Change Your Thinking

"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" Matt. 6:26

Part of a living a simplified, organized life is learning to change your thinking. Thought patterns are a powerful tool to either motivate or immobilize.

One new thought pattern that I've adopted is to celebrate the ability to bless others when I "downsize" my possessions.

Previously I felt guilty about getting rid of unused items in my home. I always felt that if I purchased something, spending hard-earned money buying it, I needed to keep it forever. However, I now realize that having less is so freeing in terms of time, space, emotional peace, and a shorter To Do list.

A second thought pattern I've put into place comes from one our family's favorite children's CD, Jungle Jam. One of the characters, Nozzles the elephant, makes a profound statement. He says, "The more you have, the more you have to have to take care of the things you have." It's a mouthful but contains a pearl of wisdom!

Now when I downsize our possessions, I think of Nozzles words and am thankful that I'll have more time to spend on important things in my life instead of "taking care of the things we have." I also remember that I am blessing someone else when I donate my gently used items to a local charity like Christian Ministries, Salvation Army or Goodwill.

These two changes in my thinking have made a significant impact on my ability to be able to downsize AND enjoy it!!

Change Your Thinking today...