Spending or investing?

This was in my email In Box today and I thought it was too good not to share:

Here's a question for you to ponder: do you spend your money or do you invest it? Do you spend your time in various activities or do you invest it? How about your energy and physical abilities: spend or invest? The difference in these two words can make a big difference in the results you are enjoying in your life.

For my word-buddies, here are some synonyms for invest: devote, provide, advance, supply, entrust.
And here they are for spend: give, pay out, expend, deplete, waste, cast away.

What are you thinking every time you purchase something? Do you think you are giving the money away, depleting your bank account, and wasting or casting away the funds you have in your possession?

What about changing that to devoting, supplying, and entrusting your money to the provider you are handing it to?

This simple word change makes an enormous difference in the attitude we have towards our money, energy, time, and work. 

Changing our attitude, of course, changes the results. This week when you use money, time, or energy, mentally change your thinking to the idea that you are investing your time, investing your money, investing your energy - and, yes, you expect a return on your investment!
 Krysta Gibson

Annoying....

What space in your home annoys you?
Which area bugs you every time you have to deal with something there?
Where do you avoid because it's just too much to even think about?

Too many shoes in the bottom of the closet?
No room to put things under the sink?
Piles of papers, bills, receipts, and to do lists on the desk?

This week identify one place in your home that you've been avoiding and pay some attention to it.

Decide what would make it helpful instead of hopeless.
What really belongs in the space?  

What has just ended up there?
How could you make the space useful?
What would you be only too happy to get out of your life?

Sort.
Prioritize.
Organize.

Clear it.
Clean it.
Use it.

Make space for a life you love.

Tricky retailers......

The Unclutter recently had a great article about how retailers influence what you buy.

How retailer's tricks contribute to clutter.

Pay attention next time you're in a store.
Make conscious decisions about what you purchase 

and why.
Every purchase is a reflection of what you need, use, love and value.

Making it.

We don't find time for what matters-
We make time.   Anne Lamott

As one of my teachers used to say, "You are your results."

Looking at your results: What is important to you?
How do you really spend your time and your money?

Where do you put your effort and attention?
How often do you walk your talk?

If an uncluttered life is truly important to you:
Put things away when you're done with them.
Stop buying things you don't really need.
Give experiences, not things.
Pay your bills when they are due.
Take care of the mail on a regular basis.

Spend your time, energy, money and heart
making the life your really want to be living.....
Start today.

More or less.

Which things do you want more of in your life?
Which things less?

More time to spend making memories with people you love?
Less time spent taking care of the mechanics of daily living?

More space to be arty and crafty?
Less distraction from your technology?

More opportunities to get outside?
Less time watching tv?

More Laughing?
Less worrying?

A little less clutter and a little more organization can 

set the stage for you to 

make the commitment to a life of more or less.

Not the end.

Getting organized isn't the end.
Organization is a choice of daily actions.

Having homes for the items you use, need, love and value
contributes to being organized.
Making conscious decisions about what you buy and bring home is part of being organized.
Putting things away, instead of just down,
handling paperwork in a timely and consistent manner,
being specific with others in your home about chores, tasks and expectations all are part of the daily mechanics of 

being organized.

Creating the habit of conscious decisions with regard to what you own, why you have it, and where you'll keep it will support you in having an organized and simpler life.

Be kind.

Is it more important to you to be right
or to be kind?

Winning the argument,
having the last word,
proving your point.
What exactly have you won, ended or proven?

Much mental clutter is rehashing arguments,
replaying victims scenarios, and
practicing 'shoulda saids'.

Try letting it go.
Try stepping back, biting your tongue,
and surrendering your need to win.

Decide when and where it really is important to
make your opinion known, share a relevant fact,
or end a discussion.

But really, most of the time
being kind is the best kind of winning.
Accept agreeing to disagree and let your
relationship be more important than your opinion.

Walk away and let your kind actions be what people remember.