote from Henry David Thoreau:
"Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify."
I looked at my life, and at what I spent-- and for virtually everything-- I asked:
"Is this essential to my life? My happiness?"
And most important:
"Can I live without this?"
After doing this for a few weeks, I was stunned.
Virtually *everything* in my life was "nice to have around", but not "essential".
Another way to look at this is: If my house was on fire and I can only save what I can carry, what do I choose? (this assumes that every living creature in your home is already out safely).
What I would grab?
My answers (back when I first did this exercise as a single guy, 15 years ago):
I'd grab my photos from traveling the world. And my guitar.
That's it.
Everything else could go.
Everything else was not essential to me-- and was replaceable, on some level.
Note that this was 15 years ago, when I was a younger, single guy. Now, my list is shorter:
Nothing.
The only things that are absolutely essential to me are my family and pets (which were excluded in the above exercise).
Everything else, while nice to have, is just STUFF.
It can be replaced. And if it can't, I could live just fine without it.
*********
I know what you're thinking.
"He's full of cr*p. He'd grab something if he had the chance."
You're right.
I'd grab my laptop, or backup hard drive, because I have so much of my life in there (past work, etc), and my wallet, because it has my ID and credit cards (enough to survive without anything else).
But both of those things are not ESSENTIAL to my continued existence. I could live without them.
**********
Time for some fun. Remember, this is not a REAL fire (in a real fire, you get you and your loved ones out, right away, and don't go back inside!).
What would you grab?
Could you live without ALL of your stuff?
If not: What is ESSENTIAL to your life?
What are the things you cannot live without? (remember, people and pets are excluded from this exercise).
(Let's assume that, if you have insurance, it would cover the losses within 30 days).
-Russ H.
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