The Good Life . . . waste free!

I have an awesome coach/mentor at work whom I have 1:1 meetings with every week. One week we decided to meet up for coffee at one of our favorite coffee shop and just sit and recap on what’s going on and what needs to get done. We always like to include personal updates during these sessions and this is when she introduced an idea to me: “Trash is For Tossers.” At the time she had bought two books about living a zero-waste lifestyle which sounded extremely challenging, yet freeing. My mentor had me Google one of the videos she found and here it is:

After figuring out who inspired Lauren I dug deeper into this Zero Waste Home. You won’t believe how mindfully these people live. Check it out:

Okay, I get it. It seems a little extreme but it’s not impossible. They seem to be getting along just fine, better than most actually. I truly believe less stuff = more happiness. I can’t stand clutter and too much stuff makes me feel claustrophobic. Bea Johnson (author of Zero Waste Home) even says, “Since embarking on the Zero Waste lifestyle, our lives have changed for the better: We feel happier and lead more meaningful lives, based on experiences instead of stuff." If we all start making more mindful choices of the waste in our lives I think we can slowly get closer to this point. 

The Good Life doesn’t mean you must have everything under the sun. Don't let your possessions possess you. The Good Life can come solely from your family, friends, memories and a roof over your head. We all have the capability to live The Good Life . . . with zero waste!

The Good Life . . . in winter

 

It’s winter and it’s cold and it’s miserable. The days are shorter and it’s not uncommon for the winter blues to set in. All anyone really want to do is stay in, wrap up in a ball and eat. I know it’s easy to shut the door on a cold winter night at the end of the day and fall onto your couch once it gets dark (which is pretty early around here). It’s not unusual for me to put my warm, comfy clothes on and call it a day at 6:30 pm. How sad and lonely is that?

Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you have to be a hermit. Don’t get me wrong, wrapping up and snuggling while watching Netflix is pretty amazing, but not every day or every weekend.

It’s time to break out of your shell and mix it up a little bit. Some ideas I have for myself to finish out the rest of this cold winter season is to try wall climbing, paint a canvas for my niece and plan a surprise party.  

Here are some more ideas to brighten things up, and don’t cost a lot of money too! 

Why the Good Life?

You may be asking yourself this exact question. Are you living the Good Life? Think about it. It’s something I contemplate regularly. Am I doing everything in my power to live a life that makes me feel good?

There are so many things that go into having a Good Life but most expect only the rich and famous can attain it. In today’s society, and pretty much any timeframe, money is seen as power. This can sometimes dictate how we feel about ourselves and the level of happiness in our lives.

I for one live in the Good Life (Nebraska) and grew up appreciating rural Nebraska and the natural beauty and simplicity of the Great Plains. I remember having the ability to roam the outdoors and create adventures originating from a single idea. Friends came over, we invented new games, and once it turned dark outside we knew supper was ready.

What I’m getting to is that we didn’t have Internet, we didn’t have a lot of money, we didn’t have electronic games to pass the time, and watching TV was an occasion, not a habit. I have memories from my childhood because of it.

“How does this relate to having The Good Life?” you may ask. It’s simple. You don’t need a lot of money to achieve happiness and The Good Life. There’s currently a generational trend that places a strong priority on money and possessions which increases a variety of problems such as depression and anxiety starting at a young age. It’s becoming harder and harder to stop when advertisers are constantly blasting youth with the message of “The Goods Life” rather than “The Good Life.”

I want to be the one to tell you it’s easy to find happiness without a lot of money and technology. It’s possible. Trust me. I’m here to help you find it. I’m excited to share with you tips, tricks and ideas on how to do it. Whether that be how to rid the winter blues to going on cheap (yet fun) dates to how to live life with less stuff to traveling on a budget. It takes some extra brain power but I think it’s worth the extra happiness . . . and The Good Life.