Have Less, Do More

Have less, do more. This recent revelation has directed me down a new path, one full of opportunities and experiences, rather than lululemon tanks, magazines, and beauty products. Every day, we're exposed to advertisements and implications that make false promises of love, happiness, and beauty. In recent years, as a victim to those beliefs, I realized that the more I was buying, the more I wanted to have. The more money I made, the more I wanted to spend. It was like a sugar addiction. The sweet stuff causing a temporary high, later dulled by the crash and burn of the realization that you're left feeling more spent--financially, emotionally, and physically.

While I consider myself a very active person in the first place, the "do more" aspect does not imply overloading your schedule with appointments, classes, workouts, and get-togethers. Rather, it means taking the time to prioritize what is important to you and making sure that what you do on a daily basis is in alignment with those things.

So what is the purpose of "doing more"? It is important to avoid seeing these activities as items on a checklist, but rather take them for what they are and enjoy the experience, the process. This past week, I took my first martial arts class and went kayaking for the first time. There was something to learn from each of these experiences and, ironically, the "takeaway" was the same idea. Be fluid. Do not resist. When defending yourself in martial arts, the more uptight and rigid you become, the less effective you are. While paddling, the more you fight the water, the less control you have. Additionally, I have reached a point in my life where I've asked myself "what next"? And while I cringe at the sight of cliches and overused quotes, one I have recently embraced is:

"If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always gotten."

What's next? Taking the time to travel, pursue new hobbies, experience things I have not done before. Here's to doing more, having less, and building the confidence to head in a new direction. What will YOU do more of?