Having less has gotten a bad rep. For some reason, we believe in our society that HAVING less is BEING less. Less money makes a less man. Less materials equals a less woman. Less has become synonymous with "less than." Less than your neighbor, the girl on Instagram, or the Jones' (whoever they are). "Less than" keeps us in a constant comparison with everyone around us- even those that we love. But- it doesn't have to be that way because I believe that less is actually more.
“Better to have little, with fear for the lord, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil. ”
In other words, LESS with peace is better than MORE with inner turmoil. Regardless if we want to admit it or not, having too much can be a big problem. Too much on the schedule, too many possessions, too much spending can and will produce inner turmoil in our lives... Having less creates abundance in ways that we've never imagined. Allow me to explain.
1. Less stuff is more space.
Obviously, less stuff in your home will create more space to enjoy. Less furniture, clothes, memorabilia, trinkets, junk, etc. will create more space in your closets, living spaces, garages, and rooms. The more stuff that you have, the more stuff you must maintain, clean, and take care of. More stuff creates more chaos. Less stuff will actually create a physical representation of peace in your home. And, who doesn't want peace in their home?
Less stuff doesn't just create more space in your house, but also in your mind. There is a such thing as "decision fatigue." Decision fatigue is (as reported by New York Times) as a slowing depleting ability to make wise decisions and have self-control because of making too many decisions in a short timespan. Basically, when you make too many decisions you get pretty sick of making decisions, so you start making bad decisions. Here's my point... Taking care of too much stuff can create decision fatigue in your mind. Too many dishes to clean, too many toys to organize, too many outfits to choose from, too many memorabilia to decide what will be placed where. Let's face it- you already have enough decisions to make to add more to your "To Do" list! Geesh! Give it a break! Less stuff = More space.
2. Less spending is more saving.
This is the one that hits me in the gut. I'm not really a heavy shopper, but I am an emotional shopper. If I've had a good or bad day, I'll go shop to celebrate or lighten my mood. This can be clothes, jewelry, books, or even coffee. The problem with this is that I tend to go outside of my budget to buy these items. Ugh! My husband and I, we have dreams. Dreams of business, owning land, and being able to give generously to others. These dreams are the reasons that we work so hard to get money. Getting money isn't a problem. It's saving it that gets kind of sticky.
When we save money, we can fund our dreams. When we spend money on our impulses, we begin to fund our distractions instead of our dreams. An article that changed our mindset was by Roe of Brown Kids. In the article, she explains how our spending can be a coverup for emotions we need to deal with. Think about that... when do you get the urge to spend? Is if on a good day to celebrate or a bad day to ignore? Either way, spending itself isn't bad. A lack of savings is bad. Less spending = More saving.
3. Less scheduled is more sabbath.
What is it about a packed out schedule that seems to boost our status? It’s almost of thought if we are busier, we are more necessary. So, we pack out our schedules with meetings, activities, events, lunches, and so much more The busier, the better— right? The problem with this philosophy is that the more scheduled we are, the Sabbath we experience Sabbath means “to cease, to stop, to rest.” The less scheduled, the more we get to cease, stop, and rest. It is only when we cease, stop, and rest do we get to come face-to-face with our truest identities. It is busyness that forces us to ignore places in us that need attention.
Take a second and ask yourself— why are you so busy? Why is your schedule so packed? And, before you say you have to— do you really? “Have to” and “want to” are two different things. Some things you have to do, others you do not. Know the difference, look at your schedule, and make some changes. You don’t need a packed schedule to gain significance. Experience more Sabbath by scheduling less.
“Make it your Ambition to lead a quiet life..”
—1 Thessalonians 4:11