Today we watched a video about 'the story of stuff'. We had seen this a few years ago but today it landed big time... we all sat here talking about things we could do.
It doesn't getting any more real than this
I asked Sammi (12 years old) how she felt after watching this movie.. she said "sad, annoyed and cranky at the people who've made this happen". I said "what do you think we should do about it?" She said "let's recycle, make compost and a vegie garden, shop less and make good choices if we do shop...and become a non-consumer. She said "the last three are already ticked off...we are doing this now".
She was clearly shaken by seeing the unsustainable system which kicked off in the 1950's. We have all been sucked into the vortex of this machine. BTW there are no winners. Sure the fat cats are making the big money now... but it is only short term satisfaction... and it simply cannot last!
These corporates are going to lose eventually... quality of life, family, health, connection etc. Then what?
Click here to watch the STORY OF STUFF video
We can reclaim happiness and connection right now
We made the choice 38 day ago to undo that which we have entangled ourselves in. We have become dedicated to the truth of this and are slowly but surely shifting all aspects of consumerism in our lives.
The end result is we are spending less, and enjoying more quality time with friends, family and our hearts passions.
Yesterday we went shopping - can you believe it!!
We went to the shopping mall to go to the movies. This is a family (weekly) event given it is my husbands craft and something we enjoy together. We saw 'The Theory of Everything'. It was another reminder of the important things in life.
We didn't impulse buy anything. Yay us!!
We got out our online wish-lists and bought a few items on the top of the lists.
Sammi - an umbrella, twisty towels for her wet hair.
Deb - herbal tea canister (and some tea)
Jerry - coat hangers (wooden), 2 x tea cups (as we only had 2 in the house).
We did however stumble across a good reminder of this crazy consumer world. The video 'Confession of a SHOPAHOLIC' caught our eye and we all laughed.
Just look at the STUFF on the shelves behind me... OMG!! It now makes me feel sick and overwhelmed looking at it. Thank goodness we are turning this thing around.
What went out - 32 items
Old plastic coat- hangers and some baby wooden coat-hangers (we will pass these on), and some junk from Sammi's room (yes more).
What came in - 15 items
13 items from our wish-list plus two hand driven torches from a friend which tick off an item from Jerry's wish-list.
INSIGHTS
(1) We are part of a system and don't know it.
(2) The system thrives as long as we remain unconscious
(3) The current consumer system is unsustainable and therefore terminal
(4) We need a new system... let's create it together
TOTAL: OUT - 740 IN - 64
We've had a new kettle and toaster on our wish-list since starting this adventure... and they came to the top of the list.
How our wish-list purchase was smart but still tasted like sale-mania
We shopped around the stores looking for the appliances we liked. We found exactly what we were after and didn't buy them.
Instead we took the model numbers, researched reviews online and then searched for the best price. We waited another week, looked again online and BAM Myers had a sale. The ones we wanted were heavily reduced.
We contacted our local Myers store. They did not have them in stock... and the sale was for one day only. Now the blood is rushing... we both felt it. Game on people!!
Armed with the rationale that we are clever consumers because it is on our wish-list, we rang the city store and they had both available. We paid for them over the phone and will pick them up on Monday. Yeehaa, we grabbed a bargain!
Our primary vulnerabilities in the face of the consumerism juggernaut is to be emotionally swayed by the prospect of saving money rather than a rational prioritisation of need.
Even though we made these decision consciously and in a planned way, the rush from the drug-like juice we experience when we made the purchase, was a sobering reminder of how powerful that pull can be.
The end result is we got what we wanted for a heavily reduced price and we got to re-examine our relationship with consumerism. Powerful stuff.
What went out - 6 items
Another pile of books left the building.
What came in - 0 items
We will add the 2 purchased appliances on Mondays blog (when they arrive home)
INSIGHTS
(1) We may never lose the taste of the consumer drug
(2) Taking time to make a purchasing decision ensures a better outcome all round
TOTAL: OUT - 708 IN - 51
Today one of my dear friends lost her son in a tragic accident. It hit us all so deeply, we all just cried at the office. No words describe this moment. No words.
What's really important.
So this had me stop in the stillness tonight and access things differently. I hugged my daughter, enjoyed a glass a wine with my ex husband and snuggled with my gorgeous husband because each moment is special.
Each moment is all there really is. And at any time it will change, go away or morph into something else. Change really is inevitable.
The changes we are making at home are breathing life into all of us. As the clutter goes away, as the realisation of the wasted time and money transitions into a flow of energy into love and life, we give thanks to the simple things.
And as I sign of from tonight's blog I just want to say thanks. Thanks for stopping by to share this little part of my life and for the joy I am sure you bring to peoples lives.
What went out - 11 items
We went through another book case shelf. Out go a few obvious 'never going to read that'....plus returning a few books.
What came in - 2 items
Jerry bought two shirts as part of his wish-list
INSIGHTS
(1) It is the simple things that mean the most
(2) Stuff actually takes away from the simple things
TOTAL: OUT - 702 IN - 51
Getting the clutter out of the house is unbelievable. Imagine what it will be like by the end of the year...yes, we are going for 365 days.
Focus creates reality
When we first started this journey I decided to write this blog to keep myself honest. I am not sure who's reading this, giggling at it, or if it's having an impact... but I can tell you, being accountable to this blog every day MAKES IT HAPPEN.
Our home is starting to breath easier. Not that it was full to the brim... but it is a tiny home and really doesn't like lots of stuff.
The outcome of this commitment is new behaviours are forming, new principles are developing and our appreciation for experiences has gone into hyper drive.
Having a focus, we not only get amazing results, we gain an awareness of our shadow self and reveals unconscious beliefs, assumptions and addictions. We are loving the results and the journey....bring it!!
What went out - 42 items
We cleaned up under Sammi's desk in her room to enable her to do homework in peace. We then did the bottom of her wardrobe. We found lots of things she got as a young child.
What came in - 0 items
Doing the happy dance...oh yeah!!
INSIGHTS
(1) Focus enables a deeper level of self-reflection
(2) Just because something is beautiful, it doesn't mean you have to keep it.
TOTAL: OUT - 691 IN - 49
OMG... I just found 6 audio cassettes in our bookcase! WTF!! We haven't had an cassette player for over 10 years. What does that tell you?
What was hilarious was my impulse to save them and somehow get them converted... NO!!!! I have not reached for these forever so why do I think I will use them in the future. GONE-SKI!!
What went out - 22 items
A pile of audio cassettes, a stack of those small little books you only read once... like '60 Ways To Feel Amazing". Isn't it incredible that I have felt amazing so often and haven't needed the book to do so. Gone!
What went in - 0 items
Nothing. And no desire to go out and buy anything. One thing I notice now is, every thought I have of something we need, I instantly think wish-list, not shopping.
INSIGHTS
(1) Holding onto anything we have never reached for reveals a belief of some kind
(2) The money spent on impulse buys is better used to create experiences
TOTAL: OUT - 648 IN - 49
There is no way I would have realised how much this ghastly consumerism costs me without looking at the numbers.
We reduced our impulse spends by 85% and saved over $1000. We Rock!
What do our bank accounts tell me?
We looked at our bank accounts from last year and the impulse buys stood out like big hot steaming turds. It was sickening to see how many things we bought from impulse....we were the marketers dream couple. Drawn in by the shiny, sparkling signs and juiced up by the 'bargains' we found.
It's a scam people!!
Browsing our bank accounts showed that most of the non-necessity spending was impulse buys.
We both had colluded on this unconscious way of living...and we are darn glad it has stopped!!
Here are the impulse spends that jumped off the bank statements:
- dinners out (always impulsive, never planned)
- clothes shopping (never planned)
- op shopping (no predetermine plan to buy)
- DVDs (no real plan to buy until we passed the store)
- Nights out after work (mostly alcohol costs)
In January 2014 we spent $1195 on impulse consumerism!! How stupid is that?
This year we spent only $185 with two dinners, one night after work, 2 DVDs and a quick bite before the movies being all we spent. Although these have been considered impulse buys, all but the DVDs were discussed well before the decision was made to spend.
Being in the business improvement industry, I love data. The numbers tell you the truth. The data tells me that things are shifting big time for our family and it is all because we made a decision....here it is.
DECISION: To let go of the false relationship and compulsive need (addiction) from the consumer culture I have happily, if unconsciously colluded with. To experience myself, others and life via a relationship built on connection, creating and discovery.
This decision has changed our lives!
What went out - 2 items
Two more coats left the building. One watermelon coat I have only worn once and one 1960 coat I have worn twice. Both really nice....but no longer considered part of the family.
What came in - 0 items
It is wonderful to have nothing coming in
INSIGHTS
(1) Ignorance may be bliss, but consciousness is empowering
(2) I have gained so much more than money from this shift
TOTAL: OUT - 627 IN - 49
Sometimes I feel like I live in the matrix without any blue pill.
I am embarrassed to say how many black coats I had (until this morning). Seventeen!! WTF!!??!!
How could this be? How could I have seventeen different black coats? Admittedly I didn't pay full retail for most of them, but still they were part of my consumerism madness.
Even when I counted them it seemed impossible that there were seventeen. OMG!
So out with the old... and no way is there going to be any new. Enough is enough, no matter how much of a bargain they appear to be.
What went out - 4 items
Four coats that I find myself no longer wearing
What came in - 0 items
Nothing new came in da house
INSIGHTS
(1) A bargain is something I find at a ridiculously good price, that is ON MY WISH-LIST
(2) There is such a thing as TOO MUCH
TOTAL: OUT - 625 IN - 49
