MONEY MONEY MONEY

"raise money for charity" - how many times have you been asked to either raise funds for an organisation or donate money to a cause? how did you feel after doing so? did donating that money significantly change your life? did it significantly change someone else's?

society operates around money. but companies are always going to be asking for more money because we're caught up in this more more more mentality. what would happen if we let go of trying to raise more money and instead, committed to being creative with the money we did have? with the resources we already possessed? innovation in Australia is at its lowest because we live in one of the most luxurious countries in the world. why get creative when you can get busy spending?

the problem i have with charities and organisations is this is invariably the approach they take - to seek money. and we donate because it's easy. it's convenient. but the joy of donating is only temporary. why? because it's not changing someone's life. it's impersonal. it's passive. what these companies need isn't your money, they need your time. instead of donating to companies, what if you instead offered to volunteer?

when was the last time money changed your life? has it ever? if the answer is no, why then are we constantly striving for more money if we know it's not the most important thing in our lives? how can you make a difference where you are with what you have?

on the contrary, when was the last time a person changed your life? people remember people that inspired them. that listened to them. that accepted them. the person that gave them their time and presence. not the person that donated money. society doesn't need more money, society needs more people willing to make a difference. to change people's lives. to donating their most precious gift: time. so how can you be this difference? how can you go forth and impact someone’s life?

THIS ONE WILD AND PRECIOUS LIFE

two months ago i came across this book by @_sarahwilson_. i knew nothing about it, but i felt energetically compelled to buy it. buy it; i did, and significantly influence my life; it has.

sarah writes a lot about capitalism, consumerism, climate change, and the effects of technology on society. she discusses how we're all sucked into this more more more mentality - always craving more. consuming more. desiring more. when she first started her business, i quit sugar, her accountants asked her: what are your financial goals? to which sarah replied: i don't have any. she then proceeded to state, i just don't want to be one of those sad people - one of those people who wants enough money to buy a toyota, gets the toyota, and then wants an audi. her goal was to earn enough money to live off the minimum wage for the rest of her life. nothing more.

reading this, and her subsequent decision to not sell her business, but shut it down (to live a life in alignment with what she truly believes), profoundly resonated with me. i've struggled, and have been struggling, with this idea of money. any time i reach a particular financial goal, i find myself wanting to make more, to save more. but then i pause: how much money is enough money? what will more money get me that i don't already have?

the truth is, i don't need more money. i fully acknowledge that i live in a very privileged position - a position many others do not. this position, however, allows me to stop and question, what is truly important? would i live differently if i had $1,000 in my savings compared to $100,000? i would like to think the answer is no.

i've always tried to live a very conscious, intentional, frugal life. only buying what i need. but even still, i live in excess. i've contributed to the consumerist, wasteful society we now live in. and that is why i've engaged in a month-long challenge, accompanied by @jasminestyles6 and @w.a.x.x.x.e.d, where we only buy what we need - groceries and petrol.

this, along with my desire to move to thailand for a year, is the start of me fully embracing this one wild and precious life in which we've been given.

CHECK YOURSELF BEFORE YOU WRECK YOURSELF

stress is something all of us are no doubt familiar with. and that in itself is scary - the fact that it is so commonplace. the worst part about stress though is that it's a silent killer.

not only are there significant health effects associated with stress, but stress also affects our relationships. this, in turn, only aids in further deteriorating our health. it's important to acknowledge when you're stressed. it's also important to listen to others when they mention they're concerned about you. although you might feel fine in the moment, often the effects of what we take on have delayed consequences. and this is what i've found within my own life.

just recently my partner mentioned that she was concerned about me because of everything i was taking on. i brushed it off - i'm okay. i can handle this. it wasn't until i uncharacteristically snapped a few nights later and took it out on her that i realised, fuck. i'm really actually not coping.

unfortunately i can't take back what i said or how i acted that night. the point is, i was warned. i had a few people; acquaintances, friends, and partner all address their concerns for my wellbeing. but i proceeded to ignore them. and in ignoring them, i consequently hurt someone when i took my stress out on them.

so the moral of the story is - check yourself and listen. people don't raise their concerns for no reason - they raise their concerns because they can invariably see what you often can't. this isn't to say that my awareness would have prevented my behaviour from occurring, but it might have. and at the very least, perhaps my awareness would allow me to better manage my responsibilities, allowing me to get back to feeling more myself - more full, more vibrant, more giving. right now though, my tank is becoming depleted. so it's time i took a step back to refill my cup.