On July 4, 1845, an eccentric and unconventional 27-year-old began a two-year experiment in simplicity. The man’s name was Henry David Thoreau, and the location of his experiment was on the shore of Walden Pond outside of Concord, Massachusetts.
On a 14 acre parcel of land owned by his friend, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Thoreau built a simple 10 foot x 15-foot cabin that included a fireplace, table, desk, bed, and 3 chairs. The cabin cost him $28.12, or about $878 adjusted for inflation to 2015.
By living in this simple home, trading labor for land rent, growing his own food, and otherwise living a life of simplicity, Thoreau only spent a small amount of his two years at Walden Pond actually working. In essence, his simplicity bought himself freedom of time.
What did Thoreau do with his wealth of free time? He read, wrote, walked, observed nature, talked with occasional visitors, and thought deeply. These were the activities that fulfilled Thoreau and fed his soul. Freedom of time just made them possible.
But maybe Thoreau’s idea of freedom is not for you. Perhaps you’d rather spend your free time visiting with family, traveling, gardening, volunteering, making art, connecting with friends, or doing some other worthwhile activity.
However you want to spend your time, that’s just fine. But the method of Thoreau’s uncommon path to freedom – simplicity – is still valid no matter what your goals are.
And simplicity doesn’t have to mean living in a small hut or becoming a wild-eyed hermit. You don’t have to deprive yourself of life’s pleasures. The opposite is true.
Just by going against the grain of society and making a few unconventional choices, you can achieve an enviable level of personal freedom. And even without winning the lottery or becoming a millionaire, you can use this personal freedom to live an amazing life.
My Personal Experiments in Simple Living
Now I must say up front that I’m no Thoreau! First, I lack his talent for philosophy and writing. Second, I’m not as courageous in my anti-establishment stands (see Civil Disobedience) or my extreme simplicity of living. Third and most importantly, my beard could never look as wild and cool as his did!
But I have been inspired by the clear, penetrating wisdom of Thoreau. His writing convinced me that simplicity is a powerful tool for personal freedom (and also an enormous challenge). And his example inspired me to try my own experiments in deliberate and simple living.
You probably have heard me refer to my experiments as mini-retirements. They are a way to take an extended break from normal life and experience the benefits of retirement long before actually retiring.
My first mini-retirement was in 2009. My wife and I had been married for two years, and we decided that the most important thing we could do for our growth and happiness was a long, slow trip somewhere in the Spanish-speaking world.
So, we began with 6 weeks in Spain, where we explored old cities, drank excellent wine, ate amazing food, improved our Spanish, and met all sorts of interesting people.
The second half of our adventure was two and a half months in South America, beginning in Peru, continuing to the southern tip of Patagonia in Chile and Argentina, and ending in the amazing city of Buenos Aires.
Now in 2016 life has changed some. We have moved a couple of times to new houses. We have two beautiful girls, ages 3 and 5. And the U.S. economy and my own real estate business have recovered well from the depths of the 2009 recession.
But one thing that has not changed is our desire to explore and travel. It’s a central theme in our life, and ignoring it would be like ignoring what’s most important to us.
So, we’re getting ready to embark on our next mini-retirement as a family to Ecuador in South America. It’s a country of friendly people, colonial Spanish cities, beautiful Andean highlands, Amazon basin rain forests, and of course the Galapagos Islands. We plan to live there for a year beginning in January 2017.
But the important part of my own experiments aren’t the experiences themselves. You may or may not be inspired by my own choice of adventures. The important part of the story is HOW they come about so that you can create your own.
The Challenge of Simplicity
You may think that money is the biggest challenge to taking an extended mini-retirement. Money is certainly an important part of the equation, as the total cost of the 1-year trip to Ecuador will probably be $35-40,000.
But, the bigger challenge has been to simplify our lives so that we can leave. The real anchor preventing our escape has not been money, but rather it’s been our stuff and our responsibilities!
For example, we’ve been getting rid of mountains of stuff like clothes, old kids toys, unneeded furniture, junk in the basement, and my worn out backpack (see below). Craigslist, consignment sales, and roadside garbage pickup have been regular fixtures in our lives!
Everything that’s left must either fit into one of our few suitcases for the trip or into small spaces for storage because our house will be rented the entire time we’re gone.
It turns out that space limitations were a wonderful way to force us to simplify!
But even harder than the stuff has been the simplification of the obligations and responsibilities in our lives.
For example, I’m the president of the board of a non-profit, a member of the board of trustees and another committee at my church, a member of the planning commission of my hometown, and the owner and CEO of multiple small businesses.
My wife also has her own list of obligations and responsibilities. Luckily we’ve been able to fight back the temptation to over-involve our kids at this point. Their lives are still fairly simple (and happy).
While all of these responsibilities are important, they also get in the way of our immediate travel plans. The only answer is to simplify.
So, I’ve resigned from some boards and committees. I’m working on replacements for others. And I’m working to delegate or systematize as many of my business responsibilities as possible. The remaining tasks, like paying bills each week (something I don’t want to give up), I will do remotely from South America.
My wife and I will both admit that the process of simplification has been an even bigger task than we imagined. We knew it would be challenging, but dealing with each and every accumulation in our life was a reality check. It made clear the consequences of our past actions, and it inspired us to do better and live more simply in the future.
One of the obvious problems that led to our accumulation of stuff was something called the Myth of More.
The Myth of More
You think you have to want
More than you need
Until you have it all you won’t be free”Eddie Vedder, “Society,” Into the Wild Soundtrack
One of my favorite authors, Joseph Campbell, called mythology “other people’s religion.” For example, modern students study ancient Greek myths in school, and to them, the myths are just interesting stories. But to the ancient Greeks, the myths were more than mere stories. The myths informed their core beliefs and guided their every-day decisions.
In many ways, our modern economic “religion” is the Myth of More. This myth says that when in doubt, more is better. When in doubt, buy a solution to your problem. When in doubt, earn more money so that you can pay for everything you need or want in life.
Of course, there are many times more IS better. For example, if you can’t pay for your basic necessities, more money will certainly help! But the Myth of More always seems to miss something. It promises a final state of satisfaction, but like a carrot dangling in front of you, the satisfaction never comes.
As I’ve observed my own past immersion in the Myth of More, it has led to a lot more questions.
If more is better, is what I have right now not good enough? Does striving for more keep me from appreciating and enjoying what I already have?
If more is better, at what point will I finally have enough? Will I really be satisfied when I have that new real estate deal? The higher income? The better house? The extra vacation?
Does more or better stuff (i.e. a higher standard of living) necessarily translate to a better quality of life? How much extra time will I have to work to earn the money for the things I buy? How much time, hassle, and extra worry will more stuff cost me?
Most importantly, what is the opportunity cost of constantly striving for more? What important part of myself do I sacrifice now that is lost forever? Is the future benefit appropriate for the level of sacrifice I am making now?
There are no right answers to these questions. Working more, buying more, and accumulating more are not bad things in and of themselves. But they do have a cost. The cost is a loss of simplicity.
And I’ve learned that blindly following the Myth of More could have another cost – my happiness.
The Lottery Approach to Happiness
[I]n spite of the fact that America is famous for its unhappy rich people, most of us remain convinced that just a little more money will set life right. In this way, the messianic metaphor of modern life becomes the lottery – that outside chance that the right odds will come together to liberate us from financial worries once and for all.”
Rolf Potts, Vagabonding
I am going to assume that you don’t play the lottery really expecting to win. It’s fun to dream, of course. But I’m sure you realize that it’s more likely you’ll be struck by lightning, become a movie star, or die from chronic constipation than win a Powerball Jackpot (see 7 other crazy things more likely than winning the lottery).
Yet in a strange way, the lottery is a model for how many of us approach financial freedom and happiness.
Some day when I earn more money, then I’ll be happy.
Some day when my family and I live in the right home, then I’ll be happy.
Some day when I own ten free and clear rental properties, then I’ll be happy.
Some day when I achieve financial independence, then I’ll be happy.
The odds of these events happening are MUCH better than winning the lottery. In fact, I write about improving your financial odds every week in my newsletter!
But, the danger is the tyranny of some day. Some day is too often an excuse we give ourselves for not being happy now.
And some day makes us vulnerable to marketers and salesmen of every sort. Our dissatisfaction with today is usually a prerequisite to a new purchase or a new project or a new job that may make us happier (at least for now).
Even though I personally love long-term goals like financial independence, the truth is that you and I don’t have to wait to be happy until we reach the top of the financial mountain. It’s possible to enjoy the peak and the plateaus along the way.
And mystics, aesthetics, pilgrims, vagabonds, backpackers, and humble-living people all over the world and in all times have known a common truth. They’ve known that accumulated wealth without careful grounding actually prevents happiness.
That, I believe, is the spirit of the verse in the Bible that says:
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
It’s also what Henry David Thoreau meant when he wrote in Walden:
I have in mind that seemingly wealthy, but most terribly impoverished class of all, who have accumulated dross [junk], but know not how to use it, or get rid of it, and thus have forged their own golden or silver fetters [shackles].”
[The bracketed comments are mine, because do you really know what “dross” or “fetters” are? I didn’t:)]
Riches can easily complicate your life to the point that you lose sight of what matters. The comforts and ease of wealth can distract you from the simple decisions that made you happy even before you had money.
For example, owning a vacation home may seem like the symbol of freedom. But how many hours will you spend cleaning and fixing the home for every hour you enjoy it? Or if you pay someone else to do the work, how many more hours will you have to work a job to pay for that luxury?
Add a boat, a sports car, nice furniture, and other luxury items, and you’ll have enough work to keep you busy for the rest of your life … if staying busy is what you really want!
So, simplicity is an excellent strategy to take back your life and your happiness – whether you have a lot or a little money. If you would like to start your own experiment in simplicity, you can begin in a small or a big way with the following three tips.
3 Tips to Simplify Your Life
Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of a million count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on your thumb nail.”
Henry David Thoreau, Walden
As I shared in my story, thinking about simplicity and executing simplicity are two different things. So, the following three tips may help you as you work to simplify your own life.
Simplicity Tip #1 – Create Your Own Motivation
You may be so sick of your clutter and over-complication that simplicity alone motivates you. But for the rest of us, an exciting event or goal provides additional motivation and gives us a deadline.
For me, our trip to South America provided the motivation. We decided that the trip was worthwhile and that the time would never be right. So, we committed to it.
Once we committed, the gap between our ideal and our current reality became obvious. What would we do with all of our stuff? What would we do with our house while we’re gone? What responsibilities would I need to eliminate or outsource before leaving?
As we lived the answers to these questions and started preparing for the trip, simplification became the necessary means to our end.
Simplicity Tip #2 – Experiment With Minimalism
I’m not a hard-core minimalist. I am thankful to live in a nice house, have every modern convenience, and want for little materially.
But I love the idea from the ancient Stoic philosopher, Seneca, to experiment with minimalism. Here is what he said in a letter to his friend Lucilius Junior:
Set aside a certain number of days, during which you shall be content with the scantiest and cheapest fare, with coarse and rough dress, saying to yourself the while: ‘Is this the condition that I feared?’ … Let the pallet be a real one, and the coarse cloak; let the bread be hard and grimy. Endure all this for three or four days at a time, sometimes for more, so that it may be a test of yourself instead of a mere hobby. Then, I assure you, my dear Lucilius, you will leap for joy when filled with a pennyworth of food, and you will understand that a man’s peace of mind does not depend upon Fortune; for, even when angry she grants enough for our needs.”
The point is to test out your limits so that you’ll know what you REALLY need. Eat plain and minimal amounts of food. Dress simply. Use less technology. And do it for at least a few days.
My wife and I like to go camping and backpacking for long weekends. These small trips always reinforce that we can be as happy or happier with just what we can carry on our backs.
Then, once you return to your normal life, your perspective on what you need may change. You may find it easier to get rid of things you were formally attached to. And you may find it easier to contemplate being happy with less, which will help you with the next tip.
Simplicity Tip #3 – Ruthlessly Reduce Clutter
Ultimately the task of simplification comes down to the mundane task of eliminating clutter, item by item or responsibility by responsibility. There are no short cuts. You have to pile up the stuff and do the work.
But the attitude you bring to the process will make a difference. Be ruthless. Don’t timidly begin the job. Instead, attack the task with gusto.
Before I cleaned out over 75% of the clothes from my closet, I reminded myself of the benefits. This reminder gave me motivation, and I used that energy to plow through the inertia and resistance that continually came up.
I also found it helpful to arm myself with a couple of questions as I looked at each item. I used these questions as I considered whether to keep an item or to throw it away.
First, I asked a question I got from the book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo.
“Does this item bring me joy?”
This question helped me to get off the fence on mediocre items. It was easy to decide to keep my favorite shirt or pair of pants. It was also easy to decide to give away my least favorites. But what about the bulk of my junk that was just so-so? If they didn’t bring me joy, I decided to get rid of them.
The next question also helped me when I was on the fence. I learned it from my friend and fellow real estate investor Joe Breslin.
“How much would it cost to replace this item?”
We all face those de-cluttering moments where we say “But I might need that someday.” It stops us dead in our tracks and derails our decluttering plans.
But if you know it would cost, for example, $50 to replace that item with a reasonable substitute, you can relax and get rid of it. Chances are you’ll NEVER need it anyway. But if you do, you can look at the $50 as a storage fee. The store just kept it for you until you needed it!
I hope these three tips will help you get started with your project of simplification. But if you want additional inspiration or specific guidance, here a few books or online resources I also recommend:
- For travelers – Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel by Rolf Potts
- For a step-by-step plan to eliminate debt – The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey
- For simplifying a path to financial independence – Your Money or Your Life by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin
- For a good-humored financial kick in the pants – classic posts from Mr. Money Mustache
- For young (or young-at-heart) wanderers and dreamers – Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
When the dust clears from your hard work of simplification, I hope you’ll finally accumulate the only true wealth in life – time.
Time is the Ultimate Wealth
By switching to a new game … time becomes the only possession and everyone is equally rich in it by biological inheritance. Money, of course, is still needed to survive, but time is what you need to live.”
Ed Buryn, as cited in Vagabonding, by Rolf Potts
When you commit to simplicity, you really do commit to a new game. But your game will not look exactly like my game. And my game will not look like Thoreau’s.
That’s ok.
But I think our games all have the same goal – to live more. And to live more, we need time!
Time is the ultimate currency because it’s so limited. Each day has 24 hours. And the days left in each of our lives are numbered. Tomorrow is not guaranteed.
So, the point of simplicity is to put your time back in the priority position where it belongs.
Then you will gain that ultimate freedom, the ability to decide what to do with your own life.
That’s an exciting idea! I hope the energy behind that potential freedom will challenge you and inspire you as you play with and win your own simplicity game.
Let’s get started!
What are your personal goals? What would you like more of in life? What clutter or stuff do you need less of?
I’d love to hear your thoughts or questions in the comments section below.
Photo Credits:
1. Thoreau’s House – RhythmicQuietude at en.wikipedia [CC BY-SA 3.0 or GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons
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Claudia says
i loved this post! walden pond is one of my favorite books. this post really makes you take a moment to think about what you value. i think it’s easy to get caught up in being busy mode even when its purposeful busyness like real estate investing and small business ventures. my personal goals are to continue to see growth in my investments and my business, but to also prioritize time for silent moments, enjoying the outdoors and traveling.
Chad Carson says
Thank you, Claudia! I definitely agree that it’s easy to get caught up in the busy mode. And it’s particularly hard on those activities like investing or work that do have a positive payoff in many ways. I like that balance you describe of growth and also meaningful experiences along the way.
taylorchiu says
Congratulations on your next mini-retirement! My wife and I are in the last few months of a mini-retirement abroad. Wouldn’t trade it for the world.
Chad Carson says
Thanks Taylor! Congrats on your own trip. Where are you and your wife traveling?
Queen says
Hey Coach! 🙂 This topic came at the perfect time for me. We’re moving in a couple of weeks and I’ve been struggling with the “in-between stuff” that I might use/need/wear later – that deep down I already know I should let go of. The two questions you posed are helpful and I’ve already decided on a number of things I will not keep. Also, this time I’ve packed a month ahead and am thus taking a mini vacation from my stuff (like you do with camping). Everything that isn’t a necessity for the month is packed away in storage. When it’s time to unpack at the new place I will put away the basic necessities first, and everything else (which I survived without) will go through the elimination questions. My two main goals in this move revolve around “ruthlessly reducing clutter”:
1. Simplify household processes. For example, doing laundry is simpler with less towels/bedding/clothes to wash/fold/put away.
2. Create more open space. Less stuff means easier maintenance/chores and better Feng Shui.
There are three of us with less than 1000 sq ft, so it’s a challenge, but very rewarding. Thanks for the support and may the Force be with you. Queen AmyDoll
Chad Carson says
Hey Queen, great story about your own move! Glad the 2 questions were helpful for you like they were for me. And I love your idea of packing a month ahead of time and taking a vacation from your stuff! It’s a way to test out your life without the stuff, and then dump what you know you don’t use. Very smart. Good luck with your simplification goals. If it works out like it did for me, it will be a very positive change.
Mike says
I couldn’t help but notice most of those shirts you’re giving away are orange. You couldn’t possibly have too many Clemson T-shirts could you?? 😉
Chad Carson says
Ha, Ha. Trust me – I kept some Clemson shirts. But having played football at Clemson it’s amazing how much gear I was still loaded down with 15 years later! So, some of it had to go. But I donated it to some Clemson friends who will make very good use of it. So those Tiger Paws aren’t going in the dumpster:) Thanks for commenting, Mike.
Travis McDaniel says
Chad,
Great article. We do get so caught up with having more material possessions in our culture today. Dave Ramsey said it well when he said that we are the most “marketed to society in the history of the world.” We forget that everything on this earth is temporary. I appreciate your wisdom and I wish you great peace in your next mini retirement and the years to come!
Travis McDaniel
Chad Carson says
Well said, Travis! The most marketed to people in history. Yeah, that sounds about right. People go shopping and buy something for entertainment. Just seems odd, doesn’t it?
Thanks for the encouragement and for commenting!
[email protected] says
Your mini-retirement sounds great – what a fabulous adventure for your girls too!
This is a very inspiring post. I’m at a point where I’m starting to question whether this is all there is. Not in a depressed or ungrateful way, but we’re only here once aren’t we.
Chad Carson says
Thanks, Ellie! I have certainly found myself in that questioning place, too. Perhaps it is healthy as long as it spurs us to positive changes. Decluttering and changing course for a year was certainly a result of that questioning for me. Good luck to you!
Retire Before Dad says
CC,
Awesome read. I’m currently struggling with de-cluttering and simplifying our lives. Toys and kids clothes are everywhere. The youngest is still growing into a lot of the clothes so we are keeping some, but getting rid of a lot. Toys keep piling up, mainly because of the grandparents. It’s hard to tell them my wife and I don’t want them when new toys bring so much (short-term) joy to the kids. And that brings joy to the grandparents too, and we’re stuck with the fallout! We have made some great progress getting rid of our own clothes, but prioritizing the time is difficult.
Travelling is the best way to de-clutter. The longer I lived out of a backpack, the smaller it became. Because having things while traveling is a burden, whether you’re carrying them with you or home in storage. When I got home, I tossed and ton of crap.
As for Ecuador, I’m excited for you guys. Curious to hear what towns you’re looking at. I think you’ll spend much less than $35k-$40k.
-RBD
Chad Carson says
RBD,
I agree that the decluttering is a struggle. I think we are in the same boat with toys and gifts. We will have an interesting holiday with the grandparents this year, because we literally can’t have a bunch of presents. We’ll be leaving a week later! Ha. We’ll see how that goes.
I think you’re right on the costs in Ecuador being lower. We’re flying into Quito and we plan to end up in Ceunca. Our flight was paid for by rewards points. And the housing looks to be fairly cheap ($400-$700/month from the best I can tell). So hopefully we’ll be at $2,000-2,5000/month. Event better!
Thanks for the comment!
RBD says
The Grandparents won’t know what to do! My parents would still buy the stuff and wonder why we wouldn’t take it with us.
So cool you’re taking this trip with the kids. We want to do something similar one day, but for a shorter period. And definitely not until our youngest (now 1) is much older.
I spent a few days in Cuenca and a month in Ecuador years ago. I remember Cuenca being very walkable, clean, and not too touristy. Good outpost for expats.
-RBD
Chad Carson says
Ha, ha. Yeah, that might happen to us on the christmas presents. We’ll see!
Glad to hear you’ve had a positive experience on Cuenca. We’re in that mode of committed but still open, because we haven’t been there in person. But everything we’ve seen from a distance appeals to us.
zeejaythorne says
This year with your family sounds priceless! As a small-business owner, I worry about my ability to take trips since I don’t have any staff yet. This is excellent motivation to step up my business game so that I can hire someone in the future.
Chad Carson says
Zeejay,
I appreciate the comment. You hit on one of the most important points which I hope I conveyed – the importance of people. I have a small business, and the team member who will be at home running our property management business is amazing. We’ve built a lot of systems over the years, but she runs them, is very trustworthy, and has a great attitude. In many ways that “asset” of a relationship with people like that is the core of all of this.
Best of luck in your own efforts to up your game!
zeejaythorne says
Finding an incredible employee you can trust when you are gone is priceless. Pay her well and keep her feeling respected.
Chad Carson says
Agreed!
Dividend Diplomats says
Loved the post. Damn, it was a great read. So many of us get tied down by the things you mentioned. I’m too involved in the community, I have X reason that I can’t leave, etc. The mental road block of simplicity might be the biggest barrier to living the simple life you want or going for the dream you have always wanted to chase. When you are in the moment and the situation, it seems impossible to leave behind what you are in the middle of. After all, how can the report or project get done without you (completely ignoring the fact that tons of projects over many, many years have been completed without you). I think the idea of a mini-retirement and get away is the perfect way to prove to yourself that you can do it, shed all of those things “tying you down.” But I also think it takes some hard work and dedication, because slowly shedding everything you have amassed will definitely not be easy. Heck, I can barely get my wife to throw certain things away, I couldn’t image doing the kind of cleaning you pictured above. This may be for some people, it may not, but you should at least give it a try. Even if your mini-retirement is in the form of a vacation that puts you off the grid. Get a taste of it at least.
Sorry if the comment was moving in five different directions. Thanks again for the amazing read!
Bert, One of the Dividend Diplomats.
Chad Carson says
Bert,
Great to get a visit from a Dividend Diplomat! Thanks for sharing your own perspective. Yeah, the mental road block has certainly been the toughest part. Tied with that is just the minutiae of getting it done. Particularly with kids, it’s taken the truckload of details to another level.
So, I agree that my trip is not for everyone. But I hope it will inspire people to figure out that happy, less-heavy place for themselves that gives them enough simplicity to do what they want in life.
The Roamer says
I really enjoyed this post.
I am excited to hear of your trip and I hope you keep the blog posted. Because I am also planning a trip to Ecuador next year and would love to hear about your experience. I am planning to go for a month( at best) with the family in November.
your a great writer and flowed all this information together nicely.
Will you be at FinCon?
Chad Carson says
Thank you for the kind words, Roamer! Yes, I’ll be at FinCon in San Diego. If you’ll be there, I’d love to catch up and we can talk Ecuador, blogging, and other fun stuff. I’d be happy to share notes if it will help your trip, and you’re welcome to come hang out with us!
Thanks for stopping by to visit the blog!
Rob and Serena says
Excellent post. A big fan of Thoreau, my wife and I have been on a long journey to free ourselves from the confines of our society. We retired at 40, we do what we want, when we want. We travel on our little sailboat. We have freedom, and we got it by living simply, and appreciating the simple things in life. We shrugged off all those silly things that we were brought up with, work to retirement, want want want, worship in make believe deities, anything that was restricting to a free healthy lifestyle. We have never been happier.
Chad Carson says
What a great story, Rob and Serena! Thank you for sharing and for stopping by to visit. Wow – a life on sailboat. That’s intriguing! Can’t wait to follow along with your adventures.