Inspiration for a joyful and creative life

I just wrote an article for the ezine about Less is More.  I think it is really important to think about what you want less of so you can have more of what you want and need.

My husband and I went to Tokyo Joe’s, one of my favorite places for healthy, fast food, last month.  They always have something that impresses me in the way they run the business and in their philosophy that is refreshing.

They had a sign about Kaizen, which is a wonderful Japanese concept of small, continual improvements.  Kaizen is one of the foundations of my Kaizen-Muse coach training and my own personal philosophy.  It wasn’t the first time I had seen it mentioned in Tokyo Joes.  I was delighted to see that they had a 2010 Less is More 365 Days of Kaizen campaign.

Some of their sayings

Less Stress, More Laughter

Less Getting There, More Being There

Less TV, More Music

Less Greed, More Giving

Less Striving, More Celebrating

Check out Tokyo Joe’s web page where you can see the rest and add your own.

What do you want less of that will allow you time, money, or space for more of what you want?

Do you wish you had more money or time?

Is it possible to make creative choices and begin to shape your days into the life you wish you could have? Yes! Your life is a series of choices you get to make.

If you look at the heart of what you want and what it would mean to you, you might find there are more ways to get the essence of what you desire.

What does it mean to you?

Maybe you feel like if you had more money* or time your life would be complete. You could take a closer look to define what having more money means to you. Would it mean freedom? Freedom to work at a different career, freedom to travel or peace of mind? Would it give you a sense of value or self esteem? Would it give you more time with your kids, spouse, or friends?

How could you start to get the benefits now?

If you want to spend more time with your family, you might declare Friday nights as family night where you take turns choosing the activity or make it movie night, complete with popcorn. Or could you give up TV for an evening and just talk, play games, or work on a project together?

If you want more time for a creative pursuit, you might take a half hour before everyone gets up or a half hour before dinner each night to work a little at a time on it.

Maybe you’d just like more time. I needed help with lots of the little details of my business and personal life that seemed to be piling up. I wanted to make sure I still have time to relax and that I’m not always having to do something.  I hired an awesome personal assistant. She is able to help me a few hours a week and it’s wonderful.   She is a friend and neighbor so it is very convenient.  I’ve also had good luck in the past hiring someone through Craig’s List.

Do you want to travel more but can’t afford it? What could you give up that doesn’t give you as much satisfaction? Or better yet, brainstorm some ways you could be paid to travel.

What is the essence of your desires?

If you begin to look at why you want something, you may discover that you can make creative and positive choices that will give you the essence of what you want. What else could you do to create those outcomes and enjoy the benefits now?  

Reflect on your choices

The end of the year is always a great time to reflect on the choices you made this year.

What were some of the best moments?

What do you wish you had more time for?

What creative choices can you make for next year?

You may also want to look at the post Are Too Many Choices A Good Thing?

*P.S. I am working on something that will be ready soon that will help you to save and create money for the things that are important to you.  Sign up on the mailing list so you won’t miss out when it is ready to release!

Is it good to have lots of choices about what you want in your life? Some people love the idea of having unlimited choices.  For others, it feels too overwhelming and sends them running.

I know we are bombarded by making decisions and choices constantly.

I’ve stood in front of the canned tomatoes in the grocery store for longer than I care to admit, reading labels, comparing prices, and trying to make a final decision.  Sometimes I wish someone would just hand me the silly can of tomatoes and choose for me.

So, you may be surprised that when it comes to what you really want to do, or how you want to do something, I suggest you expand your choices.

The reason is simple.  For something as significant as how you spend your time, it’s worth looking at several choices.

Taking a little time to brainstorm can open your world to greater possibilities and creating options you never knew existed.

Writing things down can help you to get clear about your values, priorities, and what’s important to you.

One good way to reach a deeper level is to continue to ask yourself a question over and over and then ask why.  You may ask yourself, “What am I passionate about?”  Then ask why.  Do this several times and see if you get on a deeper level of why something is important to you.

What if you can’t answer the question about what you are passionate about?

Maybe passionate feels like too strong of a word for you.  Well, this is where your quest involves more exploration.

What brings you joy?  What would you like to know more about?

What sounds like fun to you? What are your natural gifts?

What are you grateful for?

Are you a good gardener, cook, painter, storyteller, magician, or math whiz?

This part is like the smorgasbord of your life.  At this point, there is a wide array of choices before you.  Then it’s time for you to figure out what you are hungry for now, at this stage in your life.