A Year Gone By and What Do We Have to Show?
The answer is almost nothing. No really, almost nothing. We spent almost this entire year on the road traveling and experiencing the world with no “stuff” to show for it. Experiences not items.
Returning to the launch site of our yearlong sabbatical, Costa Rica, brought me to a long pause both figuratively and literally in my blog, as I pondered all our tripping around the globe. There were many lessons and insights from our sincerely light-footed gallivanting. One major lesson was that we basically missed no things. At not one point did we stop and long for the “things” that we had left behind nor did we pick things up along the way besides food, necessities, and some clothing basics for our ever-growing daughter. All of our energies and resources were placed on, more often then not, outdoor, nature based activities.
Oddly enough, I don’t think that any of us got tired of wearing the few well-chosen quality outfits we toted. It was freeing in a way to have a very limited choices and not think twice about which few shirts to wear. Decisions were made on climate and comfort. In fact, there is a specific pair of grey cargo pants that you may have seen me wearing lots on our European trip that I wore today.
There was a time in my own life when I thought that I needed more and better and more. The more that one travels the more one realizes that what really maters are the experiences, whether near to home or around the globe.
This clear concept entered into our scope back in 2006. The beginning of the year I had read an article based on No Unnecessary Items. I read it, processed it, and took it to heart. Starting that year each time I went to purchase something, anything even the smallest thing I made a conscious decision on whether it was necessary. Most things were not. I managed to wear what I had in my closet more and then stacks that way. When our birthdays came in November we proposed the idea to each other that rather then purchase each other some nearly memorable items we would experience something together. Not just a trip but a long weekend getaway to a course on Peruvian Shamanism that transformed our world and perspectives in many ways and opened the doors to other spiritual endeavors. Priceless.
Interestingly enough when we returned from the bulk of our first year traveling, back into our home we began to purge more items rather then revel in them. Old clothing redistributed, books donated that may never be read again, and toys that no longer are needed reassigned. Less is better, living & experiencing is more.
TIPS ON HOW TO LIVE LITE
- No unnecessary items (see above). Bored? Lonely? Filling your house with items will not fill this gap, only the space. Try a new class, museum, or daytrip. Expand your mind not your closets.
- Don’t buy crap. Really, the more low quality things you buy whether clothing, electronics, or home items the more you will have to replace them as they break, fall apart, or just disintegrate before your eyes.
- 1 in – 3 out rule. For every clothing item that you buy you must donate or give away three items in your closet. Wow, what a concept. This rule will filter out the items that you no longer wear and in no time even the scales on the clothing that you own. There will be a point in which you say, but I really like all of the things I have.
- Inform friends and family about gifts and make it clear and easy. My family is great on this. They know I love tea, wine, coffee, chocolate, handmade items, and restaurant/food gift certificates! All perfect, easy to find and use, and admittedly they do not hang around that long. In return if I am not sure of a useable, necessary gift for someone I buy him or her the same items listed above. Always a win and always well received.
Living Wherever We Are 