Getting Back to Basics, I'm ready, Are You??

I once had this crazy notion that money grew on trees and that my worth was dependant on the amount of "stuff" I had to show how valueable I was...

MAN...WAS THAT A MISTAKE!

Well, I've had the wind taken from my sails since the years of wastefulness and overindulging. I left a nice salary, my husband was "let go" from a steady job and we had to scrimp and save to make our mortgage. He got a job waiting tables, went down to basic cable, sold excess that we didn't neet, you name it! And we totally relied on family to help us with our then little one while we worked our tails off. But in all honesty, it was a brisk smack in the face that we needed to get back to basics  and I'm thankful for that!

I wasn't raised in excess, my folks worked their _____ off for everything they had and you know, I had a pretty darn nice childhood! Do I want my daughter to grow up thinking that everything gets handed to you when you're a grown up??  

ABSOLUTELY NOT!!

 (This photo was taken just after my dad completed 12 grueling weeks of radiation treatments for throat cancer, yet another time he worked his ____ off...so proud of my dad!)

This is what's important!

This past week I was watching the TODAY SHOW the other day and they had the author                        Kurt Anderson talking about his book "Reset" which pretty much discusses that we should all make our lives simpler and get back to the basics. I'm going to pick it up and really dive into it but wanted to share it with all of you in case you feel the need to do a little re-evaluating yourself...

 If the economy wasn't in the state that its in right now, would you re-evaluate your current lifestyle?

I then received an email from my dear friend and mentor, Amy Ballain, who passed on a message she received from a Jack Canfield book. I couldn't help but think that some higher power was telling me to just keep on the track that I'm on?? Maybe?? I'm always re-evaluating what I'm doing to get on a better path, it's just me.

But you know, I'm truly glad I got smacked in the face financially. I now have a greater appreciation for the things I have. I can say now, that if I won the lottery today, I'd live the same way tomorrow. I wouldn't spend money on expensive clothes, I wouldn't drive a fancy car, and I'd probably still clip coupons and shop at Costco every 2 weeks. 

(this is considered a big night out now :)

I love my house, I'm proud of our "used" cars (the one pictured is my hubby's :), and I'll brag all day long about the workout pants I got at Target for 60% off! This is who I am and I'm glad I'm back to basics.        

And last, I think this has made me a better agent because I GET IT! I know what it feels like to want something so bad that you sacrifice material things to get that special something! So next time you go shopping in a high end store, think of the Sheryl Crow lyrics that said,

 "it's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got."

 Good luck out there everyone!! I GET IT!!

Heidi :)

Disclaimer: The photo of the book above is used to get the word out about the book. In no way am I using the information provided in the book as my own, I was merely inspired by the topic of the book. I hope that more readers pick this up and are inspired by it's message.