do it yourself FREEDOM

Impacts: Mind, Money, Time

If you have a storage unit, garage, or attic filled with stuff you never use choose to lighten your load and get rid of it. At the very least cull through those old things and dump all but the good stuff and then start using it again. No matter where your stuff is stored is it costing you money, time, and a certain level of stress.

Most people hold onto things for sentimental and financial reasons. The memories associated with stuff and the memory of how much you paid for it when it was new somehow justify throwing good money after bad. Fold you cards, this is loosing hand. Once stuff is stored it will begin to degrade and loose value. If the stuff has so much sentimental value it should be in your home. Prioritize and keep only the best stuff.

Stuff ties us down. It’s hard to move and it requires a lot of time to manage. For example, it seems easier to simply leave the stuff piled up and finding the time to deal with it is always difficult. But now imagine your house clean and clutter free. Imagine your work space organized and efficient. Imagine your garage, basement, or attic empty except for a few precious items carefully wrapped and stored. Does that idea make you feel less encumbered or does it make you feel empty?

If stuff makes you feel complete, safe, or successful you might want to do some serious thinking about why. I’m not trying to suggest that there’s some right or wrong way to think about stuff I’m simply suggesting that many people get caught up in accumulating things for reasons they never considered.

In any event when it comes to possessions, less can be more and less is definitely easier to care for, manage, and move. Choosing to reduce storage will save you money, time, and stress.

Take Action

• Visit your stuff in storage more often.
• Remove the most important stuff.
• Remove all the stuff and sell it at a garage sale. At the end of the sale post a free stuff ad on craigslist.org with a photo of the stuff. If your comfortable posting your address and leaving the stuff in your driveway this can make it much easier to get rid of stuff.
• Find local charities that are willing to remove everything from your storage once you’ve collected the stuff you want to save.
• Post an ad in craigslist.org and a photo of the left over stuff in your storage. Be sure to say they must take it all. This will save you time and multiple visits to the storage.
• Stop buying new stuff you don’t need.

Impacts: Health, Community

“The planter, the farmer, the mechanic, and the laborer… form the great body of the people of the United States, they are the bone and sinew of the country men who love liberty and desire nothing but equal rights and equal laws.” – Andrew Jackson

Eating local provides several life improving benefits. Locally produced food tends to be higher quality and competitively priced. You also end up supporting the local economy which in the end makes the entire community stronger. Many communities have local farmers’ markets that operate year round support local small farms and not large corporate or foreign farms.

Another good source of local food is often local markets and independent grocery stores. But it’s important to ask the people that run the market about where the food comes from since out of season produce often comes from overseas.

Eating local also implies eating less manufactured food products which in turn means fewer preservatives and ingredients. It also implies you’re saving money on less packaging since the local farmer isn’t likely to shrink wrap their fresh produce.

Take Action

• Find the closest farmers market and try to visit it as often as you can. localharvest.org
• Find small local markets that sell locally grown foods.
• Find other people who like to garden and share your harvests.
• Start a little garden yourself, even if it’s just herbs in the kitchen window.

Impacts: Mind, Health, Home, Work, Money, Community, Time

“Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I know because I’ve done it thousands of times.” – Mark Twain

I don’t think anyone can honestly say that smoking has more benefits than draw backs. When you choose to smoke less you instantly remove several external limiting forces.

Your bank account will instantly have more money in it. Your health with start to improve. The second hand smoke you are not exhaling will also help to improve the health of people around you. I could go on but you get the point.

Like most addictions smoking is hard to kick, but like most addictions, overcoming them tends always seems to give us back something we’ve lost. Any addiction for example, no matter how mild, will always have an affect on the decisions we make. Some are grosely visible to the naked eye, others more subtle. But on our minds they all take a huge toll. Smoking less is simply one of those things that can instantly improve life.

Also notice that I’m not saying quit smoking. Sometimes going cold turkey is the only way we can really change ourselves but I think more often slow change works better in the long term. So the next time you light up think about that cigarette and smoking less. Try choosing to smoke it later. In any case every small step you take that moves you forward is a step worth taking. Don’t get discouraged if you can’t take big steps, just keep taking small ones.

Take Action

• Cut back. If you smoke two packs try one. If you smoke during breaks, try doing something else during breaks like a walk around the block.
• Pick up cigarette butts you see on the street. Don’t forget to wash you hands. Yuck!
• Get professional help.

Impacts: Mind, Health, Community

“Walking is the best possible exercise. Habituate yourself to walk very fast.” – Thomas Jefferson

I bet some smart mathematician could calculate the number of pounds America has gained as a result of the invention of the remote control. Many of us live sedentary lives. We drive everywhere, we sit on sofas, we sit at desks, we lay in bed. We can have just about everything we want delivered to our homes. Even trips to the mall are becoming passe with the ease and simplicity of shopping online. I’m not complaining, I make good money building my little part of the Internet from my desk, but finding reasons to move more seems to be an even increasing challenge.

The idea is simple, get off your butt and do something, anything. I can be as simple as a daily walk with the dig or a family walk after dinner, but whatever it is make it a routine. Build a habit by making a point to do it everyday. Walk to lunch. Walk to a friend’s house. Find fun nearby places to go. Buy a bike. Pick up a sport. You could even join a club but most people seem to never go anyway so you might be better off just walking the dog.

The more you move the more your health will improve. Our bodies need exercise and most of us seem to be having trouble finding time to move more. By creating creative ways of getting off our butts we will begin to see improvements in our health. After a while you’ll even notice you like it. You’ll also notice initially that its really hard to make it a habit because you’ll be looking for that instant gratification like weight loss. Try not to put that pressure on yourself, just keep going and enjoy it. Remember watched pots do boil they just seem like they take forever to get there. Stop watching your pot, keep it moving.

Take Action

• Walk more. Find good reasons to go for a walk like walking the dog, walking with the kids, walking to nearby stores, parks, schools.
• Make moving a habit. Choose a time everyday that makes sense to get out of the house.
• Bicycles cover more distance faster. If your frequent destinations, stores, parks, school, are too far to walk to, try riding a bike there.

Impacts: Health, Money, Time

“In general, mankind, since the improvement of cookery, eats twice as much as nature requires.” – Benjamin Franklin

Americans probably have the largest selection of food choices of anyone on the planet, and it shows. We’ve got the best and the worst. Ironically it all costs about the same so choosing to eat better has very little to do with money.

For example I probably ate the healthiest food when I was a starving artist. I simply couldn’t afford to eat out or buy a lot of meat, cheese, desserts, sodas, or booze. I ate a lot of rice, beans, soups, breads, vegetables, and fruit. As I became more successful my diet ironically went down hill. It’s only recently that I’ve started to realize the benefits of eating better again.

Like most living organisms change in our bodies happens slowly. But we’ve grown accustomed to instant gratification which is probably what’s made dieting and fast food so popular. The idea of simply choosing to eat better gradually over time seems ineffective on the surface. But when you take a step back and realize that succumbing to instant gratification tends to distract your attention from long term benefits you begin to realize that dieting doesn’t work and that long term lifestyle change is the only thing that works.

Your health is a major key to protecting your personal freedom. Food is simply one of the little things you can control that significantly impacts your health. Eating better means making a conscious shift in the way you think about food and choosing to adopt a healthier diet for life.

Take Action

• Avoid hydrogenated oils (including partially hydrogenated oils), sugar, high fructose corn syrup, enriched and bleached flour.
• Avoid processed foods especially those with ingredients you can’t pronounce which tend to be preservatives.
• Avoid meats grown with hormones.
• Avoid over eating.
• Avoid fast food or at least avoid the worst stuff on the menu.
• Avoid eating out, cook more at home.

Impacts: Mind, Health, Home, Work, Community

“Do not overrate what you have received, nor envy others. He who envies others does not obtain peace of mind.” – Buddha

Appreciate what you have and what other people offer. Staying focused on the positive keeps your mind focused on moving forward and helps you to avoid dwelling on things that you either can’t influence or affect.

Appreciating more also helps you slow down and live in the present. This will give your mind a break from the day to day stress it otherwise would be mulling over. So in effect appreciating instantly gives you time to let positive thoughts linger longer making it easier for your to live strategically and stay focused.

Take Action

• Look at the space around you. Spend at least two minutes taking in the things you see. Focus on breathing deep and try not to let your mind wander. Try to notice small details without judgment or purpose. Simply take in the space around you.
• On the next cloudless night go outside after dark and find a safe place to sit. Ideally bring a friend and go someplace dark enough to see the stars. Look up. Try to spend as much time as you can. Even a few minutes of relaxing with a friend under the stars can help you take big steps toward feeling more free.

Impacts: Mind, Health, Home, Work, Money, Time

“As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.” – Henry David Thoreau

Habits usually just happen. Usually we fall into habits simply because we’re wired naturally to automate. If you take a step back and look at yourself simply as a living organism you might notice that your body pretty much runs itself without much conscious intervention from you. Your heart beats, your eyes blink, you breathe, etc. It even has automated ways to telling you to eat and drink.

If you’re proactive and make an effort to create positive habits, (healthy habits, time saving habits, work habits, etc), you can actually use your natural tendency to automate in positive directions. For example once you’ve been getting up early for a while you tend to automatically get up early. Bad habits form just as easily.

Breaking habits is very hard to do simply because you’re working against your natural tendency. Generations of biology are your obstacle. Try replacing one habit for another instead of trying  to break a habit. Smokers are onto this simple concept, and in fact often point to this natural tendency to explain sudden weight gain or other negative side effects after quitting smoking. To stay ahead of the habit curve consciously work to replace bad habits with beneficial habits.

Rituals are one way to create new habits. We tend to think of rituals in a religious context but if your break the idea down you’ll see that a ritual is simply an intentional act or series of actions.

To use ritual to build good habits make a conscious effort to give yourself a series of steps for simple tasks designed around the new habit you want to form. Ideally write the steps down to help you in the beginning. Eventually the list will be obsolete because you’ll quickly memorize the steps and even begin to refine and perfect you actions. In the end the simple ritual you designed will be as natural as a mindless habit.

Habits and rituals are key tools for increasing personal freedom because they help you remove bad stuff from your life and replace it with good stuff. Habits and rituals are not as powerful a tool as belief but nearly.

Take Action

• Learn about the Japanese tea ceremony. It’s a great example of ritualized tea drinking.
• Watch for habits you’ve already created. Begin by asking yourself if that habit is moving you forward of back. In other words notice what you’re doing.

Impacts: Mind, Work, Money, Community

“Never look back unless you are planning to go that way.” – Henry David Thoreau

I was first introduced to Joseph Campbell in my teens and like many people the whole concept of following your bliss seems like a good idea. As an idealistic teenager these words really took root and I’ve pretty much lived with that concept floating around my brain ever since.

But since I rarely accept anything at face value, even words so wise, I found myself altering the philosophy to fit my needs. I found a follow my nose philosophy seemed to work better for me. Bliss was often a bit elusive and it seemed more logical to simply follow my nose, (curiosity, interest, ideals), and keep my bliss in sight on the horizon as I took steps in that general direction. This approach just seemed more practical and actionable. I also took comfort in that by following my nose I would eventually be lead to my bliss.

The other side effect of following my nose was that it gave me permission to screw up and even get a little lost from time to time. I don’t think that’s a bad thing since we tend to learn the most from our mistakes and that everything we do in life, good and bad, builds the person we are becoming. To regret your mistakes is like regretting who you’ve become and regretting taking the risk to find your bliss. By trusting your nose and accepting your mistakes you immediately empower yourself to continue moving forward no matter how bad things get.

So far this approach has served me well, taking me through several good and bad jobs and situations but at each step my goals have gotten closer. Looking back I can’t honestly say I regret any step or decision because they have all added up to landing me where I am today. I have made mistakes that I’m terribly sorry I made but I also know that I’m a better person today because of them. This knowledge also gives me the strength to let go and continue forward.

The main reason I’m suggesting that this personal philosophy will increase your personal freedom is because it will always move you closer and closer to your goals. You’ll never feel stagnant; you’ll be constantly looking for the next thing, and open to taking calculated risk. The only big disadvantage I’ve run into is that over time I conditioned myself to expect new challenges to present themselves regularly, which can lead to boredom and disinterest in work. Buy you could also look at this as an advantage since it acts as a catalyst to propel you to the next challenge or find new ways to innovate in your current job.

If you adopt following your nose or following your bliss as a personal philosophy you’ll find yourself becoming more proactive in your career and life. You’ll find yourself begin to move forward and put an end to stagnation. You’ll find yourself more optimistic and happier. Just be prepared to stick it out for the long haul because like most real things in life instant gratification doesn’t happen for anything of real value.

Take Action

• Try to calculate risk better. Make pros and cons lists and really think through decisions before making them.
• Watch the PBS special “Power of Myth” with Bill Moyers and Joseph Campbell.

Exercise

• Goal: Point your nose in the right direction.
• On a piece of paper make a list of things you like doing.
• On a separate sheet of paper brainstorm jobs that let you do that stuff. When brainstorming let yourself be free to write anything down.
• No search for some of these jobs online. Don’t limit your search to your location, you’re just trying to open your eyes to opportunities. Remember you’re looking for a dream job not one you’d be qualified to do today.
• Once you find one look at the qualifications. Start a third list of things these hiring managers are looking for in candidates. Continue to look at more jobs and begin to rank the job qualifications with hash marks. This will give you an idea of the most important things.
• Now look at your list of job qualifications. Point your nose in that direction. This is a list of requirements you can choose to place on yourself. You can also think of them as goals. At the very least they are steps to take on the road toward a job or life you will enjoy.

Impacts: Health, Mind, Community, Money, Time

“An American monkey, after getting drunk on brandy, would never touch it again, and thus is much wiser than most men.” – Charles Darwin

Most people use some sort of mind altering drug from alcohol to caffeine to cocaine. Some are legal and some are not but they all help get us through the day. They also treat the symptoms and not the causes of our discomfort.

For example coffee in the morning helps us get going. A beer after work helps us wind down. Both are simple chemical methods for changing the way we feel and they make it easier for us to avoid the real issues. Coffee helps us make up for the late night, unbalanced diet, or bad sleep. Alcohol helps us take the edge off stress and helps us forget our troubles temporarily. Both are legal. Both can create long term health problems. Both are addicting.

When we choose to avoid intoxicants two things happen immediately. The first is that we’re faced with dealing with the stuff they helped us avoid. The second is that we’re faced with the physical and mental reality of an addiction. But once these initial hurdles have been overcome and replaced with something better you’ll find that you’re saving money, time, and feel much better.

The bigger the problem the bigger the payback in personal freedom. By the same token every step in a positive direction is a good thing. Don’t get discouraged if cold turkey isn’t your thing either, simply try cutting back. Most addictions are part physical and part in our heads. The stuff in our heads is often harder to overcome so try replacing it with a positive replacement.

Take Action

• Every time you take a sip, drag, snort, puff, poke, chew, whatever, ask yourself one simple question… “do I need this?”
• Get professional help if you’ve got a real problem.
• Try adding a quick walk first thing in the morning instead of coffee and TV.

Impacts: Health, Community

“The nation that destroys its soil destroys itself.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

Gardening has many indirect positive side effects on people that often go unnoticed. It is an activity that provides benefits far beyond the food you grow. Gardening gives you back time to think, it teaches patience, it makes you feel more connected to your surroundings. If you garden with other people in a community garden, it can become an activity that builds community.

People that garden experience less stress and better health. The fresh food a vegetable garden provides certainly contributes to this but it is more likely the mere act of spending time outside, moving, working, thinking, relaxing, that is the real benefit.

Take Action

• Plant one plant, even if it is in a pot.
• Pick plants that are easy to grow.
• Pick plants that produce something you can eat or use.