Ziggy’s Problem . . . Too Much Stuff! March 4, 2013
Posted by nrhatch in Books & Movies, Fiction, Simplify Your Life.Tags: Fiction, Simplify Your Life, Stuff, Too Much Stuff, Ziggy
57 comments
Image: Wikipedia
Ziggy zig-zagged across the floor of his room . . . by necessity, not choice.
He had Too Much Stuff.
His drawers overflowed with Stuff and would no longer close. Shelves sagged from being crammed full of Stuff. The closet bulged with Stuff that spilled into the room.
The floor was covered with so much Stuff that Ziggy could barely reach his bed.
He had Too Much Stuff.
Ziggy galloped to the kitchen and whinnied (using his indoor whinny, of course):
“I have . . . TOO . . . MUCH . . . STUFF!”
Ziggy’s mom, Zelda, looked up from the spinach, carrot, and pea salad she was making and nodded, “Ziggy, I think you are starting to realize that sometimes less is more.”
Now, you might ask, “How can less ever be more?” And your best friend might say, “Less is less, and more is more.” And your next best friend might say, “I’m confused. Saying that less is more doesn’t make any sense.”
Well, let me try to explain.
When we have fewer things, we can appreciate what we have more easily because we don’t always have something else competing for our attention. We can focus on what we have without getting distracted by something else.
Does that make sense?
If it doesn’t make sense yet, maybe it will by the time you finish this book. So, let’s get back to the story . . .
“Well, Ziggy, what should you do about all that Stuff?”
Ziggy . . . Artwork by Jan Philpot
Ziggy looked thoughtful as he pondered his mother’s question.
His forehead got all scrunchy looking, and his ears flared out to the side.
He thought about having Too Much Stuff, and wondered what his mother meant when she said, “sometimes, less is more.”
Zelda waited, giving Ziggy time to think.
After a few minutes, Ziggy’s ears relaxed into their normal upright and locked position. ”Maybe I can sell some Stuff and use the money to buy something I really want.”
He cocked his head to the side to see what his mother thought of the idea.
Zelda smiled, “That’s a zebra-tastic idea, Ziggy! Where will you sell it?”
Ziggy thought a moment more, then his face lit up with a huge grin. “I know, I’ll have a yard sale and sell all the Stuff I don’t play with any more.”
Zelda beamed with pride at her son’s solution to his problem of Too Much Stuff.
“That sounds like an excellent solution to your problem, Ziggy. And you thought of it all by yourself. Good for you.”
Aah . . . that’s better!
Focus on Rewards . . . not Risks May 30, 2012
Posted by nrhatch in Happiness, Life Balance, Mindfulness, Simplify Your Life.Tags: Happiness, Mindfulness, Raptitude, Reward, Risk, Simplify Your Life
41 comments
When I was younger, I was “braver” . . . I didn’t envision potential pitfalls as easily. I saw sunny skies waiting for me wherever I chose to roam.
Now, there is a weighing of risk vs. reward with even simple actions.
I talk myself out of doing things I want to do because “it probably won’t be that great anyway.”
I am far too focused on what I don’t want . . . with only cursory consideration given to what I do want.
Here’s to changing that habitual pattern!
Aah . . . that’s better!
Related post: How to become aroused by yourself in 20 minutes or less (Raptitude).
Advice From The Ocean May 22, 2012
Posted by nrhatch in Nature, People, Simplify Your Life, Word Play.Tags: National Wildlife Federation, Nature, Ocean, Simplify Your Life
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Be shore of yourself.
Come out of your shell.
* * * * *
Take time to relax and coast.
Avoid pier pressure.
* * * * *
Sea life’s beauty.
Don’t get tide down.
Make waves!
* * * * *
Aah . . . that’s better!
For more advice from nature . . . visit National Wildlife Federation.
When People Ask Me What I “Do” May 7, 2012
Posted by nrhatch in Life Lessons, Mindfulness, People, Simplify Your Life.Tags: Labels, Life Lessons, Mindfulness, People, Simplify Your Life
93 comments
When people ask me what I do . . . it’s often because they want to put me in a box, with a label affixed to my forehead for ready classification.
It’s convenient for them to know whether I am (or have been) Doctor, Lawyer, or Indian Chief.
Occupation gives them a frame of reference.
Since I’m not one thing . . . or another . . . I tend to sidestep their attempts to categorize me . . . to pin me down . . . as if I were a Monarch Butterfly destined to be netted and caged by their expectations.
People have so many roles in life, associating oneself (or others) with any one label, while ignoring the rest, makes little sense.
Among other things, I am (or have been): writer, musician, painter, blogger, published author, yoga enthusiast, artist, grant writer, guitar player, songwriter, vegetarian, environmentalist, poet, actress, attorney, editor, movie goer, baby boomer, pet owner, activist, consumer . . . and the list goes on.
I am also an a-social, a-political, spiritual introvert, who is occasionally the life of the party. I have been both student and teacher, leader and follower, director and directed.
I have never been an Olympic gold medalist.
The roles I have “played” have little to do with the totality of who I am at this moment.
They are just labels, which do not define the essence of ”me,” nor are they written on my forehead with indelible ink.
I don’t have to wear labels just because it’s “convenient” for them.
I can just be ME . . . with all that entails.
And so can you.
We are not the labels we wear.
Aah . . . that’s better!
Linger Longer April 16, 2012
Posted by nrhatch in Life Balance, Mindfulness, Simplify Your Life.Tags: Clutter, Clutter Busting, Mindfulness, Possessions, Simplify Your Life
64 comments
What if everything we claim to possess possesses a part of us in return . . . splintering our energy into fragments?
When we claim to possess something (MY house, MY car, MY workplace), we invest energy into “owning IT” and caring for IT.
We infuse part of ourselves with each person, place, or thing we “grow attached to.”
What if, as a result of our investment, the person, place, or thing comes to possess a bit of us in exchange?
For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
We give . . . IT takes.
What happens when we leave IT behind (or IT leaves us behind)?
Does our energy linger longer?
What say you?
I have made this letter longer, because I have not had the time to make it shorter. ~ Blaise Pascal
39 Tips For Living A BETTER Life February 27, 2012
Posted by nrhatch in Happiness, Health & Wellness, Mindfulness.Tags: Happiness, Health & Wellness, Mindfulness, Simplify Your Life
26 comments
I want to share two posts with you this morning that contain a total of 39 Tips for Living a BETTER Life . . . starting NOW!
The first, written by Courtney Carver, a woman surviving and thriving after being diagnosed with MS in 2006, outlines 10 areas to focus on when seeking to improve your health and happiness ~ Diet, Health Care, Water, Colors not Calories, Assess Stress, Debt, Do Good Work, Simplify, Exercise, and Live:
Permission to be Healthy ~ 10 Steps to a Healthier (and Happier) Life
The second article, written by Cat Li Stevenson, contains 29 tips for making the most of life . . . as and where you are: 29 Life Lessons in 29 Years
A few favorites from Cat’s article which tie in to recent posts here on SLTW:
8. No matter what we achieve – whatever our measuring stick of success may be – until our minds and hearts are at peace, there will always be the next chase. To expand on this thought: our understanding of ‘security’ can be less safe than it appears. It is valuable to question and examine our definition of safe.
9. Breathe. Practicing sitting comfortably in silence. A sanctuary awaits us in being able to be still, contemplate and reflect. We discover the most about ourselves when we dissolve our inner barriers, quiet the mind, and hear our inner voice.
18. There is no one-way to live. There is no box, no one-way to happiness, no how-to manual for your unique being. We shouldn’t be influenced by movies, stories, and fantasy. We don’t have to conform to societal ideals, norms, or our portrayal of ‘perfect’. Find your truth, your path, your heart and follow it.
22. Saying no is an important skill. It is one that allows us to protect our most precious resource: our time and energy. In my 20s, there was a period of time where I adopted a mantra of “Yes!”—yes to social gatherings, yes to busyness, yes to happy hours, yes to commitments that didn’t serve me. By saying no, I was able to gain back pieces of my day and my energy.
Breathe. Relax. Repeat.
Aah . . . that’s better!
Patience and Impermanence November 20, 2011
Posted by nrhatch in Happiness, Life Balance, Mindfulness, Simplify Your Life.Tags: Happiness, Impermanence, Mindfulness, Patience, Simplify Your Life
50 comments
Patience and impermanence go hand in hand.
Once we realize that we can only LIVE in the present moment . . . our impatience to get somewhere else disappears.
We are content to Be Here Now.
In THIS moment.
We no longer WAIT in lines or GET STUCK in traffic. We enjoy each moment as it unfolds before us.
The grass no longer seems greener on the other side of the fence. We are fully present in everything that is offered HERE and NOW.
We see that self-created suffering is rooted in the frantic desire to attain something other than what we already have . . .
But nothing lasts.
So what’s the rush?
Enjoy THIS moment.
Instead of striving to reach some distant shore, we become fully engaged HERE and NOW. We enjoy the journey as each moment unfolds into the next.
Be patient. Life is stirred with a slow spoon.
All things must pass.
We are HERE and it is NOW.
What else is there?
Aah . . . that’s better.
Related post: Connecting with the Here and Now
Buried Alive October 4, 2011
Posted by nrhatch in Home & Garden, Life Balance, Simplify Your Life.Tags: Flea Market, Goodwill Industries, Simplify Your Life, Too Much Stuff
29 comments
Reading Simplify Your life by Elaine St. James made me realize how cluttered my life had become ~ with people, activities, and things.
Perusing the lines
opened my eyes to a truth
I already knew
Like many people, I hung on to “stuff” with the rationalization that I might need it someday.
Knick Knacks, Bric-A-Brac
Accumulated treasures
Safely packed away
Hanging on to stuff we no longer need exacts a price. We get so overloaded with the accumulations of a lifetime, we start to suffocate.
Stuff, stuff, and more stuff
Possessions overwhelm us
Goodwill here we come!
After finishing the book, I started letting go of things that no long had central importance to me. It felt great. Instead of stagnating, mired in quicksand, my life started flowing again.
The auctioneer chants
“Going once, going twice, SOLD!”
The lone bidder nods.
Goodwill’s bargain racks,
replenished with cast off goods,
help train the jobless
Craig’s List ads attract
the serious shopper and
the downright foolish
Flea Market vendors
grab up brass urns and tacky
pink-hued flamingoes
The more clutter I cleared from my life, the more clarity I gained. It became easier to see what worked and what didn’t.
Your Utopia
Lies in imagination
Beckoning to you
A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving. ~ Lao Tzu
We travel best when we travel light.
Aah . . . that’s better!
* * * * *
Artwork available at Heron Dance ~ in celebration of the Great Dance of Life.
Related posts: Sunset (Gospel Writer) * Forward, Ho! * Simplify Simplify Simplify * Cleaning Out the Closets of Life (Suzi) * Toy Story 3 Linked to Self-Diagnosis of Disposaphobia (Janna) * I Don’t Want Stuff Anymore, Only Things (Raptitude) * Woman Found Dead Amid Clutter * Clearing Clutter * Minimalism v. Moderation (Sandra)
The Value of a Dollar June 20, 2011
Posted by nrhatch in Humor, Poetry, Simplify Your Life, Sustainable Living.Tags: Ben Franklin, Humor, Poetry, Simplify Your Life
39 comments
Poor Richard's Almanac ~ Lessons for the Young & Old on Industry, Temperance, & Frugality by Benjamin Franklin
As a kid
I understood
The value of a dollar.
I scrimped and saved
For rainy days
As Poor Richard did before me.
“A penny saved
Is a penny earned,”
Franklin did admonish
My mom’s thrift
Mirrored his
No surprise ~ she’s Scottish
Frugal, I am
Scrooge, I am not
I just don’t spend what I don’t got!
No rules. Just write!
What about you?
Would you describe yourself as thrifty and frugal? Or extravagant to the extreme? Are you miserly and mean like Scrooge . . . or something in between?
Related posts: 20 Ways To Improve Life Balance * Thrifty, Frugal, or Cheap (Respiratory Therapy) * You Better Stop Shopping Around * I Don’t Want Stuff Anymore (Raptitude) * Create Space For What Matters * Take Charge * Those Alluring Lures * Annie Leonard & The Story of Stuff * OMPM: Overkill
A Bucket Is Filled Drop by Drop April 26, 2011
Posted by nrhatch in Home & Garden, Life Balance, Nature, Sustainable Living.Tags: Environment, Nature, Simplify Your Life
22 comments
When we start taking steps in the right direction, we become the change we wish to see in the world.
Even small changes can make a big difference because our actions inspire others to take action which inspires us to do even more.
A bucket is filled drop by drop.
1. Clean Energy: Urge your representatives to support alternative energy sources, such as solar, wind, and water. Make the switch to clean energy by purchasing power from renewable sources generated by wind, solar, and biomass, if they are available in your area.
Join Repower America to receive alerts while working together to demand 100% clean energy within 10 years.
2. Energy Conservation: Run your dishwasher only with a full load and use the energy-saving setting to dry the dishes. Wash clothes in warm or cold water. Insulate your water heater and adjust its temperature to 120 degrees. Monitor the temperature in your home, setting it as low as possible in the winter and as high as possible in the summer. Clean or replace air filters as recommended. Buy energy-efficient appliances the next time they need to be replaced. Replace incandescent bulbs with compact flourescent bulbs. Install low-flow shower heads to use less water. Add weather-stripping and caulk around doors and windows to plug air leaks. Ask your utility company to conduct an energy audit.
3. Transportation: Consider fuel economy with your next automobile purchase ~ aim to buy a car that gets at least 30 miles to the gallon. Walk, bike, carpool or use mass transit more often. Urge elected officials to support cleaner, greener transportation options, including the addition of eco-friendly bike paths and walking trails.
4. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Reduce waste by buying minimally packaged goods and reusable products, rather than disposable ones. Recycle paper, cans, plastic, and glass. Avoid air fresheners and other perfumed products and buy organic cotton clothing, fruits and vegetables to reduce the use of toxic chemicals ~ freshen the air by opening windows, or using baking soda, cedar blocks, or dried flowers.
5. Habitat Loss: Magnificent animals like pandas, tigers, elephants, sea turtles, polar bears, and gorillas are losing habitat. Visit World Wildlife Fund and join the Conservation Action Network (CAN), an advocacy network that addresses environmental issues such as endangered species, threatened habitats, global warming, forest protection, fisheries conservation, and other major conservation topics.
6. Promote conservation: Don’t buy furniture or decking made of tropical hard wood unless it’s got a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) label. Plant local species of trees and shrubs. Buy seafood products that have the Marine Stewardship Council label.
7. Go Surfing: Find charities that focus on issues of personal interest to you: Environmental Defense Fund, Save the Children, Green America, In Defense of Animals, Make A Wish, National Wildlife Federation, HSUS, Doctors without Borders, Habitat for Humanity, and World Wildlife Fund.
Whether or not you can afford to donate to these charities, use their web pages to educate your family and friends about the challenges we face and the steps we must take if we want a sustainable future for ourselves, our children and our grandchildren.
Finally, check out The Better World Handbook for small changes that will make a big difference in creating the 7 foundations for a Better World:
- Economic Fairness
- Comprehensive Peace
- Ecological Sustainability
- Deep Democracy
- Social Justice
- Culture of Simplicity
- Revitalized Community
If we start taking steps in the right direction at a local and regional level, we will see a filter up effect that will cause our elected representatives, as well as business leaders, to take notice.
Quote: Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. ~ Margaret Mead
One small step by us . . . one giant leap for mankind.
What about you?
What are your favorite conservation tips and techniques? Have you found ways to save money while saving the planet?
Related posts: 7 Ways To Celebrate Earth Day * Annie Leonard & The Story of Stuff * What’s Your DOT??? * The Wisdom of Ecology (Sandra Pawula)
