Comments on: Sufficiency

By: Trackback from Peter Pazucha

Trackback from Peter Pazucha — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 12:01:51 +0000

[...] day to leave room for taking it all in. 102. Have the audacity to be content. It takes courage to be content with who you are and where you’re at right now. Millions of advertisements will try to talk you out of it, stay strong my friend. 103. Be faithful [...]

By: Nina

Nina — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 02:14:06 +0000

This post pretty much explains the transformation I experienced this past year which has enabled me to start the process of breaking away from my current job (which, despite some awesome perks and pay, is robbing me of my life most of the time).

Despite our painful breakup, I was blessed with a short relationship with a man who showed me what it meant to live a life of sufficiency. Sure, we dined and went out here and there. But we never spent a lot of money. Breakfast and dinner were home-cooked, shared together at our simple dining tables. We spent a lot of time with friends, or time just wandering around the city. What was remarkable was that I found more joy in those simple, inexpensive activities with him than I had ever found at any fancy spa, expensive/trendy restaurant or luxurious vacation. Through him, I started to discover what it was that I really wanted out of life, what it was that made me content. And it didn’t cost what I thought it would.

By: Sara

Sara — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 02:56:55 +0000

Chris- I’ve come to your writing recently, through Jane Freidman. I am enjoying your book and the posts I’ve read so far. I, too, came to the same conclusions and live my life joyfully experiencing. Suffiency, yes, I’ve found this concept true and viable. You are an excellent writer and I truly appreciate your insight and your ability to communicate – which is evidence that your efforts in developing your craft are well spent. Very encouraging!

By: Kimboosan

Kimboosan — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 20:02:17 +0000

There are huge shifts in perception between the states of survival and sufficiency – I was stuck in “survival” for so long, I forgot what opportunity looks like. Every path led to a closed door, worry and shame and guilt weighing down every “career” choice I tried to make.

I put “career” in quotes because I’m using the common meaning of it, to have a job and earn a salary and save for retirement.

But my career is actually about being myself, and realizing my dreams. It took a long time for me to figure that out, and one aspect of my own perception shift was due to 279 Days. It made me realize that making so much $$ in accordance with “accepted wisdom” is so much bullocks, and all I really need to do is be self sufficient.

So thank you for that, and thanks for reinforcing it with this post.

By: Felicia Brokaw

Felicia Brokaw — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 16:18:51 +0000

Great article! ‘Spot on’ wisdom. Thanks again Chris. I find what you say very refreshing and truly helpful. Cheers.

By: Marci

Marci — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 20:37:34 +0000

Geraldine, Stephanie and Chris…good stuff, thanks for sharing. Life is too short to not spend better time with those we love, and to live without what we don’t really need. I seem to need a lot and am still working on that because I think I just missed out on a couple of years of sharing more with my 10 year old son. Wish me luck.

By: Josh Bulloc

Josh Bulloc — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 10:14:26 +0000

I am just getting to the point in my life that I can understand this post. I always knew it was there but the older I get the more I realize that it is not all about the money. I think we have developed this mindset in our culture that we need to make more money just because. Many people have not decided to make money for a purpose.

By: Alison Stevens

Alison Stevens — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 14:04:39 +0000

Your thoughts are similar to my own, Chris… I’m thrilled to have found a website that so closely matches my own principles. The science backs up what you say, too. Daniel Gilbert, a psychologist at Harvard said (in an interview with the NYT):

“…we know from studies … that people tend to take more pleasure in experiences than in things. So if you have “x” amount of dollars to spend on a vacation or a good meal or movies, it will get you more happiness than a durable good or an object.”

If you decide you do want a castle, there are some affordable fixer-uppers here in Germany.

By: Veronica Hope

Veronica Hope — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 13:32:28 +0000

***Wow man this blog is amazing. I never really understood the sense of community people felt on the net before until I saw this and it was so specific to the model of my life!!***

I have never been happier than in the last 6 months. And I have been brokety broke broke.

Here are my pillars of work-life balance.
*Being able to stop work and watch The Nanny at 3.30 every day.
*Taking wine to a friend’s house who was doing graphic design for me and claiming it on tax.
*Being able to say ‘nup brain’s not happening today, I’ll clean the house instead’
*No bra.
Ha. Work life balance is so specific to the individual.

Why on earth WOULD we care about the media’s idea of happiness?! Maybe this information age will change that to a degree

By: Kelsey

Kelsey — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 22:57:07 +0000

What a great post. Certainly inspiring! I know that it takes a lot to sometimes put money in perspective and what the “American Dream” really is.