Redefining the Meaning of Wealth

Are You Getting Enough Sleep? Part I

Paige — Mon, 14 May 2012 07:15:13 +0000

Another gorgeous California mountain view

“I love sleep. My life has a tendency to fall apart when I’m awake, you know?”-Ernest Hemingway

I entered adulthood in the eighties. It was popular to always be on the go and not get much sleep. I remember sleeping very little in college and being proud of it. When I moved to New York shortly after graduation, young ambitious people such as myself got up at the crack of dawn and worked and socialized ourselves silly till we finally hit the pillow for a couple of hours of really bad sleep. Then we got up and did it all over again. I kept up a similar pace in the nineties until I finally said ENOUGH! This is ridiculous! It’s a wonder I survived at all.

I’ve been a big fan of sleep ever since. Sleep is not some sort of luxury for those who don’t have to work for a living nor is it a vice for those people who are just too lazy to do anything else. Sleep is a necessity and a vital ingredient for a healthy prosperous life. Your body can’t function properly without it. We’ve been made to think that those who sleep too much are unproductive. There’s a huge distinction between sleeping till noon each day just because you don’t want to get out of bed and getting a healthy 7-9 hours of sleep each night.

I blame sleep’s bad rap on media stories where some famous entertainment or business leader brags about how little sleep they need and yet maintain these fabulously productive fulfilling lives. I don’t buy it for one second. Humans need sleep and at some point if you go without it for too long you will pay for it. Just like those super skinny models who say they eat tons of fatty food but don’t gain weight. Sorry I don’t buy that either. You might be able to do it for a while but eventually it catches up and you gain tons of weight. The same goes for sleep. Eventually it catches up and you just can’t go without it any longer.

Is sleep at the bottom of your priority list? If so, consider the following risks when we don’t get enough sleep. Our immune systems are more vulnerable and we get sicker often. We run out of energy during the day and are not as sharp and focused as we would like to be. We can nod of while driving (very dangerous). When we are tired we do things like grab unhealthy fast food, too much coffee, and other stimulants in a desperate attempt to wake up, not to mention we don’t have the ambition to exercise. We look tired all the time and age faster than necessary.

Do you want to be healthier and more productive? Then ask yourself are you getting enough sleep? If not, then maybe it’s time to put sleep at the top of your priority list. Next week’s post will explore ways we can make sure we get that much deserved “beauty sleep” we all need. Until then, sweet dreams!

(If you’d like to read more about living simply and changing the way you think about wealth please consider reading my book which is available in paperback or Kindle: REDEFINING THE MEANING OF WEALTH: DISCOVERING PROSPERITY AND FORTUNE IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE.

Investing in your Health is Investing in Your Wealth

Paige — Mon, 07 May 2012 07:05:52 +0000

Another Gorgeous Sunset over the Pacific

Most of us probably have some sort of investment plan for our money but do we have a plan for our most valuable asset of all – our health? I’m constantly amazed at how most of us can find time to put in extra hours for our employers, follow the stock market, and fret over whether or not our money is growing yet we don’t have time to chop up fresh vegetables for a salad. Perhaps if we started to invest just as much if not more time in our well being, many other areas of our lives would fall into place.

Think of it this way. Is excessive monetary wealth worth it if we are overweight, undernourished, depressed, and can’t move very well? For me feeling good is where it’s at. I’m not averse to having lots of money but no thank you if my health has to suffer! I can’t control what the markets do or whether or not the dollar is strong. What I can control is the quality of food I eat, how much I exercise, and to a certain extent who and what I allow into my life and how it affects my peace of mind.

I find it fun to take some of the same advice for investing your money and apply it to investing in your health. When investing money you want to get the best bang for your buck and investing in your health is no different.

Write down your investment goals. When you invest your money, you usually have a goal in mind like building an emergency fund or saving money to take a trip abroad. Take the same concept for your health and come up with two-three very clear goals. For example, my goals are:

Feeling light in my body and light in my mind.
Keep my weight under control and my body strong and flexible as I age.

Keep it simple and don’t over-extend yourself. Like everything in life, simplicity rocks! Don’t over-complicate matters and come up with complex plans and goals. If I wanted to invest some of my money, I wouldn’t start off trading the foreign currency markets (Forex) because I would have no earthy idea what I was doing. I might be able to work up to that with some education and practice but in the beginning investing in some simple stocks might be easier for me. When setting health goals, I would not be very successful if I aimed for eating only fruits and vegetable that I personally grew myself and hiking ten miles in the Santa Monica Mountains every single day. These goals would be next to impossible for me because first of all I’m a horrible gardener and a ten mile hike each day would leave me little time for anything else. Set goals you can reach right away and then work your way up to more advanced ones.

Choose your investments. Now it’s time to choose what we want to invest in. As mentioned above, we want to keep it simple so we succeed and more importantly so we reap the benefits of our efforts. I choose to invest in the following:

A thirty -sixty minute walk each day. It’s doable for my schedule and I live in a neighborhood that’s conducive for walking plus I live just a few miles away from a terrific state park with a wonderful hiking trail.
A 90 minute yoga class 4-5 days a week as well as a home practice on the days I can’t make it to class.
Spending time in the kitchen. It would be easier to order in each night or buy food that was already prepared at the grocery store but I’m spending more and more of my time these days in the kitchen. I may not be making everything from scratch but I try to do so as much as possible.
I’ve cut back (although not completely) on keeping up with politics and current events and am focusing more on listening to and reading materials that inspire me spiritually. Right now I’m into the works of Arnold Patent. His teachings really resonate with me and make me feel empowered.

Be a long term investor. Most get rich quick schemes turn out to be disasters or worse yet require actions that are illegal or immoral. Slow and steady wins the game. Invest in your health for the long term. Although you will most likely start seeing results right away remember that good investments build on each other. Then comes the fun part-Watch your investments grow!

Getting Back on Track

Paige — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 22:32:30 +0000

Enjoying myself and relaxing in Mexico

Somewhere along the way this past year I fell off the simplicity train and got a bit off track. In all honesty I de-railed! Many people have contacted me and wondered if I was still blogging. I was especially touched by this. Yes, I’m still blogging but since I allowed the last several months to become so chaotic I felt in all honesty that I had nothing to say.

How could I be writing about simplicity and seeing wealth in a different light when my life was in turmoil. In hindsight it probably would have been helpful to have blogged about what I was going through because I’m sure many people could relate. But like I said I felt ridiculous writing about something I could barely practice myself.

Without going into all the gory details, I began to over-extend myself with commitments mainly work ones. The next thing I knew I felt like I had resorted back to those days in the last nineties when my life was one big chaotic mess. That was when I found out about the simple living movement and started reading online forums and books. I started to evaluate what was important to me and pared down my possessions. Life started to get easier and I was enjoying the journey.

Now that I have resigned from my job, taken several weeks off, and cruised with my husband to Mexico, I am back and excited about blogging again and the new directions that I’m exploring in my life. I am however going to change focus a bit (but not too much) and take this blog in the direction of health. Yes, health. It is now crystal clear to me that investing in my health is the best investment I can make.

Good health affects so many areas of our lives and healthy living is more than just diet and exercise. Healthy living encompasses our relationships, what we do for a living and our general outlook on life and what it means to be human. You get the picture. So going forward I will be exploring all different kinds of topics and how they relate to investing in one of our greatest assets in this lifetime-our health!

Embracing Change

Paige — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 06:33:28 +0000

Kitties who are ok with change as long as it doesn't disrupt their naps

“Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change.” –Jim Rohn

It’s been several months since I have posted on this blog. What was meant to be only a few weeks break suddenly turned into a whole month, then two months, and before I knew it almost 4 months had passed. As human consciousness moves forwards and speeds up maybe time is doing the same thing? Who knows? It’s fun to contemplate though.

Once again my life is on a new path and once again I have no idea where it will take me. I do know I will now have time to write more. Other than that, I don’t know what’s in store, which is exciting and scary at the same time.

I like the unknown. I’ve learned to embrace it. Change is actually something I now look forward to because change is going to happen no matter what. Change is the only thing in life that’s guaranteed. Change is inevitable. Change keeps us on our toes and moves us forward and opens our mind to all kinds of exciting possibilities.

I’ve learned to see change as a gift and as a form of wealth. Can you imagine a life that was stagnated and boring? Would any of us really want a life that was predictable? We might say we would but deep in our hearts we know that we crave excitement and adventure and change gives us just that. Sometimes things happen that are not quite what we would have bargained for in the first place but as time marches on we make sense of why things happened the way they did and we realize we wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Most of do resist change. It’s human nature but consider the following:

Change keeps you open minded and flexible.

Change keeps life exciting.

Change moves society forward even if there are those that are kicking and screaming the entire way.

Change brings learning and growth opportunities.

Change is anti status-quo which is great because the status-quo is super boring anyway.

Change is a gold mine for ambitious people because they will use the opportunity to create something fabulous.

Here’s to change! Bring it on because it’s coming anyway!

Some of the Best Investments I’ve Ever Made

Paige — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 03:46:31 +0000

David and Me on our Wedding Day in Studio City, CA

A while back I was interested in the stock market and various other investment opportunities. Then one day it occurred to me that I had better things to do with my time. Bottom line, investing money bores me. I don’t have the patience for it which I know is probably too bad given we live in such a money oriented society.

My brother used to work in finance and he balanced all my retirement accounts. He was damned good at it too and I rode through some fairly rough times without losing much money. Then he got sick of the whole industry and quit. He now works on an organic farm.

The other day I got a 401K statement from a previous job and it had lost $3,000 in the last quarter. To be honest, I can’t bother with worrying too much about it. Yes, I should probably move some things around but would it really matter? There’s so much in these retirement accounts that are not transparent and I don’t really trust the system.

I then got to thinking about all the investments I had made that have turned out great. Investments that may not mean anything to Wall Street but that have certainly made my life richer.

Getting married:

I’ve always been a pretty independent person and I used to wonder if I would ever marry at all. Then I met David. From the moment I first laid eyes on him I was smitten and still am to this day. Being with him has been a wonderfully enchanting journey. Yes, there have been some rocky moments but for the most part we are very compatible. I have a lover and a great friend in my husband. By teaming up together we have been able to pool our resources and have a lifestyle that we might not be able to afford on our own. He supports me in anything I want to do and loves me for who I am.

Investing in relationships is a lot of hard work but the pay-off of having a special companion to stand by you through thick and thin is another “well worth” it investment to me. David is my best friend and I look forward to growing old with him. Being intimate with another person teaches you much about yourself and the world around you. It’s also fun to share your life with someone especially if it’s the right person. I realize some people either can’t or choose not to marry. I feel that any committed relationship between two consenting adults is legitimate whether they have a piece of legal government paper or not.

My Pets:

Pet companions are time consuming and expensive but I can’t imagine life without them. Every animal I’ve been lucky enough to have in my life has enriched my time on this earth in so many ways. Animals live in the moment and they love you no matter what. They don’t care what you look like or how successful you are. They appreciate the simple things like belly rubs, treats, and sunshine.

I’m pretty sure there’s a heaven and I know all those sweet souls that have passed away already will meet me on the other side one day. I can’t wait! But for now they still are with me because they live forever in my heart.

Practicing Yoga

Back in the nineties I stared doing yoga. I started out with flow and ashtanga and eventually found my way to Iyengar yoga. I go to a class almost every day as well as practicing on my own. Yoga takes up a lot of my time but the investment has been oh so worth it. I feel great and I don’t get as depressed as I used to get in my 20’s. Back pain is barely non-existent for me even though all the women on my mother’s side of the family have historically suffered from back problems. Not me! Knock on wood! And not my mother either. She started doing yoga and Pilates almost 15 years ago and her back pain eventually went away.

When you get down to it, yoga is mainly about self study and I have learned so much about myself since I started this ancient practice. I enjoy the people in my classes and I am much more accepting of how I look and the whole aging process in general. I’m glad I invested in yoga. About 10 years ago I was thinking of going to law school but I didn’t know how I would be able to work full time, attend classes at night, and practice yoga the way I wanted. Yoga won out and law school lost. Yoga is an investment in my health and well being and what could be more important than that?

Water is Rising

Paige — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 05:16:14 +0000

Beach in Costa Rica

“What’s the use of a fine house if you haven’t got a tolerable planet to put it on?”
- Henry David Thoreau

The last couple of weeks have been super busy for me. Stray Cat Alliance, the cat advocacy organization I work for, had its annual Stray Cat Club fundraiser this past Saturday night. I and many others put in countless hours and worked our butts off but our labor paid off. The event was a huge success and I’m so happy for the cats!

Needless to say I have not had much free time to do anything that has not been “cat” related in the last month. I did however manage to fit in a night with my husband and another couple we are friends with when we attended the world premier of Water is Rising at UCLA Royce Hall. Although very moving the content of this beautiful song and dance production did more than just entertain. It put a human face on the damage the more developed countries of the world are doing to our more vulnerable brothers and sisters. And it’s not pretty.

Water is Rising is performed by 36 artists from the tiny Pacific islands of Kiribati, Tokelau and Tuvalu. These islands are located where the equator meets the date line and they are remote, isolated and vulnerable to changes in the environment. These islands are elevated only 2-3 meters above sea level and climate change is wreaking havoc on them and there is the potential that the entire population may one day have to be relocated. Imagine having to leave your home where your ancestry goes back thousands of years because the rest of the world can’t get its act together and are consuming non-stop without any regard for anything except immediate gratification.

Water is Rising is an impassioned pleas for global awareness and social change. Despite all they are up against, the people of these nations deliver their message in a positive light and still manage to have a hopeful outlook on life. Thank God they are taking the high road and are delivering a plea for awareness instead of venting their anger (which I think would be wholeheartedly justified) at those countries who have disproportionately contributed the most to destroying our environment.

We all know excessive consumerism is taking its toll and that we can’t continue to live the way we are living without some serious consequences. Check out the website about this amazing project that is spreading awareness and asking us to all re-think and change our ways before it’s too late. We are all in this together and the earth belongs to us all. Mother Earth will survive and replenish herself eventually but we are a different story. The time has come to start showing her a little respect because we need her more than she needs us.

Breaking all the Rules

Paige — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 04:43:35 +0000

Another Beautiful Day in Marina del Rey, CA

I decided not to blog last week. My thoughts were all over the place and I didn’t want to bore anyone with an incoherent rambling session. So instead I took a break.

Breaking rules has been on my mind lately. You know, breaking all the rules held sacred by conventional wisdom that we rarely question. Taking a break from blogging was actually very apropos for me last week. When I started blogging I was given advice by several other bloggers and various other so-called experts who suggested blogging at least once a week or better yet several times a week in order to be taken seriously and create a following. I was going to post something just for the hell of it but I asked myself why? Because there’s some rule out there that some people say I must follow?

I have a really hard time with rules. Always have. Now I have no problem following traffic rules and I don’t go around breaking into peoples’ houses, etc. But many of the so-called rules we all adhere to may not be in everyone’s best interest. I’ve always questioned rules even though I have often followed many of them all the while wondering why in the world I was doing so.

Like many people, I was saddened to hear that Steve Jobs transitioned out of this world last week. Steve Jobs was certainly a man who broke all the rules. He didn’t graduate from college. He was an erratic micro-manager and he relied on his instincts instead of the traditional counsel of those around him. He was a revolutionary who didn’t give a damn what others thought. He lived life on his own terms and he lived the hell out of it.

I was backing my car out of the driveway when I heard the news. I wondered why the radio announcer kept referring to him in the past and then a couple of seconds later it hit me that he was gone. I didn’t even know the man and even though I had (and still have) great admiration for what he contributed to the world I did have some problems with some of Apples’ labor practices under his tenure. But we are all a mixed bag, aren’t we? There are parts of all of us that are good and parts of all of us that are not so nice. We are all victim to our own humanity no matter how hard we strive to be decent people.

While giving a commencement speech to Stanford graduates in 2005, Steve Jobs said “Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure — these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”

A friend told me this week that this quote inspired her to adopt a new cat. She had wanted to adopt this particular cat for quite some time but was worried that because she is in her 70s and not in optimal heath that she might die before the cat did. She said that when she read this quote in the newspapers she decided to follow her heart and do what she had wanted to do for the past year. A few days ago she adopted the kitty. She said she has never been happier about her decision.

Steve Jobs said that when he dropped out of college he “decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out OK.” Sometimes we just have to trust, don’t we? We have to trust that we will have enough money or that our health will hold out a little longer or that a kitty we’ve had our eye on was meant to be with us.

There is a great deal of economic and social turmoil in the world right now. It’s easy to sit on the sidelines in fear and not do anything. Instead of just weathering the storm maybe this is the perfect time to do something. Out of chaos comes creativity and new beginnings. Start that business you’ve wanted to start or write that book that’s been in your head and dying to get out. Join one of the many protests popping up all over the globe if you want to make your voice heard. Follow your heart because life is short and you deserve a rich life. Break the rules! Just do it and trust it will all work out OK.

Things I Can Do Without

Paige — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 05:01:14 +0000

Three little beings I definitely can't live without!

A friend of mine recently forwarded a blog post to me from a site called Inside Higher Ed. It’s a great post called 5 Things I No Longer Wish to Own. I love it that simplifying and paring down is a topic that seems to be on more and more peoples’ radars these days.

Blogger Joshua Kim says, Is this desire to shed ownership of things a life cycle story, a digital story, or something else? Do you share my desire for life as a service? Has owning stuff also lost its appeal to you? The five things he no longer wishes to own are: software, hardware, books, a car, and a house.

What about you? Has owning stuff lost its appeal to you? I know it has for me. What are some things you could live without? Below are some things I either have no desire to own or wish I could rent or share with others.

Land-line: I have no desire for a land line. I’ve been “cell phone only” for many years now and it’s been a great decision. It’s been one less gadget or service I have to upkeep. Occasionally someone says to me, “But what if an earthquake hits and all the cell towers go down? How would you call anyone?” Sorry to disappoint but I was in the “94 Northridge quake in California. The first thing to go was my land-line. I refuse to live my life in fear of what “might” happen. I’ll take my chances.

House: Even though house prices are going down I have very little desire to own. The idea that I can pick up at any time and move anywhere I want is very appealing to me. Another thought that occurs to me often is real estate appreciation might seriously slow down for quite some time. If I ever do buy it will be because I love the place and it’s affordable, not because I think I will one day get a great return on my investment.

Car: We are a one car household but I really long for the day when we have adequate public transportation and I don’t have to own anything with wheels. Well maybe a bicycle because I love to bike. For those times I would need a car, I would rather just rent and let maintenance and vehicle wear and tear be the car rental company’s headache.

Appliances like vacuum cleaners, lawn mowers, etc.. Wouldn’t it be cool to have a center in every community where you could borrow these items? Or maybe people could go in together on purchasing them for everyone to share. This way no one person would bear the financial and maintenance burden. The community would take care of everything together which would save money and precious living spaces in our homes.

Jewelry: I have a few nice pieces and quite frankly I have no desire for anymore. I’m a fairly small person and I look ridiculous with too much jewelry on. Most jewelry is incredibly over-priced in my opinion and I’d rather spend the money on experiences that I can treasure in my heart.

Cable TV, magazines and newspapers: I can get all of the shows, news, and articles I want on-line. Isn’t the internet great?

I’d like to take this topic of things I can do without one step further so below are some non-material things that I can live without:

Debt: Being debt free is true liberation. I’m not tied down to a job I don’t want to have nor do I wake up in the middle of the night worrying about who and what I owe. Letting go of the idea of having to own so much stuff makes it easier to be debt free and life is so much more enjoyable.

Cable News or any kind of mainstream news that goes for shock value: My mother thinks it odd my husband and I don’t have cable or watch local or cable news channels. But where do you get your news she asks me. Plenty of places and I think I’m probably more informed than the average American. Corporate owned news conglomerates are not the only game in town although they would want you to believe so.

People who suck the life force out of me. We all know those people who take, take, and take and then some. Fortunatley, I don’t have to many of these people in my life but when they do show up, I try to set up my boundaries with them as quick as possible.

Worry: There’s lots going on in the world today and change is on the horizon. What that change will be is still unknown. I’m done with worrying about money, retirement, and whether or not I will have enough money to pay next month’s rent. I still do worry from time to time but the less I do the easier life gets.

Saving vs. Hoarding vs. Spending

Paige — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 18:53:06 +0000

Japanese Garden in California

I’m a big believer in saving money. Amy Dacyczyn’sThe Complete Tightwad Gazette is one of my all time favorite books because she made me look at saving money as an art form and a game and not a deprivation practice. Ever since I read her book I often find myself asking “What would Amy do?” Would Amy go out to dinner or would she whip up a scrumptious feast from the leftovers in her fridge? Would Amy buy the knit black top on sale for $20 at Ann Taylor or would she scout the thrift stores for one that cost a dollar?

If you spoke to my husband he would probably say I’m a bit too cautious when it comes to spending money so he loves it when I do because he thinks I should treat myself from time to time. I always joke with him that he hit the jackpot in finding a life partner because I have cost him very little money. He recently wanted to buy me something as a treat and all I could think of (other than a trip to a foreign country) was a pedicure. I do a lot of yoga and I stare at my feet quite a bit. I like having a fun color painted on my toenails but I usually do it myself which is a real pain in the ass. What a treat to have a professional paint my tired little toes and massage my feet. It was worth every bit of the $28 he spent which included the tip.

Having been in major debt when I was younger, I have no desire to sing that sad song again so yes I have a tendency to live in the fear mode sometimes and to not want to spend money on anything but the bare necessities. However, I’m noticing that I’m beginning to loosen up a bit when it comes to spending money. What’s the purpose of hoarding money if you never do anything with it to enhance your life or those of others?

I’m not advocating living beyond one’s means or buying cars or houses that cost and arm and a leg to impress your friends and family. No, I’m talking about spending money on things or experiences that are an investment in your happiness and quality of life. After one has an emergency fund, the bills have been paid, and you’re not in debt why not loosen up and open up your wallet?

I read a lot in the financial news about how corporations are hoarding their money because they are unsure of what the future will bring. My reaction to this is usually one of judgment. I think about how greedy they are and how they need to loosen up some and spread the wealth a little. Then it dawned on me I’ve been a bit of a money hoarder as well. Being careful is great but you have to strike a balance.

My household doesn’t have tons of money but we aren’t in debt and our rainy day fund is there for unexpected vet bills, car repairs, and any other emergencies that come up. At some point I think you just have to say I’ve got some back-up money now and I need to quit living in fear of going broke. How much would it take to feel totally secure? Interesting question because there’s probably not a monetary amount that would make me feel secure. True abundance comes from within not from the balance in your checking account.

Spending money a little more freely is part of my journey to lighten up, live life more in the moment, and trust that I can spend money without some horrible consequence. Below are ten things I think are worthy of spending my money on. I still look for good deals but I’m trying not to obsess over a few dollars if I have to spend a little more. Your list may differ because we all have different priorities and circumstances.

Charitable contributions are always worth it. Knowing that I’m helping a cause I believe in empowers me to take physical action as well.
Travel is important to me because the experiences you have are not only are fun but your mind is opened up to new ways of thinking and living. It’s a great form of education and the memories are something you will always revisit.
Furthering your education is always a good investment. Whether you take a foreign language class or a course in needlepoint, education always enhances your wealth.
Anything related to your health is also money worth doling out. Yoga classes, vitamins, acupuncture, the list is endless…. Investing in your health is always wise and the return is usually very rewarding.
Good quality food is very important to me. With food prices going through the roof my first reaction is to seek out the cheapest deals possible but buying food that I know is good and I have an appetite for is a much better use of my money. It’s the same model I use with clothes or any other material item. I would rather have less of something that is quality than a bunch of food in my pantry that I don’t like or want.
Miscellaneous experiences such as dining out with loved ones or horseback riding because you love horses. While in AL visiting family recently my brother and I went out to dinner and I insisted on footing the tab. It wasn’t real pricey but not cheap either. What was invaluable was the great time we had together. It was worth every penny.
Spending money on my pets for quality food and vet care is a priority for me. My little companions give me more joy than I could ever put a price tag on so I will always spend money on my pets.

Good wine. I used to buy the cheapest bottle I could find that was not akin to Boone’s Farm. I now spend a little more on a quality bottle and it actually lasts much longer. The wine is so good that often one glass at dinner is enough for me because I don’t want to ruin a good thing by having too much and not remembering how exquisite it tasted.
My hair. I have always spent money on a good haircut and highlights and will continue to do so. I only go 3-4 times a year but it’s one of my major beauty splurges because it makes me feel good. I’m not into massages, beauty supplies, facials, etc.. but I do like to have nice hair.
Air conditioning and heat. I used to always monitor the thermostat like a hawk. Now I’m tired of that game. If it’s too hot or cold why put myself through the torture of being grossly uncomfortable.

Reflections on Downsizing

Paige — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 07:56:01 +0000

Pippy: the little lady of leisure!

I have been downsizing for many years now. A great lavish lifestyle where all of the sudden I sold the Mcmansion and started taking the bus to work is not my story. I’ve been living somewhat simply since the late 90s when I began the process of getting rid of things that I no longer needed and searching for ways to make everything in my life from managing my work and social schedule to doing the grocery shopping as simple as possible. Below I list and reflect on some of those changes that have made the most difference and others that I aspire to in the future.

Our One Car Household: It’s been well over six years now that my husband I have gotten by with one car. We live in Los Angeles and cars are a big deal in this town. I’ve never been much of a car person nor been very impressed by anything that anyone drives. As a matter of fact, I react oppositely to how many people react when they see an expensive car. Instead of automatically thinking that person is loaded and successful, I immediately wonder whether or not they are in a lot of debt or if they got a really bad deal on a lease.

Being a one car household has saved us more money that I could ever have imagined. Another plus is not having a car payment and of course I feel like we are doing our part to help the environment in our own small way. I can’t say how long we will continue to be a one car household. We tell ourselves we will do it until it doesn’t make sense for us anymore. So far it’s made sense. There’s a certain amount of finagling of schedules and compromise but the benefits have definitely paid off.

My aspiration is to one day be completely car free but until Los Angeles gets its act together in the public transportation dept, I don’t know if being a no car household would work for us. Yes, it’s probably an excuse and we could do it now if we were really committed but the truth is we’re not ready for that drastic of a step just yet. Also, my husband doesn’t share this goal with me and anyone who is partnered up with someone knows the name of the game is compromise!

Going from Full Time to Part Time Work: Taking a part time job (even though it often ends up being full time) has given me the gift of control over my schedule. I love my job because I get to help animals and I love being able to set my own hours. There are of course some things I have to show up for at a particular time but much of what I do can be done at any hour of the day as long as I meet my deadlines.

I consider having control over my time a form of wealth. When I was stuck in an office, if I needed to visit the dentist or go home to let the plumber in, I had to get everything ok’d with my boss and make sure I had co-workers to cover me. The decrease in pay has taken some getting used to but I find I can make up for the loss of income by cooking more at home and having the time to shop around for better deals when we do need to purchase something.

My goal is to manage my time even better going forward so I can work fewer hours on the administrative part of my job and more hours doing the work that involves direct contact with the cats. I would also like to start a small vegetable garden in our front yard but I am having a hard time finding the extra time to make this a reality at the present time. I also have an idea for another book in my head and the more free time I can gather the more time I have to write.

A Smaller Wardrobe: Once upon a time my clothes closet was so full I barely had room for everything. Now I open my closet and it’s hard to believe an American (especially a girl from the south) would own so little! However I love it! I may not have as much as I used to but what I have is quality and I love wearing everything I own. I’ve also thrown out most of my jewelry and accessories that I don’t want.

Clothes are no longer a way for me to look good. I now concentrate more on exercising and eating well. I figure this is the best way to look healthy and attractive. Not the mainstream media’s idea of attractive but my own idea of what’s attractive. My wardrobe consists mainly of neutral colors and classic pieces. Most of the time I wear yoga clothes because they are comfortable and I go to a class almost every day.

As little as I have, I’m still looking to downsize my wardrobe even more. I mean really how many clothes do we need? Fashion will probably always interest me as I consider it a form of art but I’m learning how to enjoy clothes without having to buy everything I like. I now buy only a few pieces of that “art” and enjoy the rest from afar.

Buying Very Few So Called Beauty Products: I still wear make-up but not like I used to. A little bit of eye makeup and some light colored lip gloss is pretty much it for me these days. I also wear sun block every day. All of those miracle wrinkle cures and stay young forever creams no longer interest me. I think the day that I realized if money could buy you youth then women of great monetary means like Nancy Reagan and Queen Elizabeth would still look 35. And of course the men would to!

The vanity part of me also says that the older I get the better I look with the least amount of crap on my face as possible. I no longer have a lavish skin regimen and my skin actually looks better than it did when was in my 20s. Most of my life I have suffered with severe breakouts but now that I put very little on my skin I rarely break out anymore. Too bad I didn’t figure this out when I was younger and gave a hoot about what I looked like.

It’s not that I don’t care now what I look like now that I’m in my 40s because I do. I want to look presentable but I’m totally accepting of what I was given in the looks department. What you see is what you get and there are way too many interesting things to do and explore than to waste my time trying to coif my hair perfectly and find the perfect shade of lipstick.

I hope to one day be brave enough to say no more make-up but not because I think make-up is evil. Making up takes time and I think that one day I will want that time back even if it’s just 10 minutes a day.

Almost 13 years later, I’m still downsizing and looking for that balance that allows me to live life peacefully yet with just enough excitement to keep the journey interesting. The one amazing thing I can report is that I have never made a change that made me feel deprived or less than because it didn’t conform to societal norms. If anything, each time I have downsized I have felt more light and free.