Some people with nothing are among the most rich.

This quote is the absolute truth. It was the Great Recession. Lots of things were going wrong for everyone. For me, I'd made the prophetic call to cut expenses, sold my new car for one heading toward "classic," and started decluttering and simplifying...I shopping for $30-$40/week, killed the credit card, honed the fine art of DIY. Life was stress. Business was stress, job uncertain--no different than it was for so many other Americans, I suppose...

One day I looked down. I was cleaning the garbage can, singing a song. I realized I was happy. Cleaning a garbage can. Hadn't had a feeling of content like that in a while...The less we have the more we appreciate. When we realign our priorities to those of the soul rather than those of the store, it makes all the difference. 

So true! I think of the words of Iyanla Vanzant, who talks about the worth within us:

over the last 13 months i changed almost everything about my life (and my family's) to simplify, prioritize, and focus.  i got rid of the house/mortgage/land and now rent a much smaller place, closer in. while i lived somewhere between minimalist and no-clutter, purging has been freeing and living in closer quarters has brought back a level of intimate engagement within our family that the bigger house and property didn't enable.  miraculously, the golden handcuffs slid off.  rebooting with fewer resources is something i wish i had done 10 years ago.  it has allowed me to choose where I want growth in my life, not have it dictated by the excesses in place. and as always, it reinforces how truly fortunate i am in the world because for some people in dire situations less is not more.

Christine, that's excellent. And so hard to do!

http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20130903153825-8244-how-goofing-off-can-make-you-more-successful

@Christine, love that term golden handcuffs. First heard it a year back when still in college, but as I enter the 'real world' really understanding what it means. Trying to design my life to being as minamilist as possible as I embark on a new journey this coming year

Karina, good luck -- it's harder that it should be!

@Karina- wishing you great opportunity!  Three things make the journey more "rich" - forgiving yourself (and meaning it), embracing your struggles (good and bad), and letting go of fear (starting with those you inherited from other people first). 

Love this discussion, because society often defines us by what we have rather than who we are. I can't really define myself as a minimalist, but I look at things differently, and if I can make, adapt, or do without, I do... Christine, it's true--very spiritual:)