One of my highest values/feelings is freedom. That’s why I work from home. That’s why I created work hours. My daughter calls me a non-conformist which has allowed her to be a non-conformist.

One thing that weighs down freedom is stuff.

Possessions require money to buy – which means your time working. Need less stuff, have to work less hours. And more time to do what you want. And if you pay for it with credit, now you are buying with hours you have yet to work. Too much debt and you spend the rest of your life paying for stuff you already bought.

Things need time and money for maintenance. Cleaning it, fixing it, space to put it, things to organize it. The more things, the more time and money.

Unless you aren’t maintaining and then things just become a mess. The more things, the more mess if you don’t have time or energy to maintain them.

You are less nimble. A great job offer across state. Well, first you have to sell the house and move all your stuff.

A once in a lifetime trip comes along. Well all your money is in your home and your stuff so you can’t pay. And then you have all that stuff to maintain. I know someone who sold most of their stuff so they could live 3 months in Italy – that’s freedom.

“Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.”  Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

When you have lots of things, what is really important to you like people or nature or contribution become less. You have less time for what is important to you because you are using time and money maintaining or running from maintaining.

So as you are putting away the things you got from Christmas, think about releasing at least one item for every new item.  And think about what you buy in the January clearance sales. Is it worth your time, money and freedom?

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Join me as we create a great plan for decluttering your life and enjoy fun support!

An overwhelmed life can feel like a one way street – cramped, no way out, frustrating, shut in.

Simple living gives you freedom. Without being weighed down by debt you have the freedom to take more opportunities. With margin in your day you are free to choose to eat lunch with a friend that calls you out of the blue. With less stuff you have the freedom to do more fun activities and less maintenance.

A person living a simpler life knows they have the freedom in what they choose to do. They don’t yield to the over busy pressure of society, friends or family. They know how to say no to what is not their purpose and say yes to what calls to them.

Without the overwhelming pressure to do, do, do you can become what you were meant to be, taking flight and expressing yourself fully. You see things from a higher view, rather than day to day minutia.

When you slow down, you connect with what you need. You can nurture and renew yourself so you are ready for whatever is next.

You have the freedom to be totally present without the worry of what you aren’t doing. You can be fully engaged in your life – exploring each moment.

What in your life is stifling and overwhelming you? What is one action you can take to gain more freedom in that area?

(renegotiating a deadline, returning those clothes and paying down debt instead, taking a quiet time first thing in the morning, splitting responsibility with someone)

Photo credit: Aussiegall