Today, I am going to continue with some excerpts from the book
LIVE MORE WANT LESS
by Mary Carlomangno
Chapter 2 is titled:
Procrastinators, Read This First.
I'm not sure why she didn't just write
Beth, Read This First.
Anyway....throughout the book, she has what I would call "extra-good advice boxes" that she labels "THE WAY."
I am going to share some of those today, along with her check-list for
"Possession Obsession."
I know I have too much stuff. Have you ever watched the Veggie Tales episode titled "Madame Blueberry" where she constantly goes to the "Stuffmart" and brings more and more stuff home to her house (in a tree) until it finally all falls over and ends up in the river? Well....sometimes my husband calls me Madame Blueberry. (I promise I'm not that bad. My house has never tipped over into the river.)
First...."THE WAY."
Understand that procrastination is an avoidance behavior whereby a more pleasant task is selected over a less-pleasant task that brings relief in the short term but creates more mental anxiety and physical stress in the longer term
(We shall call that "the description of MY LIFE.")
Practice active decision making, and become emboldened by the power you have over your stuff. Once you flip from passive to active mode, you will be able to live simply with less clutter.
Holding on to paper is a common tendency that creates a habit of proving ourselves: proof of payment, proof of where we have been, or proof of what somebody said. Turn this passive thinking around by finding the confidence in the person you truly are, not the person you are on paper.
Being addicted to the idea of acquiring something just because it is free misses the point of value. Things are of value only when you use them, not simply because they cost you nothing.
Too much of anything clouds our minds, our homes, and eventually our planet. Let finding the balance between what you want and what you need guide you to living an informed life with less stuff and more meaning.
Take a break from spending by buying only what you absolutely need and only when you absolutely need it. Differentiating between thoughtful purchasing and frivolous amassing is the barometer for measuring shopping's hold over you.
DAILY PRACTICES:
*Evaluate your motivations for shopping. Outside influences like catalogs, internet ads, and television can be strong motivators to purchasing. With the motivation to inner desire rather than outside stimuli, like a sale or promotion.
*Recognize your usage of the word "need" in your daily life. Often this powerful word is applied to nonessential "wants" and can be contagious. Use is correctly and sparingly. Wants are what turn good shoppers into shopaholics. Establish a true need or expressed purpose for every item before buying it.
*Peer pressure is pervasive in high school, but some battle it later in life, as well. Look at your peer group to determine if they are encouraging your purchasing habit. You can always shop with your friends, but you don't have to buy what they buy if you don't need the item.
* Turn to your daily planner and note how many social activities revolve around shopping. If you were to eliminate those plans from your calendar, what activities would be left? Now note if some friends are just shopping buddies. In the process, begin to assess the activities and the time spent on accumulating rather than enjoying.
*Do you buy the same item over and over again without realizing that your already have these same items hanging in your closet? Begin to notice your repetitive purchasing patterns, and eliminate them. Temptation can be overwhelming when sales abound. Release the knee-jerk reaction to stockpile.
*Practice conscientious returning: Make sure that the things you buy, you wear. Subscrive to the rule of buying with a purpose, and if you do not wear the item within a reasonable time span, return it. A good gauge is within a week or two.
~
~Taken from LIVE MORE WANT LESS by Mary Carlomango
LIVE MORE WANT LESS
by Mary Carlomangno
Chapter 2 is titled:
Procrastinators, Read This First.
I'm not sure why she didn't just write
Beth, Read This First.
Anyway....throughout the book, she has what I would call "extra-good advice boxes" that she labels "THE WAY."
I am going to share some of those today, along with her check-list for
"Possession Obsession."
I know I have too much stuff. Have you ever watched the Veggie Tales episode titled "Madame Blueberry" where she constantly goes to the "Stuffmart" and brings more and more stuff home to her house (in a tree) until it finally all falls over and ends up in the river? Well....sometimes my husband calls me Madame Blueberry. (I promise I'm not that bad. My house has never tipped over into the river.)
First...."THE WAY."
Understand that procrastination is an avoidance behavior whereby a more pleasant task is selected over a less-pleasant task that brings relief in the short term but creates more mental anxiety and physical stress in the longer term
(We shall call that "the description of MY LIFE.")
Practice active decision making, and become emboldened by the power you have over your stuff. Once you flip from passive to active mode, you will be able to live simply with less clutter.
Holding on to paper is a common tendency that creates a habit of proving ourselves: proof of payment, proof of where we have been, or proof of what somebody said. Turn this passive thinking around by finding the confidence in the person you truly are, not the person you are on paper.
Being addicted to the idea of acquiring something just because it is free misses the point of value. Things are of value only when you use them, not simply because they cost you nothing.
Too much of anything clouds our minds, our homes, and eventually our planet. Let finding the balance between what you want and what you need guide you to living an informed life with less stuff and more meaning.
Take a break from spending by buying only what you absolutely need and only when you absolutely need it. Differentiating between thoughtful purchasing and frivolous amassing is the barometer for measuring shopping's hold over you.
DAILY PRACTICES:
*Evaluate your motivations for shopping. Outside influences like catalogs, internet ads, and television can be strong motivators to purchasing. With the motivation to inner desire rather than outside stimuli, like a sale or promotion.
*Recognize your usage of the word "need" in your daily life. Often this powerful word is applied to nonessential "wants" and can be contagious. Use is correctly and sparingly. Wants are what turn good shoppers into shopaholics. Establish a true need or expressed purpose for every item before buying it.
*Peer pressure is pervasive in high school, but some battle it later in life, as well. Look at your peer group to determine if they are encouraging your purchasing habit. You can always shop with your friends, but you don't have to buy what they buy if you don't need the item.
* Turn to your daily planner and note how many social activities revolve around shopping. If you were to eliminate those plans from your calendar, what activities would be left? Now note if some friends are just shopping buddies. In the process, begin to assess the activities and the time spent on accumulating rather than enjoying.
*Do you buy the same item over and over again without realizing that your already have these same items hanging in your closet? Begin to notice your repetitive purchasing patterns, and eliminate them. Temptation can be overwhelming when sales abound. Release the knee-jerk reaction to stockpile.
*Practice conscientious returning: Make sure that the things you buy, you wear. Subscrive to the rule of buying with a purpose, and if you do not wear the item within a reasonable time span, return it. A good gauge is within a week or two.
~
~Taken from LIVE MORE WANT LESS by Mary Carlomango
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