Poverty has few benefits other than
awakening personal ambitions and making people realistic about how
the world works. Those are things, of course, that can be learned in
many different ways without having to experience deprivation.
Peace of mind
Peace of mind
On
the other hand, whatever your level of income, frugality constitutes
a choice of permanent value and the key to peace of mind. Contemporary society does not promote
temperance and thrift. The story is seldom told of how present
prosperity is the consequence of previous savings and
investment.
The law of cause and effect governs supreme the affairs of the world. Nothing escapes its reach, no one circumvents its application. The same principle that brings perspective to centuries shapes the microcosm of daily life. What you do today builds tomorrow's structure and level of pay.
The law of cause and effect governs supreme the affairs of the world. Nothing escapes its reach, no one circumvents its application. The same principle that brings perspective to centuries shapes the microcosm of daily life. What you do today builds tomorrow's structure and level of pay.
In addition to
economic returns, frugality brings about substantial psychological
advantages to the individual. Stress and anxiety remain foreign to
the parsimonious. Discouragement and fear stay away from the house of
the austere. If you live this way, these are some blessings to
expect:
- First, serenity and peace of mind. Worries do not keep awake at night those who live their days with measure. Leading a simple life spares man the effort of following the latest fashions. By quickly dismissing artificial alternatives as inappropriate, we are left with the fundamental. Serenity is the result of simplification.
- Second, the ability to make fast and consistent decisions. Trusting your own judgement more than external opinion allows your skills to grow through success and mistakes. Stable values and sharp priorities are the prerequisite of frugality. Decisiveness is the will to recognize and reject the drawbacks of inconsistency.
- Third, a generalized risk reduction in your life. A judicious man should protect himself when at risk, but is it not wiser to avoid danger in the first place? The tension of making daily complex choices can wear out the most balanced mind and lead to depression. Adopting simple ways of doing things reduces errors of oversight. Shunning unnecessary costs keeps exposure to chaos low.
- Fourth, more enjoyment of life day after day. Ignoring the noise of the world liberates time and other resources. Priorities lose their meaning in overgrown agendas. Frugality enables man to breathe free of encumbrances and focus his efforts on the basics. Happiness is not the result of cumulating random tasks, but of concentration on projects that make a difference.
Leading a simple life allows man to accumulate wealth and the peace of mind that comes with it. The material advantages of frugality go hand in hand with its psychological benefits. Discarding the unnecessary allows individuals to pay attention to the crucial elements of a good life and accelerate their personal development. Making wise choices starts with the realization that most things don't count.
Text: http://johnvespasian.blogspot.com
Image by permanently scatterbrained under Creative Commons Attribution License. See the license terms under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us
