promoting just one thing and that's LESS…getting MORE with green simple living
It’s been a long time since my last update. I figured it was time to get everybody up to speed on what’s been going on.
The last few months have been quite eventful. In the fall there was a problem with Internet access. That lasted for about 6 weeks with a month or so of bad connection before hand. Just as I was really getting into a groove.
Then Christmas happened.
I spend the time every year catching up with friends and family. Typically I visit a dozen locations to touch base with everyone, this year I limited it to about 6. It’s so nice to catch up with family and friends, we should all take the time.
I also took a big leap of faith and made a big purchase this fall. I’ll share that with you in a minute.
Although having limited connectivity makes it difficult to do what I do, it was a blessing in disguise. I have been trying to focus on the things that make me tick to gain some clarity on where I want my passions to take me. I love writing and was leaning in the direction of a unique service providing conscious content for green bloggers.
Taking the time to reflect is invaluable.
The time away helped me gain some new perspectives and a bit of clarity. It also gave me the opportunity to really organize computer systems and files, clearing the clutter to smooth out productivity.
While all of that is important and each of you would certainly benefit in doing the same, what’s really happening is that I’m narrowing my focus to the few areas that really matter to me - (a) helping introverts (and everyone) with depression and (b) encouraging people to lower their impact on planet earth (embracing the process along the way).
Those are not easy tasks!
It is important to tread lightly when talking about them so as not to be misunderstood. This is after all people’s lives and the planet we are talking about. Not marketing hype on buying something to make you rich but rather helping you enrich your life and the world we live in.
So here’s what’s going to change.
Last year I had about a dozen websites. Shortly, I will have 3. Originally, living on a dime was going to be my new take on green living and saving money, while simply stephen was a more personal green blog on simplicity.
So I’m shutting down living on a dime!
It makes more sense to focus on simply stephen and fold everything from simplicity to green lifestyles into the mix. Just like I was doing before. It’s a good source on green lifestyles, minimalism, simplicity and several related topics. There are over 200 articles. It has been more of a personal blog than a business and that will not change too much.
I have been working on more valuable resources. There are some interviews coming. Infographics may be in the works and a free guide or course on what is really needed to take green change to the next level.
That’s great, but I want to do more. There’s a business coming. It involves you and your impact on the planet. It means putting your money where your mouth is. Instead of talking the talk it’s time to walk the walk. I need your support and commitment to help make these changes happen.
Okay, that was pretty vague but I can’t completely let the cat out of the bag.
Let’s just say, I’ve discovered the most important aspect of green living is consumption. It’s about how and what we consume. Changing that is the key. It’s not about waiting for governments and business to make the change. They will only act in their best interest, not yours.
Guess what?
Those changes will save you money and make it easier to live and create a sense of purpose or direction in your green lifestyle. For those that want to keep up with the Joneses, feel free to move along. Personally, I don’t want to live the status quo, I want to change it.
So, this spring a launch will happen.
My other passion, helping introverts with depression is going strong. So, cope with life will continue as a blog until next fall when some tools and changes will happen. There is a free course (LiL Helpers – Lessons in Life) coming as an email subscription, hopefully by the end of February. It is my hope to have a full blown program ready for the fall to help people cope with depression.
The cribbage site is static and it is remaining so. I won’t do much to it but may tweak a few things here or there. Recap = 3 sites with extra tools and interviews. One site static (cribbage) and two blogs active with more articles and content coming.
As for social media, I have been holding off on it. I am determining where I want to be with it. That involves having one Twitter account, not two so I will be merging them into the right account, something about LIFE and CHANGE. A LinkedIn account exists but I don’t do business networking, I’m a lone wolf not looking for a job, connections and opportunities are still possible though. Facebook changes the game too much and manipulates the consumer in ways I don’t agree with. I also see it as a time suck. I just use it to connect with friends. Still deciding on whether to do Google + or not.
There are a couple valuable places to socialize…blog comments and forums. I comment on blogs and encourage you to comment on mine. I like community when it’s personal. I will share the forums I frequent at a later date. Forums are great they provide strong connections, excellent dialogue, accurate resource and the pace is just right.
There you have it but I’ve been saving the best for last. Living my minimal life gives me freedom (when I have the cashflow and eliminate debt) to do what I want, when I want and where I want. For many years I’ve wanted to have more mobility and at times I have. While I was working on beating my depression a stable environment was important.
One of my goals in life is to spend every winter in a new or at least different place to learn the language and culture. I also want to explore different green lifestyles and projects. Things like house sitting, Wooffing, volunteer and sustainable building projects as well as interviewing, sharing, connecting and learning from unique individuals around the globe.
In the summer I like staying in my home province of Ontario but am not fond of the rental prices and rigidness. with the idea of paying rent. I call it the rental trap. Until I have my little piece of land to set up a cooperative eco-housing project, which I call Yurtopia, I need a solution. I have lived out of my car for 6 months (twice in fact, with a smaller bout of 2 months once) but I’m getting to old for that, it’s not fun anymore.
Instead, this fall I bought myself a small RV.
It’s a 23 foot 1978 Dodge Sportsmen that can sleep four. It’s a hybrid running on gas and propane. It has a shower (two sinks which confuses me), toilet, propane stove, microwave, tow bar and kitchen. It’s the budget model but a good starter for someone that lives on the edge like me.
I have possession of it and am getting it on the road in the spring.
I’m both anxious and excited.
It’s an old vehicle and things could go wrong but…that’s part of the thrill. The adventure. I’ll write more about it over the coming months and will include a “mobile living” update as I get going. I’m pretty well set up but have to trade a few items to gear up properly. I’m also getting rid of a few more items to have just the perfect amount of “stuff” to maintain continuity and make life comfortable and enjoyable. No point having a ton of Kitchen stuff or desktop computer…time to get the right laptop and tablet as a backup to get the job done.
There you have it. If you made it this far, good for you and thanks for reading.
I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments. I’m really trying to encourage people to share and comment. If the comments are not working send me an email broken (a) simplystephen (dot) ca to let me know. I’d also love to hear what you would like to talk about and learn.
Deja vu.
Last week I started the blog of with a dozen green resolution to make for the year.
There are so many simple changes you can make to create a big difference in the world. The accumulative power of each individual is huge. Imagine if you spread the word too.
Today I’m sharing a dozen more green resolutions that each of you can make:
Make a commitment to air dry clothes this year.
Make a commitment to carry a bag this year.
Make a commitment to conserve water this year.
Make a commitment to upcycle this year.
Make a commitment to compost this year.
Make a commitment to use shared resources this year.
Every year, urban commuters in the U.S. waste 2.9 billion gallons of fuel idling in traffic – the equivalent of 58 fully-loaded supertanker ships. ~ Harvard Business Review
Make a commitment to work from home this year.
Make a commitment to improve your lighting this year.
Make a commitment to reduce your paper and go electronic this year.
Make a commitment to volunteer this year.
Make a commitment to change your energy consumption this year.
Make a commitment to use less or no resources this year.
I could create one of these lists every week, although they are very time consuming. Please take the time to contribute. What green resolution would you like to see this year?
Now that we are well into the New Year it’s time to check in from my much needed break. I hope all of you had a safe and happy holiday. I’m still tired. You?
I’m not one to believe in all this goal setting and resolution stuff. Instead, I’ve noticed if you are really interested or passionate about something, you will make things happen. You gravitate towards the things that bring out the best in you and spend time doing the things you enjoy doing.
So I’m making a proposal to every out there.
If you care about your children, grandchildren, yourself, all life on this planet, communities, etc. why not make a series of Green Resolutions this year?
Here’s a dozen resolutions that make a big green impact:
Make a commitment to reduce your waste dramatically this year.
Make a commitment to eliminate the plastic in your life this year.
Make a commitment to buy nothing new and find quality used products this year.
Make a commitment to support your local communities more this year.
Make a commitment to drink tap water this year.
Make a commitment to eat better food this year.
Make a commitment to use natural products this year.
Make a commitment to reduce your use of fossil fuels this year.
Make a commitment to use shared resources this year.
Make a commitment to buy products with more sustainable packaging this year.
Make a commitment to go paperless this year.
Make a commitment to conserve energy this year.
It’s a new year and a new day for all of us. This list was just a handful of green resolutions we all make. Your contribution helps us all. I’d love to hear your comments and talk with you about what you think will make the biggest green impact.
Oh my, 2011 has almost come and gone!
In the spirit of embracing simplicity, lowering stress, enjoying life and minimizing my impact I’m ready to take my Christmas break and spend it with family and friends. I encourage you to do the same. As early as possible and for as long as possible.
This will be the last post until early January. If you need inspiration while I’m away there are several hundred posts in the archives…it will probably hold you over.
In the meantime, it’s important for me to let my audience and the world know that I appreciate you. Gratitude – one of the pillars of life. This year has brought growth and focus to me and my websites. I’m a hold out. I’ve stuck by my principals and philosophies in life.
That’s it in a nutshell.
I wanted to say something profound, something to reach each and every one of you and encourage you to live a healthy, prosperous, happy life. One that makes a difference to the people around you.
Instead, I find myself encouraging each of you to find your family, your friends, your home and your peace this holiday. Enjoy some quality and thanks for sharing with me. Find some simple things and enjoy them to the max.
To a safe and happy holiday season. Peace to all.
Holiday time is a big deal. This time of year we’ve go really crazy. People want to go bigger and better. They stress out. Many spend tons of money. That leads to debt and stress in the new year. All that consumption comes at another cost too…our relationships and the relationship with the planet.
Sound familiar. Sorry to preach but Christmas (or the season) should be about spirit and quality time. Those gifts and expensive activities should take on a secondary role. In fact, you could focus a bit of time and love making a gift or discovering something that is second hand but more useful to the person receiving it.
Instead of continuing on a rant, I would like to share some of the ways you can make your Christmas a little more green. You can make your own recipes. You can find a greener alternative and you can volunteer to get into the true spirit. It’s not about how much you spend. There are tons of activities you can do for almost nothing.
Take a walk through a neighbourhood and look at the lights and decorations. Look in the community papers and websites for all the free and low cost activities. Reduce your footprint and debt load. The impact at Christmas is huge. We can reduce it.
Here’s a few posts I’ve done over the last few years that demonstrate the essence of simplicity and contribute to a green holiday time.
simple green last minute christmas ideas
pay it forward christmas gifts
green your christmas with a tree
As usual, I’m not going to promote and sell. I’m going to encourage change. I’m going to embrace family. I’m going ask you all to slow down and enjoy. I’m just going to keep it simple. My gain is your pleasure.
I’d love to hear how you are making your holiday a little more green. What simple things are you putting in place?
Remember those teachers that said “if you simply show up every day you will pass this course”. Some may view that as apathetic. Actually it demonstrates commitment and care.
If you care about something simply showing up demonstrates that. That attribute is a noble quality. In the real world the same rule applies. By showing up you are making a contribution.
Let’s go back to the school example for a second.
What the teacher is saying is by showing up they understand you are committed to the class. There is mutual respect and courtesy. You will be exposed to the curriculum. You are available to ask questions and learn. You will receive and probably hand in all the assignments.
Ultimately, by showing up, you will contribute. That effort and work is a key to success.
The world is run by people that show up. ~ unknown
If you want to run the world or your life and stop being run over your entry point is to show up. That’s Pareto’s principle right there – 80% of your work is over. Your authentic self will contribute the rest of the results.
You can’t win a marathon if you don’t enter the race and show up. All your practice, thoughts and intentions are lost. You need to show up to compete or your efforts have been to no avail.
Some important areas to consider;
friends & relationships – showing up for friends & family means you care. If you always bail out your contribution is limited. An absent friend or family member is not adding value and offering support and companionship. Eventually all may be lost. Showing up builds relationships, reliance and trust. Do you want to have a friend you can count on? Make sure you can be counted on too.
life – it is not by luck that people are healthy and happy. The ones that show up for activities, exercise and interests have demonstrated a commitment to something. They are there to achieve and get results. They learn and grow from their participation. That is why they look better, communicate better, have more stories to tell an wreak of success. They’ve experienced it by showing up and are making the effort to improve.
community – you add value by volunteering and participating in community events. Every little bit really does help. Just one little 10 minute activity helps. It’s 10 minutes that wasn’t available before. Your resources and efforts raise awareness and demonstrate care to the people that may need it the most.
work & business – if you aren’t there to participate in shaping the organizations that create our futures, develop our products and govern our lands how can anything change. The decisions are made by people that are present. If you are not involved in that process how will your views and ideas be implemented. To make a difference you have to be there.
You really can change the world.
Prosperity beats scarcity any day. Next time you think your actions don’t count, think again and simply show up.
With Christmas coming I like to help people focus on change and happiness. This post is going to be short and sweet. It’s a simple question.
Do you take time to enjoy life and your blog?
Yes or No.
It shows.
If you aren’t enjoying blogging it shows up in your life and vice versa. Your voice, attitude, anger…everything you do reflects who you are. It is transparent on your audience and the people you spend time with.
So many people are in it for short term gain, they lose site of the bigger picture. Take the time to review what you are doing. Reflect. How do you want to do things and make a difference in the world? It’s all connected.
It’s important to love what you do. Passion adds purpose.
Your audience needs to feel valued – to know you care. Friends and family need it too. If you aren’t happy with where you are going, it’s time to review, rethink and retool.
Told you this was going to be short. Get to it. Go out and enjoy yourself. It’s worth it in the long run.
Does your work pile up?
Can’t seem to make a dent in it?
With all the productivity tools and self help methods it is hard not to feel overwhelmed. Those tools and systems probably distract you from getting things done.
Recently I’ve been very busy getting organized. I’m streamlining work files and processes. It’s time to focus on what really matters – growth and change. With so many choices I wanted a simple approach to reach beyond the myriad of techniques.
Today, I want to share one method I’ve formulated that is helping to eliminate that list. I’ve got a system that helps get things done. It cuts out all the fat in the process. I’ve taken bits and pieces from the various concepts out there and refined them into something special.
Let me qualify that this isn’t about getting emails, answering phone calls, doing the laundry or shopping, etc. I’m talking about the tasks that will help you achieve a goal. For example writing a novel or getting that business launched.
The bigger the better. I think most people can do anything they set their minds to and you are no exception. Changing the world is in each of us, but I digress, let’s get back to our productivity.
It’s so simple, the explanation will be short. In fact, it’s as easy as one-two-three.
Before you finish your work day choose the three tasks that are the most important (they can stretch out over several days if they involve a large project or you can break them down into proponents). Estimate which one will take the most time.
To maximize the results, start when you first get up. Do not deviate from the plan. Instead of focusing on urgent tasks, think about the important ones. You know what really needs to get done. Do not check your email or social media networks. Forget about the score of the game. Turn off the phone if possible.
Set a timer (or look at the clock):
step 1 – 90 minutes on the first task
step 2 – 60 minutes on the next task
step 3 – 30 minutes on the final task
There.
Done.
Three hours.
Take a short break in the first 90 minutes when you notice your mind straying. Take one in between each session too. If you are feeling exceptionally productive add bonus tasks in 15 minute intervals.
Productivity has soared. Quality has increased. Way less stress. More real focus.
Concerted effort.
All distractions are eliminated.
You have not allowed anything to overwhelm or divert you.
But it’s more. 15 hours of work doesn’t seem like much, but in reality, we waste 20 or more hours a week with trivial things. We fill our minds with so much information it’s hard to get creative and use our time effectively. I’ll go out on a limb and guess the average person is not disciplined to get more than 20 hours of “real work” done in a week.
If you truly are disciplined try doing the method twice in a day.
In school we perceive those that finish early as smart. While that may be true, more often than not they have simply applied themselves to get the work done in the time allotment. But even more, this method promotes achievement and once it hits, it’s viral.
It motivates.
You strive to get more done.
In a sense you are honing your ability to focus. You gain discipline without too much pressure.
You can apply this method if you are moonlighting too.
Try a shorter version to build your business, dream or passion. Spend 60 minutes, 30 minutes and 15 minutes. That’s just one hour and 45 minutes every evening or perhaps 2 or 3 times a week if you have other commitments or a family to consider. Try using the morning when you are fresh. This buys you more time.
For now, I think that’s it. Try your own variation. Tweak it to meet your needs and then share it with me. I’m sure you will be pleased with the results.
I’ve been working on quite a few simple productivity systems that cut out the fat. An Organized computer file system is one. Still in the works though.
Until then, I’d love to hear what processes you need help with so you can get things done more efficiently. And please, share some of the simple systems you already use.
The best way to make changes is to lead by example. Gandhi’s widely overused adage “be the change” really does illustrate how to make a difference in the world.
But what stimulates positive growth and change?
Instead of lengthy discussion, I’ve decided to create a waterfall today (I tried to pair them up too).
Self Awareness
World Awareness
Equality
Fair Treatment of everyone
No More Apathy
Be compassionate
Apologize often
Be understanding
Find solutions, not problems
Seek insights and truth
Nothing is Absolute
Be Good to Yourself
Be Aware of Other’s
Lose All Negative Attitudes
Eliminate Anger
Be proactive, not reactive
Enjoy each moment of life
Offer gratitude
Create quality
Don’t blame
Be Patient
Develop tolerance
Accept, fix and learn from your mistakes
Think Big
Think Small…little things matter
Be expressive
Practice what you preach
Keep all your doors open
Lend a helping hand
Be consistent
Be noble
Be humble
Be relevant
Make it easy
Make it fun
Offer guidance
Share success
Promote other people’s ideas
Conquer your fears
Be content with life…but make changes anyway
Consider all points of view
Respect everyone and everything
That’s just a tiny little list there are hundreds more.
To simplify the teachings of Buddha taught – if we can help others then we should, if we can’t make sure we do no harm. With each virtue added to your list, your power to change the world increases exponentially. We all have it within ourselves to make a difference.
What qualities do you think invoke change?
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