Freedom of Simplicity

 

Freedom  of Simplicity
By  Bo Sanchez

Happiness is not found outside  of you. It doesn't come from cars,
clothes,cash, or   Caribbean cruises. Happiness is found  within.
But how can you find it if you  don't have the simplicity of time
and space to  discover the most important things in your life?  

How can you search the depths  of your soul if you are too busy
impressing  others, acquiring wealth, protecting your properties, and  
paying your debts?  

Simplicity is not about the  external either: living in a doghouse,
eating in  Hepatitis joints, wearing rags.

Let me define  what it is: Simplicity is living from the core of your being.  

A TREASURE  MAP OF HAPPINESS

Simplicity will point to you  where and what and who the gold is in your life.
Let me  share with you the seven powerful lessons I've learned on simple living:  

1. LIVE ON  LESS, AND DELIGHT IN THEM MORE
Some take their  pleasure dining in classy restaurants, trips to Europe ,
and owning the  latest home theatre-equipment. I've chosen the simple path:  
If I can simply be with my  wife, or take a quiet stroll under a canopy of stars,  
or play with a child, or read  a good book in my home, or laugh with friends
over a  pizza, I consider myself richly blessed.

Focus  on what you have and not on what you don't have.  

2. STOP  RUNNING AND WALK INSTEAD
Here's the truth:  The person who has covered the greatest distance does  
NOT win, but the one who has  most enjoyed the journey does. Stop
running around  chasing your own tail!

Get off your hurried pace and  learn to breathe. Replace doing with
being. Learn to  say no to invitations, appointments, and commitments,  
activities and events that  will rob you of your focus. Learn to say
"yes"  to rest, to tranquility, to quietness.

3. YOU ARE  MORE THAN YOUR WEALTH
I own very few things today.  Because I am more than the brand of my
watch,the logo of  my shoes, the name of my car. I believe that if in my soul  
I deeply respect and value  myself, people around me will sense that, and they too,  
will value and respect  me-whether I'm wearing Armani or not.

You  are more than your wealth.

4. AVOID  BUYING ON CREDIT
I don't believe in borrowing  from credit cards. (For convenience, I use one card  
but I pay the whole amount at  the end of each month.) If I need something really bad,  
I save up for it. Sometimes,  at midpoint, I realize I don't really need the darn thing  
and give up the whole idea.  The only exception I feel we should enter into a
credit  is when buying a non-depreciating item, such as housing or land.  
I believe we should always  live within our earning capacity.
Proverbs 22:7  says, "Those who borrow are slaves of moneylenders."  

5. GIVE AS  MUCH AS YOU CAN
If I content myself with 25  shirt instead of  400 Lacoste, I can help others more.  
Trust me, there is immense  pleasure! You will find that the empty thrill of owning a  
diamond ring on your finger   pales in comparison to the joy of handling a
piece  of bread to an orphan child.

"And God is able  to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times,  
having all that you need, you  will abound in every good work." (2 Corinthians 9:8)  

The Old Testament of tithing,  or giving 10% of your income is a good guideline to follow.  
The New Testament challenges  us to give with a cheerful heart. (When you're cheerful,  
you may give more than 10%!)  Make it a habit.

6. SAVE AS  MUCH AS YOU CAN
Saving is essential to being  good stewards of the money that God "lends" to us.
Saving  is an important way of providing for our future-both for our needs and  
to be generous to others. I  recommend that you save at least 10% of your income.  
I can almost hear you now:  "Bo, that's impossible!" Oh yeah? Well, how did you  
live three years back when  your salary was one-half its present amount?"
Sacrifice. Many of our needs  are actually wants. Is cable TV a need? Will you
suddenly die if you can't  watch CNN or HBO? Are those new golf clubs essential  
to your existence? Invest in  time deposits, long-term stocks and housing.  

7. BUDGET,  BUDGET, BUDGET
Make a list of all your  monthly expenses, according to categories. Make also a list  
of irregular expenses-those  that don't come monthly. Set up another savings account  
for these expenses and put in  a little money each month. To differentiate this from  
the savings account, we call  ours "freedom account" because it frees us from worrying  
about them when they suddenly  attack. And stick to your budget!

ONE LAST  WORD BEFORE WE CLOSE
Balance.  
Don't take living simply to  the extremes! Living simply doesn't mean living in deprivation.  
There are special days when my  wife and I eat in a fancy restaurant. Or, when we splurge into a  
vacation. Very rare, yes, but  my point is that you take living simply NOT as a rigid goal-  
but as a happy process towards  the goals of generosity, inner peace and holiness.