WISHING FOR MORE? OR LESS?

Sometimes I wish I was more by Rachel Martin #findingjoy (photo by Vil Son on Unsplash)

THOUGHTS FROM OTHERS

Sometimes I come across someone else's thoughts and they make me stop and consider. I love it when I read something another person has written and it strikes a chord in me and gets me thinking about things a little more deeply. There's nothing like being challenged and inspired by someone who takes me on a journey with them and leaves me feeling like I've grown a little more in life.

ONE I READ RECENTLY

I read this thought from Rachel Martin on her Finding Joy Facebook page back in June and it stuck in the back of my mind because I can relate to it in my own life - it's all about what we perceive our lives to be - how much "more" we need? And should the question really be about how much "less"?

Here's what she wrote:

Sometimes I wish I was more by Rachel Martin #findingjoy (photo by Vil Son on Unsplash)

MY THOUGHTS

I think this resonates so much with me because the older I get, the more I realize that our culture wants us to want more and to feel like we aren't enough if we aren't constantly accumulating more. It ties us up with envy or with avarice and we miss out on the simple pleasures that come with appreciating what we already have.

The truth of the matter is that we can be happier with a lot less. We just need to figure out what is important to us and leave the superfluous stuff on the wayside. Instead of grasping for more, we need to see how much we already have and be grateful. Once we see we have all we need then the desire for more begins to fall away. This is the beginning of contentment and peace of heart and mind.

Do you wish you had more? Or are you finding (like me) that less is becoming more appealing as time goes by?

Sometimes I wish I was more by Rachel Martin #findingjoy (photo by Vil Son on Unsplash)

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9 comments

  1. Ah Leanne, what a beautiful thought - you're right, as I get older I realize how much more "less" is. Less stuff to dust, less clutter to keep at bay, less emotional baggage to pack around. It's amazing how free you feel when you stop following the "gotta have more" mentality. Now the things that really matter have a chance to stay priorities in my life. What a wonderful thing to think about going into my weekend.

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    1. I love the practicality of "less to dust" Melody - it's something my husband and I say quite often we we look around at our 'minimalist' house. Sometimes I'd like to toss everything and go and live in one of those tiny houses, but I think we'd probably drive each other insane - it's all about balance and appreciation in the end.

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  2. Love this post, Leanne!
    I am discovering greater happiness with less. It seems backwards in today's world. But it's absolutely true! As I declutter my home and my life, I feel energized. Lighter.

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    1. You're right about feeling lighter Diane - I often wonder how people manage their lives when there is all that clutter and chaos - it's so much more serene to be surrounded by space and order (IMHO)

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  3. I agree Leanne - less is definitely becoming more appealing!

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    1. I think it's part of the whole minimalism thing too Linda - we have finally realized that we've been swamped by "stuff" and less is definitely more.

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  4. Thank you, Leanne (and Rachel) for challenging us all with this very thought-provoking idea. I agree that too much stuff quickly becomes cumbersome, especially as we age. 'Less' is quickly becoming the new 'more'. I believe that if we truly can sustain this, it will be for the benefit of us all.

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    1. When I saw how little you needed for two months of hiking the Camino it showed me how little we really need to be comfortable. We have a ridiculous amount of stuff in our lives and yet some want even more - I'm thinking less is definitely the way to move forward (and to have to carry in a backpack!)

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  5. I think things are less appealing to me as I get older, but I'm also guilty of wanting just a little more sometimes. I certainly think as humans, we can definitely be happy with less, but sometimes, society makes us think we have to keep up with the Joneses so to speak. Great post...very thought provoking!

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