GIVE LIFE MEANING

Some things motivate us and some deceive us. You have alternatives that keep you from enjoying the present moment. If you are always in a rush to get somewhere, how often do you enjoy the moment? There are alternatives to the rat race that let you enjoy the moment.

We have too many choices and options. We often are overwhelmed, too stimulated, too challenged and over committed. We all carry a backpack of choices. They become so overloaded we collapse.

A lot of information, choice, activities, and entertainments. All these voices want our attention. Too many things you want, and too many people telling you what are important. Too much temptation and too much guilt.

We commit ourselves to something until something better comes along. It is hard to decide which choices really matter. As we shop in a market, we waste time over the many cereal choices, beer choices, and numerous other trivial things that sap our energies.

We stuff our calendars with schedules and options that its hard to think clearly. When we must make an important decision, we have no energy left. We live for the next choice not the next moment.

We hope tomorrow a new experience will bring happiness, yet each day is less and less satisfying. We sure keep busy but have no direction. We zigzag and waste a lot of energy.

We have three options:

1. We can run from our commitments.
2. We can numb our brains by resorting to TV, the Internet, drugs, and alcohol. This gives us a temporary relief.
3. We could go with the flow and allow circumstances to determine our choices. Not to decide is to decide.

Can you decide to start living and being, rather than having? We have opportunities and limitations. Life dealt you a hand of cards and you must play your hand. You want to make painless decisions not good ones. Not everyone is so lucky to have choices in this world. Consider yourself lucky. Planning when to cut back is more important than just cutting back. Make life simple.

D0 YOU WANT IT OR DO YOU NEED IT?

Ads bombard us with thoughts to be more beautiful, more successful, better parents and better lovers. This makes us dissatisfied with what we have and we are obligated to do something. You are told you are worth it.

A want becomes a need. We can justify anything by waiting till it goes on sale. All these luxuries become necessities. How do you get smart and make wiser choices with your time, money, or sexual relationships? If something zaps your energy, your time, and your money, it commands you.

Shopping on the Internet induces buying. We don’t need things to be acceptable. After you meet your basic need, all else is a want. Expensive toys are not our needs.

You know how much money you need to live on. Stay within those limits. Before buying, identify your true needs and don’t live beyond your means. Everything eventually goes on sale. Wait and shop for bargains. Can you survive without it? Is there a cheaper choice and who long will it are useful to me.

Plan your buying before you leave the house. Don’t let an ad talk you into buying something you cant afford or don’t need.
Start cleaning out your house and discard clothes you have outgrown or not worn in ages. Clean your basement and your closet. Go to a thrift shop and see how happy you could make others that could use your clutter. Start planning ahead how you will use your money.

START GETTING FIT

Your body, soul, and spirit do connect. Relax your body by taking timeouts for walking and exercising. Walk up stairs; avoid the elevators if you can. Schedule exercise time and try to do it with a pal.

Try 20 minutes three times a week. Jog at the mall and save yourself a $1000 thread mill. Play for free. Choose an inexpensive sport like running, tennis, swimming or basketball.

Get your hands dirty in the garden or the yard. Find your camera, your paintbrushes, or write your life’s history on your computer.

Look at food labels and make nutritional choices not variety snack choices. Order only what you will eat. No doggy bags home to overeat. Consider take out food. Don’t be fooled by the work gourmet; all it means is expensive. Read a book when bored, rather than eating another snack.

Water is better than pop, and less expensive. Eating sugar at night will give you a real emotional low in the morning.
HOW DO YOU SPEND YOUR TIME OFF?

Go to the library and checkout a book or video and save money. Read a book, take a bike ride, work on a hobby. Go to a night school class to get a hobby Listen to soothing music on the way home to decompress you day.

Your tombstone will not say: "Charley died with the most toys, and won." Plan a day to regain your sanity. Allow yourself to come up for air from all your stresses. Quiet yourself from the noise of the world and hear your inner voice.

SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE

Clothes manufacturers plan for things to go out of style. Don’t be a slave to their clever marketing. Do you need that second car? Do you need a vacation this year? Do you have to keep up with the Joneses?

Words will fool you all the time. You must get athletic footwear not tennis shoes. You need protective eyewear not sun glasses. Your car has value enhancer toys that you might like. Your hamburger is chopped steak.

Before buying, step back and ask: Will this make me more effective and truly decrease my stress? Don’t let text messages and I pods become your master.

CONCLUSION

Dump all the unnecessary stuff that chokes you. Buy only what you need and stay within your limits. Ask yourself: Why should I buy this item? Do I need another pair of shoes? Am I a store and do I need to own everything?

How can I best use my time off? Should I go again to a meaningless party and see the same boring people over and over and talk garbage.

Work according to your own clock. If you are a morning person get up earlier. Plan your quiet time when the kids are sleeping. Go shopping in off peak times. Shut your Tv off and your computer off for an hour and see how wonderful you fee.

Above all, don’t make big decisions when your are tired or hit with a lot of stress. Rearrange your life, your priorities, your ambitions and your goals.

Slow down, spend quality time as you wish, and give priorities to your spouse, and your children. Be more available to listen.
Choose a life that has meaning and start living. Having it all may be bad for your health.



Kontera456