We seem to have an inability to recognize when enough is enough. We think more will do the trick, even though it never does.
We always want more. People who don't aspire to have more are seen as dangerously unmotivated and potentially mentally ill.
But wanting more always leads to wanting more with contentment remaining frustratingly out of reach just ahead after the next purchase. We know this route is a dead end, but it doesn't stop most from pursuing it.
Kin Hubbard recognized the difficulty of it all when he said, "The hardest thing is to take less when you could take more."
I think real success is knowing when to stop and be content with enough.
Perfectly put. I am working hard on training myself to take less when I could take more. Awful that it should take years to accomplish such a seemingly simple task. I am wildly better than I was, but I still have to watch myself. I know my mindset is the right one, because I seem to have succeded to teach my children well. They are the ones who catch me out from time to time! Pam in Norway
ReplyDeleteI was thinking the exact same thing when I wrote this post. I thought, "Hey, this has been pretty easy to give up all the extras". But then I realized how long it has taken me to come to the awareness that less is best. Years and years, and I still have more work to do.
DeleteHow nice to be privileged enough to be able to make the choice to live with less. So many need more just to survive. I have read that almost 2 billion of us struggle to even find enough to survive, let alone be comfortable or thrive.
If those of us that can take less decide not to do so, how will the people now struggling ever get enough for what we would consider a good life? Those with more than enough are inextricably linked to those without enough.
Congratulations on preparing your kids for a new, better and more equitable world. There is no more important task.
Some time ago I watched a documentary in which a scientist went on about how the worlds population is far too large already. There are too many of us if we are all to have a decent quality of life he said, we need to be 1/3 less people on earth. I have felt angry ever since. Truth is that man is greedy and wants too much. If we all took a really sereous look at our lives, in time, there would be enough for many many more. Thanks for inspiring words. Pam in Norway
DeleteThis is one of my favorite posts from you. It's simple and concise and I shared it on my FB page yesterday. I still have a lot of work to do, but I'm getting there.
ReplyDeleteThank you. We can get there together.
Delete"Together" is the magic word. We are doing this together. What I love about your blog is anyone who is willing to take even the smallest of steps towards "less" is supported here. No matter where we are on the path.
DeleteThere is a lot involved to pull ourselves out of the rat race and the programing most of us have grown up with. It takes time. It takes community. It takes "together".
I love this simple drawing and your post. Thank you, again.