FREE Financial Goals and Weekly Budget Worksheets

Setting financial goals is just a fancy way of saying “Let’s daydream about what we would do if we had some money.” 

It’s really important to cultivate good financial goals. Let’s talk about how to do that, and I’ve provided a free template to help you. 

Categorize by long-term and short-term goals.

A long-term goal is something you want to achieve over the next few years. A short-term goal is something you want to achieve over the next few weeks or months. 

So a long-term goal might be something like “I want to save for a downpayment on a home” or “I want to go on a month-long trip to Italy.” 

A short-term goal may be something like “I want to save $1,000 this month” or “I need to save for a new set of tires.” 

Write it down.

A goal that’s not written down and planned for is just a daydream. Write it on a piece of paper, or your bathroom mirror, or the notes app on your phone.

Plan your steps.

If you want to save $1,000 this month and you get paid weekly, you would make a plan to set aside $250 dollars from each paycheck. Basically, the formula is: The amount you need divided by the time frame. 

For each goal pick 1-5 steps you need to take to achieve it. 

Tend to those steps.

Daily or weekly tending makes achieving those goals much easier. 

Budget for your goals.

I’ve found it easier to budget by paycheck or to budget weekly. Here is a video where I break that down.

Grab some tools!

I’ve made a PDF printable to help you set some financial goals and budget weekly.

Determining birth costs before your baby is born

I recently got a really great question from a subscriber over on my YouTube channel, so I thought I would share it with you. 

---

"I'm a few weeks behind you (in pregnancy), and in one of your videos you mentioned knowing just how much you'd be paying for hospital bills after insurance. How did you figure this out? We're wanting to prepare."

---

For those of you who didn't know I am expecting my THIRD baby boy due in March. And one of the things I can cross off my list is the cost of this baby's birth. 

Insurance can be really complicated and pretty overwhelming but this is one time when the solution is a lot simpler than one might think. I simply asked my insurance company.

First I say down with the insurance coordinator at my OBGYN's office who told me what portion I would owe to the doctor. 

It helps to simply ask.  Then I called my insurance provider and they sent me a black and white breakdown of my copay for an average birth with two day hospital stay.

Then we set aside the average plus plus 20% (just in case something happens).

That is generally my rule: whatever the average, plus 20%. So that way, you can be prepared.

We knew in advance what our copay is. We have good insurance for the first time in years. It's actually paying a lot. It's expensive, but it is still going to be paying a lot. So we're not having to pay as much out of pocket.

This is a far cry from when I was pregnant with my first son. We were just beginning to pay off our debt and had very little money to our names. I wrote about that here. 

If you want to follow along on my YouTube channel, head over here to subscribe. 

Cut the cable: Alternatives that save cash

It's been three years since Jason and I cut the cable and I don't think we have once regretted it. Not only has it helped save us a lot of money it also helps us control what our children watch and who markets what to them. (I really hope that sentence made sense!)

Today I wanted to delve into some alternatives to cable and satellite that might save you some cash. 

1. Antenna.

We got this RCA multidirectional antenna  from Amazon for about $25. It sits on our TV stand and we can pick up all of our local channels as well as PBS and a few smaller weather channels. 

My parents use an outdoor antenna with the same results.

Pro: Antennas are VERY inexpensive in the grand scheme at about $25. 

Cons. Not all antennas work for every home. Obviously if you live in the mountains a small antenna that sits on your table ain't gonna cut it. So trial and error, people. Trial and error. 

2. Set top box.

A streaming device like Roku or Amazon Fire stick are perfect for the numerous streaming programs now available. 

Pros: A lot of "free" channels are available on boxes like Roku. Channels like PBS, PBS Kids and Crackle, which shows movies with limited commercials. 

You can also stream YouTube on these devices as well. 

Cons: Each box is different as to what services it will and won't let you use. For example you cannot stream Amazon Prime on Apple TV because it competes with iTunes rentals. 

3. Streaming services

Amazon Prime. For just $99 a year you can get a TON of movies, TV shows and other great features through Amazon. 

If you don't know what all is available through your prime membership you can read a post I wrote about it a few weeks ago. 

Pro: Lots of bonus features like two day shipping on Amazon orders, free books and unlimited music. 

Cons: You pay $99 all up front. Content seems older and limited. 

Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial

Netflix. We all know (and love Netflix). For just $7.99 a month you can watch as many TV shows and movies as you want. And the original content is good too. 

Pros: A great value at just $7.99 a month and totally commercial free. 

Cons: You do have to wait for a season to end it's current run to watch it. 

Hulu. This is another one that runs just $7.99. There are tons of great TV shows you can watch just the day after they air. Plus you can cancel at any time. 

Pros: Near-immediate access to new, hit shows. 

Cons: Commercials. Yup, you are paying $7.99 a month to watch content with commercials. But you can upgrade to commercial free for just $4 more a month. 

Sling. For $20 a month and NO contract you can stream live cable channels. You get access to TNT, ESPN, Disney, Food network. The list goes on. So it's all your favorite channels for a fraction of cable. 

Pros: Again, way cheaper than cable and you can watch LIVE SPORTING EVENTS! This is perfect for Football season. 

Cons: You do watch commercials. And depending on your internet connection it can buffer for long periods of time. 

As you can see there are a LOT of alternatives to pricy cable and satellite plans. 

What about you? Have you cut the cord? 

This post contains affiliate links. You can read my disclosure policy here. 

4 tips for maximizing your morning work time

This week we have been talking about becoming a Work at Home Mom, what my journey has been like and some things you can do.

Yesterday I talked about how one of the ways I schedule in work time is by getting up a little earlier. I am not talking about 4:30 or 5 in the morning, although I have done that, I am talking about just 15-30 minutes before my kids get up.

You can accomplish so much, but you have to maximize that morning time.

1. Complete your biggest task first.

If you have to wrap up a client presentation, edit a few more chapters of a book, get inventory ready to ship, whatever the BIGGEST thing on your to do list is- do it first. After you've had your coffee of course.

Why? Two reasons, the biggest thing you have to do is often the most daunting and you're more and more likely to procrastinate, if you're anything like me, and then you will be pushed on your deadline. 

The second reason is because when you start with the biggest and hardest thing and then go from there your day is getting easier as the hours wear on and your kids wake up. Not harder.

2. Don't check your email.

I know this sounds counter-productive. But unless you are waiting on a very specific and important email just don't check it until you've made it through your to do list.

It's so easy to get distracted if you jump on Gmail really quickly or your hop on Google News to scan the headlines. You can so easily get sucked into the rabbit hole that is the internet that you don't get things done that you set out to accomplish.

3. Break up the task.

This morning as I am typing this I hear my kids stirring. It isn't time for them to get up yet, but I know they will be up soon. So I won't accomplish everything on my to do list before my focus shifts to them.

So I will break up some things that I can start now and finish later like drafting a blog post, compiling content for a newsletter and outlining tomorrow's YouTube video.

4. Start with a clean work space.

When I end the work day I try to clean up my desk. That way when I sit down in the morning there isn't a pile or receipts, bills I already paid, scraps of paper, dust and toys littering my desk.

When a work space is cleaned, or at least clutter free, it is easier to focus in the limited time you have.

Working from home is a blessing but it's still a job and one you have to work at even more diligently to protect your family time and maximize your work time.

So use those morning as effectively as possible.

What about you? What tips to do you have for maximizing your morning?

9 time management tips (and tips on other things) for work at home moms

Working from home sounds like the ideal, right? You get to stay at home in your jammies, get some work done, maybe a load of laundry, hang out with your kids. Easy peasy? Nope. No, it's not. 

Working at home, especially with kids, is a fine balance of time and home management. It's all about telling your time where to go. 

Just like at the beginning of the month when you make a budget, you also have to budget your time. In order to see business growth and success this is something you have to do daily. 

1. Make a prioritized to do list.

This is pretty simple. I just take a notebook and on the left side I have my business objectives for the day and on the right side I have my home and life objectives for the day. I have them on order of most to least important. 

I actually do this the night before. That way when I start the day I already know what needs to get done. 

2. Start your morning right.

I have to get up a little earlier in order to make my day successful. I realize that everyone on the internet is talking about getting up earlier. And I realize that the mere thought of getting up earlier probably makes you want to slap me. But I am not talking about hours, I am talking about minutes. 

Here is my theory, one hour in a quiet house to a mom is four hours to a normal person. So just see if you can get up just 15 minutes earlier. This will give you time to glance at your to do list, throw on the laundry and maybe send an email or two. 

3. Set focused time. 

I tried to just wing it and it didn't work. I tried to just work when my kids were busy playing or when they were eating breakfast. And it didn't work. I felt distracted, unfocused and frankly, a little guilty. 

So I just set up FOCUSED time each day when my kids are asleep or after my husband gets home when he is occupying them and I get work done. 

4. Don't procrastinate.

You are talking to the QUEEEN of procrastinating. I was going to do a blog post on just that, but I never got around to it. However, I have learned the hard way that procrastinating doesn't work. 

Inevitably the day you HAVE to get things don't your child won't nap, a storm will come through and lightening will strike your modem. 

So give yourself a little margin. If your deadline is Friday just decide you're going to get it finished by Thursday. That way if it doesn't work out you still have time. 

5. Dress for success. 

I have never accomplished much in my pajamas. Sorry. I am not saying you have to put on a suit and heals, just put on something that isn't pajamas. Today, as I type this I am wearing a really cute top and some yoga pants. I had on jeans, but the heat index is 102 and I got hot. 

I also take just five minutes to brush my hair, put on lipstick and mascara and put myself together. 

6. Set limits for email. 

I always told myself "I will just check my email one more time." Cut to 11:30 at night and I am still working. So now I set a limit at 8 p.m. That way my night time is mine. 

7. Sync your tech. 

Your smart phone is fun, it's great to have apps for shopping and Instagram for sharing pics of your kids, but this technology was created for business. I use Google calendars to sync up my todo list with my phone and my email. That way I can schedule my time and stay on track. 

8. Get off Facebook. 

No, I don't mean delete your account. I mean limit your distractions through out the day. Your time is precious. You don't have time to get on Facebook 12 times or check Instagram or pin things that aren't business related. 

If you are using social media for business like I do then use a free service like Hootsuite to track your Facebook and Twitter posts and engagements. 

You can hop on there, see how things are going and hop right back off. 

9. Remember work isn't everything. 

I once saw a quote I loved, "work is a slice of life, not the entire pie." Remember why you're doing this. Is it to pay off debt? Stay at home with your kids? Pay off your house early? 

If you're constantly working, but not spending time with your family; ff you're bringing a steady income but your health is suffering due to a lack of sleep then it might be time to reprioritize. 

What about you? What would you add to this list? 

Becoming a work at home mom: Finding your niche

This is part of a 30 Day series on getting started. This week we are focusing on starting a home-based business.

I have been running a business from home for almost three years. And by my own definition of success, it is successful. 

I get asked by a lot of women A LOT of women how to start a business. So I thought this week I would walk your through it. 

Today let's discuss finding your niche!

If you want an opportunity, sometimes you have to create it.

I want you to find a piece of paper and write that down. Write it on the top page of your notebook. Put it on the front of your fridge. Write it on your chalkboard. 

I realized when I wanted to start a business I needed to create an opportunity for myself. I wanted to be a freelance writer. I had freelanced on and off for years, but I wanted to create a consistent income from it.

I loved marketing and creating great online content for people. How could I make a career off of it?? 

I didn’t have any delusions that I would be rolling in the dough, I just wanted something consistent, with the same clients and familiar work. And I did it and it didn’t take as long as I thought it would. 

The first thing I did was make a list of my skills. 

It looked like this:

1. I can write quality content quickly.
2.  I have media contacts.
3.  I am good at social networking and social media marketing.
4.  I am a great web editor and I work well under tight deadlines. 

I am not telling you this to toot my horn, but it was important for me to make a list of my good working qualities and then seek opportunities. 

The second thing I did was think about who I wanted to work with. 

The key for me was finding my target market, which was small businesses owned by women. I understand their needs, I understand what they are trying to balance and I understand the message they want to convey. And I love the people I get to work with everyday. I am their biggest cheerleader and I also feel like they are mine. 

Third, I thought about my own monetary value.

If I were running my own businesses how much would I pay for my services. 

Then I had to create an experience that clients would want to return to. I was courteous, professional and friendly. But I also made it clear, my son is my first priority and if he is having bad day or is sick or just needs me then my clients have to understand that. 

I have been richly blessed with clients who all understand that. Many of them are moms and they understand what I am trying to build.

Sometimes it isn’t obvious:

Do you sew? Could you make a living making children’s clothing? I have a friend who earns a full-time income making little girl’s dresses and accessories. People pay her top dollar for her custom designs. 

Are you web savvy? There are a lot of businesses out there who need web managers. I have met lots of clients who need someone who works exclusively with Word Press and are looking for people who can keep their websites running. 

Or maybe you have some graphic design experience. Could you spin that into a money making opportunity for yourself? 

My cousin found success working as a closing agent. She thought the work sounded interesting, found out how to get trained in her area and began working with real-estate agents. She works just a few hours a week which leaves her plenty of time for home and family. 

A high school friend of mine became an event planner. She works with clients out of her home and plans everything from birthday parties to fund raisers. 

These women took an idea and turned it into an opportunity. 

There is nothing inherently special about me or my abilities. But I have been able to turn those ideas into a business. So can you. 

“Objections: Make a list of things you are good at.

Make a list of things you want to get out of a business. ”

What about you? Have you ever thought about what type of business you would want to run? JOIN THE CONVERSATION. 

Stop talking about it and start doing it (Free printable)

This is something I have been thinking about a lot lately. What if we quit talking about all the things we wanted to do with our lives, and we just started doing them.

All month long we have been sharing our journeys, talking about how to get out of debt, save money and simplify our lives. Next week I am going to be talking about how I started my small business from home.

I hear all the time from people "I would love to get out of debt but..." or "I would love to simplify my life but..." I hear people talk about wanting to travel, write a novel, go back to school. And at the end of the sentence there is always a but followed by a reason it would never work.

But what if you could make it work? What if you could achieve everything you wanted out of your life? What if we spent less time talking about what we wanted out of life and more time putting effort into actions that would lead us to our desired outcomes?

Can you even imagine how much better life would be?

Now I understand that some dreams are just simply that, dreams. When I was a kid I wanted to be a Radio City Rockette. But guess what? I am 5' 2" tall. That was simply never going to happen.

But this year I decided I wanted to grow my blog, earn an income from it and create a community. Guess what is happening? I put in the work and I started to see a return on my time investment.

I love the conversations we have weekly on YouTube and Facebook and the comments section of the blog. And I love all of the connections I have made with other women bloggers.

Three years ago Jason and I decided we were fed up with our financial situation and we were willing to do what it took to get out of it. It wasn't always easy, it required a plan and a lot of work. But we did it. We weren't scared of the effort it was going to take. In fact, we were more scared of what wouldn't happen if we took action.

What is that saying? Anything worth having is worth fighting for.

I wish I could say "if you dream it you will achieve it." But it takes a plan, it takes effort and action. It takes hard work and making connections with other people looking to achieve the same thing you are.

You really can do it. But that's just it, it's the doing it part that is important.

So what are you working on? What goal are you trying to achieve?

P.S. If you like the graphic at the top of this newsletter you can download is free here.

Small ways I've simplified our home

I wish I could say I lived in a meticulously organized home that was clean and tidy 24/7. But I don't. Nope. I stepped on three legos and a cowboy hat before I got to my desk to type this blog post.

However, I have learned a few ways to simplify and streamline some areas of our home. While none of these are grand, ground breaking, earth shattering ideas, but they have really worked to create a more cohesive space in different areas of our home.

Best of all they are ALL super frugal.

1. Hanging drapery rods in our laundry room.

Nope, there aren't curtains in our laundry room. But I needed a place to hand clothes that I wanted to let air dry. Since I personally air dry most of my clothes I got frustrated when I ran out of places to hang them. (You can only fit some many cardigans over the back of your couch.)

I picked up a few of these rods made for heavy drapes at Lowes. They were about $13 each.

They take up minimal space in our narrow laundry room. And since they were made for heavy drapes they are perfect for wet jeans and coats.

2. One size sock fits all.

I hate matching socks. I hate it. And matching little child socks is even worse. (First world problems, I know. I mean, wahhh, my kids have warm feet. I get it. But I still hate it.)

So I rounded up all the child socks in my house and donated them to Goodwill. Then I bought a pack of white cotton socks from Walmart in one size. I am fortunate that my kids are close in age and shoe size and can wear the same size socks. Now there is not matching involved and if one sock gets lost, oh well, there are nine more JUST like it.

3. Keeping shoes in one place.

While we are on the subject of children's feet, let's talk shoes. Shoes are usually left strewn from one end of our house to the other. So I got a kid's cubby at my local Goodwill for $2 and stuck it in the boy's bathroom.

When it's time to clean the house I just say "pick up your shoes and take them to the cubby." Boom! Done. Even my two year old is done.

4. Keep a master list.

I can't remember my name anymore lest I write it down. So I have started keeping a notebook on the counter in our kitchen where I can jot down notes and things for Jason to read. When he gets home I have the notebook, I read him the notes I took and life is a little easier.

We also keep a master to do list in there of long-term things our house needs as well as keeping a running shopping list.

Again, I know that none of these things are truly life changing, but sometimes those small things in life add up to be big things.

What about you? What have you done to simplify and streamline your home?

How and why we got rid of half our stuff

I wish I was a minimalist. In fact, I often type "minimalist" in the search bar on Pinterest and gaze longingly at the perfectly matched capsule wardrobes, the kitchens free of clutter and dirt, the bedrooms that are sparse yet, beautiful. 

I have an appreciation for those who have taken on the discipline of minimalism. And while not one myself, my husband and I have made great strides to rid our home of things we just don't want, need or use. 

In the past two years, we have gotten rid of about half our stuff. It has been both freeing and frustrating, satisfying and telling. 

Here is how we (or should I say I, because let's face it men don't worry about clutter) did it. 

1. Evaluate your needs. 

I talked about this when I wrote a post on why I got rid of half my clothes. But how many times do we hang on to things we don't need because we think we might need them later? I realized that at this point in my life I don't need four pant suits and seven pairs of work slacks. 

As a stay at home mom raising sons and chickens, let's face it, my good clothes would get ruined pretty fast. I needed to change my "work" wardrobe to something more appropriate. 

The same thing can be applied to other areas of your life. Did we really need two couches? Or a carpet cleaner when we had a house full of hardwood floors? Or six casserole dishes? Nope. Things got tossed, sold or donated because we simply didn't need them. 

 We kept one sofa and donated half the casserole dishes. 

2.Let go of guilt. 

I cannot tell you how many things I was hanging onto because someone gave it to me. Stuff I hated. Stuff I never wanted to begin with. But I felt guilty letting go of these things. Here is how I feel: stuff should never be the defining point in our relationship with another human being. 

I will repeat stuff should never be the defining point in our relationship with another human being. 

By hanging on to that stuff I was not only hanging onto misplaced guilt, but I was allowing for resentment to breed in my thoughts and actions toward my loved ones. 

Three questions to ask when decluttering. 

3. Dump duplicates. 

I realize this is sort of a point I already made in #1 but I am going to talk about this again. How many rubber spatulas and serving spoons do you need? Really need? 

This was something I really struggled with. But what is something is dirty? If something is dirty and you need it, just wash it. There you go. I just saved you serious drawer space in your kitchen.

4. Toss (sell, or donate) toys

Okay, I am just going to say this here and now. I don't have a problem with toys. In fact, I don't have a problem with lots of toys.

My sister said something to me once that I really appreciated, she reminded me that we spent our days at home. And that if my children went to daycare and I saw there were only a handful of toys I might think it a sad place for my children to be all day. This made me feel better.

However, since we have moved to a smaller house we are now without a play room and there just isn't a lot of extra space for toys. So before we moved we got rid of some of the bigger things and have paired down to blocks, trucks, trains and musical instruments. Our toys take up far less space. 

6 tips for maximizing eBay profits. 

How to make the most money on Craigslist

5. Offload DVDs

I got rid of about 98% of our DVDs. It's the age of streaming, most of those TV show collections we were keeping are available on Netflix or Amazon. The movies we did keep were taken out of their DVD cases and placed in a CD binder. This takes up far less space. 

The DVDs I chose not to keep were either donated or sold via the Amazon trade-in program. This was also a great way to make some extra money. 

6. Clean out the attic and garage. 

I have this rule, if it's not Christmas decorations or baby furniture for future offspring, I don't want to store it in the attic. So basically, if it's something I have to store then there is a good chance I don't need it and should probably go ahead and throw it out. 

So we ended up getting rid of a LOT of stuff that was clogging up our attic and garage. And by the time, this was over I could have just kicked myself. We had moved this stuff from house to house to house. 

7. Throw out the tech. 

How much obsolete, outdated and broken tech do you have? Old cellphones, game consoles that are outmoded, computers that have seen better days?

Some of these things like old game consoles or MP3 players can be sold. 

If you have old TVs or computers call your local solid waste management department and see if there is a recycling program to get that junk out of your house. 

It's not going to happen overnight. Downsizing, decluttering, simplifying, whatever you want to call it, takes time and effort. So just keep trying. 

Attack one room or closet or corner at a time. 

What about you? Have you downsized or simplified? Tell me about it. 

Why we live the way we live and how we've simplified our lives

I didn't happen all at once. I don't think at the time it was even conscious. But slowly over time our life began to change.

I've talked about the moment I realized I wanted to get out of debt. And I've talked about what it was like for Jason and I to hit financial rock bottom.

But I honestly cannot pin point the exact moment we decided that a life of simplicity was for us.

Maybe it was when we left the Atlanta suburbs and moved to a little blue house in the country. Maybe it was when we decided to give up cable and new clothes and shop at the thrift store. But slowly, bit by bit Jason and I have found ourselves embracing a more simplistic lifestyle.

I think this season is the time that I have felt the most peace in my life.

I thought today I would talk about some of the choices we've made and why we've made them.

1. We live without debt

Right now we have a mortgage payment and that's it. We owe no one else on the planet a dime. And we are really working hard for it to stay that way.

We are actually in the market for a new roof and on Friday we had a metal roofer come and give us a very long (very long, 2.5 hours long) presentation on roofs. It was mind-numbingly boring. We had been pretty up front with him and said "hey, we're getting estimates and we will be getting a roof in six months."

At the end of the presentation he quoted us a price and we said "thanks, we will call you in six months."

He couldn't understand why we weren't just willing to run out and secure financing right away. We explained that we are cash only people. We don't use credit cards and we don't borrow money (minus our mortgage).

He even tried to argue with us. Guilt us. Flat out tell us we were wrong. It didn't work. Sorry.

Guess who we are not buying a roof from now?

We chose to live a life without debt because we vividly remember how it felt to owe people money. We remember what it was like to owe Sallie Mae, Visa, GM, and a host of people their share of our livelihood. Why live like that?

So deciding to live without debt means you have to plan, you have to save and you have to be disciplined. These are things that are popular in our instant gratification society. But trust me, it really is a simpler way to live.

2. We got rid of a lot of our stuff.

I am not going to pretend that we are minimalists. We're not. I actually love the new minimalist movement. I think it's great that people want to live with fewer things in their homes.

But we just aren't there yet. However, over the past two years we have gotten rid of half of our stuff.

In fact, I've talked about how and why I got rid of half my clothes. And since then I have really adopted a one in/one out approach. Last week I got four new shirts. So guess what? Four items of clothing left my house.

I feel like stuff breeds stuff. The more I had the more I wanted. I had a home filled with clutter I didn't need but thought I wanted. As I began to rid myself of all the excess my mind shifted. I began to reprioritize almost every compartment of my life. Including how I managed my time and my money.

We got rid of a ton of furniture, clothing, toys and shoes we didn't want, need or use. Our house is still cluttered. I trip over blocks and Thomas trains all the time. But there is less of it there.

3. We started buying our stuff used.

We are not opposed to new stuff. I do not think new stuff is a sin. Or wrong. Or greedy. Or selfish. I just think, why pay more when I can get it at Goodwill for a quarter of the price.

Or why fill up a landfill with packaging and eventually the item itself when I can buy it used and do my part for the planet.

Plus y'all, I got a tub of legos for $7! They are $25 new at Walmart. So pay full price, suckers.

4. We live on one income.

I really want to be at home with my kids as long as possible. We don't know what our school situation is going to be like once Ryals reaches kindergarten. But even if home school isn't what we feel called to do I still want to be available to be involved in their school situation. So that means we live on one income. And since we have chosen to be debt free that means living on a portion of that income to save for the future.

5. We gave up caring.

That Lydia, she just gave up caring. Yoga pants on Sunday! Just kidding. When I say we gave up caring I mean we don't make our life choices in a way that pleases others. I wish I could say it had always been like that. But looking back I know that we made some really stupid decisions so that we could keep up with our peers. Sigh.

Instead I want to live a life that is authentic to who I am. And when I am living a life authentic to who I am I might make choices that aren't always popular. But who cares? I'm a big weirdo. It's taken me a long time to get to that point.

I don't want to live a life that pleases society. I want to live a life that pleases the Lord. And I fail at that often.

To me it is about valuing our relationships with people over our relationships with things. It's about finding time to do the things we love and not be bogged down by obligations. It's about allowing our children the opportunity to grow up slowly with time spent with us, their parents, and lots of open-ended outdoor play.

The life we've chosen isn't for everyone, but simplifying and letting things go has been one of the biggest peace-bringing experiences I have had.

What about you? What have you done to simplify your life?