Where it all began! It is difficult to say where the idea of minimalism began for me. One day I was out there running with the masses wielding my credit card like a woman on a mission. Zooming here and there, procurring spa treatments, monagrammed backpacks, Tae Kwon Do, Gymnastics, gourmet coffies and a myriad of other silly treats for my family. My lifestyle had become a way of life for me so long ago that it began to define me and consume me. I have spent 40 years conspiculously consuming goods and services. Who am I kidding? I was probably in-utero when the cycle began. I come from a long line of conspicuous consumers. My people are the reasons strip malls, the home shopping network and mass merchandisers exist. While we can not take all the credit, it is important to know where you come from in order to foster some quantum changes.
The catalyst to change was simple, I guess it is fair to say that the ecomony and parenthood was the catalyst to change. It began very slowly for me back in 2008. Gas prices and grocery prices were growing steadilly higher while my business was begining to take a slow almost glacial down turn in revenue. Being a business owner, I naturally began to analyze my business looking for ways to maximize revenue and profit and ways to cut expenses. I took the natural baby steps of change. I eliminating rented office space and moved my office into my home, downsized to a more econimical car and changed a few service plans I use. All total I shaved about $2500.00 off of my monthly budget. You may think that is a fortune but it is all relative as few of us start out living below our means. I held on to private school and dining out several time during the week, bi-weekly brow waxing and expensive hair coloring treatments and cuts and many other luxuries all the while patting myself on the back thinking just how thrifty I had become. Who knew what the next three years would bring as hind sight is always crystal clear.
Flash forward to 2010 and we are living in a completly altered reality situation. Our business has continued to decline over the last three years although not at an quantum pace, enough to put a serious hit on the wallet. We now gratefully send our son to a public school, and rarely every eat out unless it is truly a special occasion. Personal care luxuries are exactly that, they are luxuries enjoyed few and far between but so much more appreciated. We all own a BPA free water bottle and reusable coffee cups and we brown bag our lunches...
So many other changes have happened as well. We are on the road to personal discovery and self awareness. We are in the begining of de-cluttering and headed eyes wide open toward a true minimalist life by choice. We are blessed with so much more quality time. The running around has stopped as we now put conscious thought to purchases. I think you may agree that it is truly the people who make all the diffrence not the stuff. I hope you have enjoy reading this blog. I welcome your comments and invite you to read along on our journey. Please check back for weekly updates as we continue our amazing journey to a fulfilled life, filled with people and experiences and less stuff. Heres is to a life well lived and well loved...... my best wishes go out to you as we journey along together on the happy road of destiny... with love, Brit
