So we talk all the time about scaling back, editing, etc. But there’s probably one thing or another that you’ve decided would be your simplicity splurge. That something that you’re just not going to scrimp on.
Well, that’s perfectly fine. We all seem to have that little something that we’re just not willing to give up. For some it’s photos, for others, it’s coffee paraphernalia. Almost all of us have our little simplicity foil…that thing or things that seem to go against our efforts to simplify. Read more…
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First, A Big Announcement!
Okay, we’re sharing some big news on this show…our first book, Super Mom vs Supermom: Simplicity Tips for Busy Moms, A Simple Life Guide to Getting Organized, Finding Margin, and Embracing Simplicity for Moms is done! Well, done enough! We’ll be updating the cover any day now, but it will be live in the Kindle Store at Amazon.com hopefully on Saturday, 8 March 2014.
So, we’re posting the final draft, minus the cover art, on the Edit & Forget It Challenge Facebook page for the next 3 days, so you can have a look or download the DRAFT pdf free there.
If you’re not a member of E & F you can always sign up for free at SimpleLifeTogether.com/edit. You’ll receive an email with directions on how to join the Facebook page.
We ask that you do us a big favor and review the book on Amazon.com (we’ll post the link to the book on the Facebook Edit & Forget It Challenge page, and here on the website, as soon as the book is “live” on Amazon).
So here are some of our goals we had in mind with the book:
- This one is “mom” focused but has great info for everyone. So, even if you’re not a mom, we’d love for you to have a look!
- We wanted to keep it short but packed with info! Minimal fluff.
- Most people aren’t inclined to read a 300 page simplicity book!
- Like we said, it’s the first in our series of “Simple Life Guides for Less Than a Latte”, so it’s priced at $4.99 for now…until the price of lattes goes up! We think that’s a great deal and hopefully others will too!
- Of course, we’re giving you complete access to the draft on the FB page for the next 3 days, but if you’d like to purchase the book on Amazon when it’s available, that would be especially great!
- We ask that you do us a big favor and please review the book on Amazon.com, too. Amazon rankings are directly tied to reviews and downloads. So, the more purchases and the more reviews, the more exposure the book gets, and the more likely people are to find it! Again, we’ll post the link to the book on the Facebook Edit & Forget It Challenge page, and here on the website, as soon as the book is “live” on Amazon.
- Most people who read it won’t be current listeners or readers so the book has lots and lots of links to our shows and Vanessa’s videos. Therefore, most of the info will be new to them.
- So, all told there’s about 96 pages of written content, with access to around 50 hours of audio podcasts, and a bunch of topical videos related to the written content.
- Of course we hope for glowing reviews, but be honest. If you see any glaring mistakes, please opt to let us know personally by email, versus an Amazon review. You can reach us by email.
- We have plans for more Simple Life Guides, and you can read more about that in the book!
OK, so this is our first book and book launch. We KNOW we’re going to make some mistakes along the way with it but we’d really, really appreciate all your help.
Finally, anything you can do to help make the book a success would be awesome and so, so appreciated! We wouldn’t have the confidence to even do this without your support! So, as soon as you have it, please feel free to share the Amazon link with your Facebook friends, tweet it out, or gift the book to a mom you know could use it.
Topic: What’s Your Simplicity Splurge?
OK, We’ll Go First…
So we thought we’d share some of our splurges with you, and maybe talk about some of the feelings that can rise up around that little splurge. Some people feel like it’s a weakness, others feel like it’s a reward.
- Dan’s simplicity splurge: Hot sauce and spicy foods
- Vanessa’s simplicity splurge: Upgrading to more quality items (whether it’s a new purchase or rep
- We’ve gotten better as slowing down what we let into our lives and have made a conscious decision to bring in more quality goods if and when we need to.
- Bose Soundlink Mini
-
Marino cool clothes (pricey, but I only need a few and I absolutely won’t go back to cotton)
- Macbook Air
- Apple Thunderbolt Display
How Do You Feel About Your Simplicity Splurge?
Do you find yourself struggling with having a simplicity splurge despite all your simplifying and editing?
- Are you questioning your commitment?
- Do you staunchly defend it?
- Do you avoid talking about it?
Are you feeling guilt about your simplicity splurge? If so, you may want to analyze your priorities. Is your splurge interfering them? If so:
- Maybe it’s too much of a splurge?
- Maybe you’re not giving yourself enough credit for what you’ve accomplished so far in your journey?
If your splurge isn’t interfering with your goals, maybe it’s:
- A good healthy way of having balance in your simple life!
- Maybe it’s a little reward that you should enjoy for all your simplifying efforts?
Major Takeaway
So the major takeaway here is this: Most likely, you’re splurge is okay, and well deserved. Take a good look. Is your splurge, your little foil to your life of simplicity causing you guilt or getting in the way of your priorities? If not, then drop the self imposed guilt trip. If it IS getting in the way, think about why your behavior hasn’t changed and set up a plan to get back on track.
Question:
So, what’s your simplicity splurge? Is it a healthy one and and more like a little reward for all your efforts, or is it undermining your priorities? We’d love to know. We’d love to know.
Be sure to leave a comment below.
Qs & Comments Segment:
Karen left us a nice voicemail of the website: Audio
Erik left us a nice comment on the website. Here’s just some of what he said: “Hi guys. I was so happy to discover your podcasts and to find a community of folks who have similar outlook. My partner of 27 years and I have decided to downsize and simplify. …We are super excited about our life changes and your podcasts and WEB site are providing us valuable resources and affirmation that we are not alone in our pursuit of a simpler life. Thanks again!”
Announcements:
- I’m working with our friend Joel Zaslofsky of Value of Simple on the SimpleRev simplicity summit. SimpleRev will be 200+ passionate simple-living advocates. Joshua Becker of Becoming Minimalist will be there, too! To learn more, just go to SimpleRev.com or SimpleLifeTogether.com/rev.
- Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Date: October 3-4, 2014
- Venue: University of St. Thomas Downtown Campus
- Joel put together a fantastic page on SimpleRev.com where you can find all your transportation options, lodging, what to do, how to get around…everything a conference attendee would like ask about the area at SimpleRev.com/allittakes.
- Special thanks to all of you who’ve left reviews for us on iTunes. It really does help people find the show.
- If you’d like to leave a review, just go here on iTunes and click “View in iTunes”, launch iTunes, and then click “Write a Review.”
- Don’t forget if you have questions or just want to learn more about Project 333 or Courtney Carver’s Dress With Less microcourse. You can learn more about that at SimpleLifeTogether.com/dress.
Finally, sign up for the Edit & Forget It Challenge! If you’re already on our Edit & Forget It Challenge email list, that’s great. If not, you can sign up here.
Shownotes:
You can download a PDF of our show prep, too.
Resources and Links:
- You can help support SimpleLifeTogether.com by using our Amazon Affiliate Link for any purchases you must make. Thanks!
- Dress With Less
Photo Credit: chuckanastasia
For me, I don’t consider a high quality purchase a departure from simplicity. Simplicity for me is not about buying the cheapest thing or not buying anything but rather eliminating the desire to own an excessive amount of possessions and reducing the amount of time spent on unimportant tasks. I do see discussions on the edit it & forget it page from time to time where people are struggling with guilt over buying something new or nice. Something can be beautiful, functional and quality but still be simple. Apple products are a definite simplicity splurge for me. Easy to dust off, space efficient and all my devices (laptop, router, time machine, mobile devices) all work well together as all are iOs.
The one area I won’t be simplifying is books. While I do regularly purge and turnover my collection, it brings me great joy and inspiration to splurge on a recent design book. I will however start to explore the library’s offerings a bit more but if the book is not available at the library I will definitely still splurge on it.
I also enjoy eating out with friends. My simplifying in the food area will be primarily on work days (home lunch) and with grocery shopping/pantry stock. I won’t hesitate on any weekend invitation to try a new local eatery around town (or even go on my own) because I’m a bit of a foodie and it brings me great joy to sit in a busy place people watching and trying new dishes. I never regret it.
Dan and Van,
When can we expect “Super Dad”? Then perhaps…”Super Grandparents”. Super Simple Series? Thanks for what you do!
Probably in a “super long time” brother!!! Thanks for the push though! One for the Commandant…
First of all, so excited to read the pdf of the book! Yay for you guys. Way to go!
My simplicity splurge is bamboo clothing made by a woman I met years ago, Kimberly Wilson. She’s a yoga teacher in D. C., so the items are super comfy (great for teachers crawling around on the floor), but they’re also pieces that fit extremely well and look professional and polished. They are not cheap, however, but I only need a few items to create the capsule wardrobe—I finally bit the Project 333 bullet–woot! woot!. I love purchasing from someone who makes donations to charities for every purchase (Kimberly is an amazing woman who does so much good in the world) and I also love supporting someone who has they’re own U.S. company. They’re my go-to items in the closet every day–if you’re interested, her website is: http://www.kimberlywilson.com (the link is TranquiliT on the site). The black wrap dress is my favorite.
Again–congrats on “gettin’ ‘er done” with the book. I know it will serve many, just like your mission has served me in my life.
Lara
My simplicity splurge(s) arise from my love of making things. Your podcast got me thinking about my relationship with yarn and knitting.
The more you talk to other knitters, listen to podcasts, check books out of the library, etc., the more clear it becomes that a lot of energy and resources are spent on acquiring (stashing) yarn and dreaming up the next thing (or million things) you want to knit.
Is there a way to immerse myself in knitting without stepping on the hedonic treadmill? I think so.
It requires a deliberate shift of focus from the lovely materials and products (yarn and more sweaters than your family can wear) to the more basic joys that the act of knitting brings me:
Time spent just chillin’
The challenge of learning new techniques
The satisfaction of making something useful and beautiful
The channeling of love into a project made for my favorite peoples
One practical reminder of this is a simple rustic orange sweater I made for myself this fall. It is part of my winter’s project 333, so I get to spend a lot of time enjoying its warmth and vibrancy. Would having three, six, or eight of these sweaters be better than having just this one? Nope.
The best knitting splurge is giving myself the time to make beautiful and practical things for a simple, cozy life.