Freedom of Simplicity

Freedom of Simplicity
By Bo Sanchez

Happiness is not found outside of you. It doesn't come from cars,
clothes,cash, or Caribbean cruises. Happiness is found within. But how can
you find it if you don't have the simplicity of time and space to discover
the most important things in your life?

How can you search the depths of your soul if you are too busy impressing
others, acquiring wealth, protecting your properties, and paying your debts?

Simplicity is not about the external either: living in a doghouse, eating in
Hepatitis joints, wearing rags.

Let me define what it is: Simplicity is living from the core of your being.


A TREASURE MAP OF HAPPINESS

Simplicity will point to you where and what and who the gold is in your
life. Let me share with you the seven powerful lessons I've learned on
simple
living:

1. LIVE ON LESS, AND DELIGHT IN THEM MORE
Some take their p! leasure dining in classy restaurants, trips to Eu rope,
and
owning the latest home theatre-equipment. I've chosen the simple
path:
If I can simply be with my wife, or take a quiet stroll under a canopy of
stars, or play with a child, or read a good book in my home, or laugh with
friends

over a pizza, I consider myself richly blessed.

Focus on what you have and not on what you don't have.

2. STOP RUNNING AND WALK INSTEAD
Here's the truth: The person who has covered the greatest distance does NOT
win, but the one who has most enjoyed the journey does. Stop running around!

chasing your own tail!

Get off your hurried pace and learn to breathe. Replace doing with being.
Learn to say no to invitations, appointments, and commitments, activities
and events that will rob you of your focus. Learn to say "yes" to rest, to
tranquility, to quietness.

3. YOU ARE MORE THAN YOUR WEALTH
I own very few things today. Because I am more than the brand of my
watch,the logo of my shoes, the name of my car. I believe that if in my soul
I deeply respect and value myself, people around me will sense that, and
they too, will ! value and respect me-whether I'm wearing Armani or not.

You are more than your wealth.

4. AVOID BUYING ON CREDIT
I don't believe in borrowing from credit cards. (For convenience, I use one
card but I pay the whole amount at the end of each month.) If I need
something really bad, I save up for it. Sometimes, at midpoint, I realize I
don't really need the darn thing and give up the whole idea. The only
exception I feel we should enter into a credit is when buying a
non-depreciating item, such as housing or land. I believe we should always
live within our earning capacity. Proverbs 22:7 says, "Those who borrow are
slaves of moneylenders."

5. GIVE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN
If I content myself with P250 shirt instead of P4,000 Lacoste, I can help
others more. Trust me, there is immense pleasure! You will find that the
empty thrill of owning a diamond ring on your finger pales in comparison to
the joy of handing a piece of bread to an orphan child.

"And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at
all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." (2
Corinthians 9:8)

The Old Testament of tithing, or giving 10% of your income is a go! od
guideline to follow. Th e New Testament challenges us to give with a
cheerful
heart. (When you're cheerful, you may give more than 10%!) Make it a habit.

6. SAVE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN
Saving is essential to being good stewards of the money that God "lends" to
us. Saving is an important way of providing for our future-both for our
needs and to be generous to others. I recommend that you save at least 10%
of your income. I can almost hear you now: "Bo, that's impossible!" Oh yeah?
Well, how did you live three years back when your salary was one-half its
present amount?" Sacrifice. Many of our needs are actually wants. Is cable
TV a need? Will you suddenly die if you can't watch CNN or HBO? Are those
new golf clubs essential to your existence? Invest in time deposits,
long-term stocks and housing.

7. BUDGET, BUDGET, BUDGET
Make a list of all your monthly expenses, according to categories. Make also
a list of irregular expenses-those that don't come monthly. Set up another
savings account for these expenses and put in a little money each month. To
differentiate this from the savings account, we call ours "freedom account"
because it frees us from worrying about them when they suddenly attack. And
stick to your budget!

ONE LAST WORD BEFORE WE CLOSE
Balance.
Don't take living simply to the extremes! Living simply doesn't mean living
in deprivation. There are special days when my wife and I eat in a fancy
restaurant. Or, when we splurge on a vacation. Very rare, yes, but my point
is that you take living simply NOT as a rigid goal- but as a happy process
towards the goals of generosity, inner peace and holiness