Abundance
Matters

But most people aren't excited about the idea of living in a mud house. Of course, like we already established, a cob house isn't exactly a mud house, but there's just something about the sound of living in a tiny house made of the same stuff we walk on every day that just doesn't sound right. So let's look into why small isn't so bad (because at some point you'll want to come back from hiding in the middle of nowhere and see people again-your social media feed isn't that bad); and let's consider what true abundance can look like.

Sure, it's all about the connotations and the way you think of size, but if you really ponder it, abundance isn't having everything-that's excess. Abundance is about having the really meaningful things-and not the other "stuff" that just ends up taking away from the truly meaningful. If you go through your possessions, you'll find a lot of stuff you really like and use. And there's nothing wrong with having those kinds of things. In fact, if you get rid of too much that's meaningful or useful, you'll find you just end up getting more because those types of things actually have a place in your life. Small, therefore, is more about being purposeful with your possessions. You'd be surprised what can do the job of several other things combined. Remember, the point is to have the fewest "things" possible, but still achieve your purpose. You have to decide that threshold.

This doesn't mean we need to "stick it to the man" all of the time, but social influence has had a profound impact on your life. There are injustices you don't even recognize because you (and I) have been conditioned throughout life to simply accept some things as "just the way it is." But socially constructed reality is not reality, and you can challenge a lot more things than you might realize. This includes your view of material items. America is a notoriously consumerist culture. Have any ideas where social constructs that do more harm than good might be? (Hint: go to a thrift store and see how much stuff is there that has hardly been used!)

Everyone has their own personality and priorities. What does where you currently live do to put you at peace with who you really are? This blog isn't about me convincing you to live in a mud house, it's about you thinking about where you live and whether that place fulfills you. And an old car can be a home just as well as a huge mansion-if it fits who you are. As long as the place and environment is chosen with care, and respect for the world around us is maintained, any place can be the right home; it just needs to fit who you are.

Pick somewhere that is meaningful to you. You don't have to build your own house, but you have to make it your own. And don't hold back. Where you live will be the place you come back to. Make it a place of peace. Fill it with things that are meaningful, but don't let your clutter make more space requisite. Let your home be the starting place for your journey outward. Find abundance in what really matters.

I'd love to share more ideas and conversations! Click below to learn more about what I do or to see the gallery of this project.

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