Simple Abundance

The workaholic frenzy of the late twentieth century disconnected many of us from the deeper abundance that can only come from great relationships, good health, and free time. Sure, we had lots of stuff, but there was also a gnawing sense that something important was missing. That naturally translated into a quest for something more satisfying, so it should come as no surprise that the other major trend of that time period was an escalating search for meaning and for a more balanced definition of success.

It should have been a little comical to watch the simultaneous proliferation of the success movement and the spiritual movement. On the surface, they seem to be polar opposites. The early success crowd screamed “You deserve a big house, big car, big bucks!” while the early spiritual crowd stridently urged “Turn your back on material things. Find your purpose!”

What if they were both right? And both wrong?

Somewhere along the way, the word “abundance” crept into the conversation and along with it came a brand new perspective. Suddenly, it was fashionable to have it all, both material wealth and deeper meaning. At first, folks felt overwhelmed trying to balance making enough money to buy what they wanted with having the time to nurture relationships including the one with themselves. And then a funny thing began to happen. People began to wake up. They began bucking the system. They began demanding more from the work they did for money, insisting that it feed more than just their pocketbook. They began demanding more from their spiritual leaders, insisting that they do more than push religion. And they began redefining success on their own terms.

In his book Simple Prosperity, sustainability expert David Mann explains how we can derive deeply satisfying pleasure from reconnecting to the simple things in life. Mann outlines a philosophy based on allowing ourselves to enjoy more fulfillment in human-scaled moments built on fostering creativity, nurturing relationships, and improving our physical wellness. He enlightens us on how we can derive a surprising abundance from a whole host of underappreciated resources and begin to create a richer, more rewarding life.

Of course, it’s one thing to say the best things in life are free, and quite another to weave together our preconceived notions about “having it all” and “doing without” into one fulfilling reality. And that is where perspective enters the picture. Do we want that big house because the success industry says we should want it or because that particular house speaks to our soul and says “home”? In the end, it was never the size of the house that mattered. The biggest house in the world won’t satisfy if you secretly long for a cabin in the woods. And the cabin in the woods will drive you bonkers if your soul cries out for a mansion overlooking the ocean. Finding success is all about finding the right size for you.

If you are looking for an upside to this economic downturn, this may be it. It may be just the wake-up call we needed to re-evaluate and re-group and go after our own version of success with gusto. Go for it!