What is your ideal life? How far away is your ideal life from where you are today? What can you do this week to start closing the gap?
For me, the ideal life involves a flexible work schedule that allows for plenty of traveling and time with my family. It also involves doing work I’m passionate about.
What do you love to do? How could you turn your passion into your work? What’s in the way?
For me, it was too much debt and too many possessions.
Beginning a couple of years ago, my husband and I lowered our living expenses by about 40%. We sold a lot of our crap and used the money to pay down our consumer debts faster. Last August we paid off the last of almost $26,000 in consumer debts.
Now that we’re consumer debt free, I’m able to work on a freelance basis in order to spend more time with our two young sons. It’s great being able to take on projects I want to work on and having the luxury of turing away work that doesn’t appeal to me.
As I look around me, it’s clear that the life I have today is a direct result of deciding to take one step in a different direction a few years ago. I decided that I didn’t want to be in debt any longer.
Being free from consumer debt has opened up opportunities that weren’t an option just a couple of years ago.
There is something incredibly freeing about needing less money to comfortably make ends meet each month. It allows my husband and me to choose work based on our interests rather than how much money we need to pay all of our creditors each month.
Well that may work for you, but that’s not what I want…
But maybe my ideal life doesn’t fit your vision for an ideal life. That’s ok! No matter what you envision as your ideal life, ridding your life of excess debts and clutter will always help you make space for what you want more of.
Whether it’s more time, freedom, travel, a new business, more children, golf outings or hula dancing lessons — paying down debts and removing excess from your life will absolutely allow more resources for you to enjoy whatever you wish.
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Agree wholeheartedly. Nothing is more liberating than paying off debt! The freedom to say “no” is a beautiful thing.
Yes it is Kurt. It makes all of the temporary sacrifice pale in comparison to the freedom achieved by saying no!
I actually like getting rid of a lot of “crap” because sometimes, things look better when everything isn’t so… cluttered. I just got into this mindset this year, and I ended up throwing half of my room away…. I like it better this way though!
Good for you Cassie! I sometimes don’t realize how much clutter is distracting me or creating stress in my days until I remove it. Once the space is cleared, it becomes clear how negatively the extra stuff was affecting me.
Very true! Though the ideal lifestyle is not the same for everyone, I think we all can stand to learn how to assess what’s really important in life.
If only to “make space for what you want more of.”
-Rich
Exactly Rich!
Hi Jenny,
I have already paid off my credit card debt (last year – yeah!), but I still need to get rid of a lot of clutter in my life. I’ll start with giving/throwing away some shoes and clothes! Thanks for the inspiration 
I just came across this post and your site is exactly what I needed.
Hi Moira! Welcome!
You’ll be surprised how satisfying it feels to clear out clutter. I’m ready for round two!