A while back we talked about finding time for exercise (Is Exercise a Luxury?). Have you ever noticed that society is almost designed to suck up our free time?
Dee Williams realized this. She found herself spending all her free time keeping up her three-bedroom home. One day she got news of children in Uganda dying of hunger and malaria. She wanted to help but had no time or money.
So you know what she did? She sold her house. Got rid of a $1000 a month mortgage payment.
She took $10,000 from the sale and built herself an 84-square foot bungalow (on wheels) and rented a spot in a neighbour’s backyard.
Life is simpler and less expensive. Her heating bill is about $8 a month. She has time to help her elderly neighbours and money to send to Africa.
A rather extreme example – but a good one. How can we simplify our living space? Do we have more space and storage than we need? Could we get rid of stuff? Would one car be simpler than two? Would moving to a new location be less expensive or time consuming? Would starting a home-based business make life simpler?
Simpler is often better as long as it’s not neglectful. Unlike Dee I think you’d be better off with a refrigerator — and not just a cooler for beer.
Check out the video below or read Living Large in a Tiny House by Carol Estes for more about Dee and her dream house.
Carolyn Dean MD ND
The Doctor of the Future®
RESOURCES: Along the borders and in the links of my web site you can find my books, writings, and my call-in radio show. Email your questions to: questions@drcarolyndeanlive.com.
