Full Moon Rising - Made In The USA

Steps Towards a More Sustainable Life of Less

I know this sounds like I have lost my mind, since we as a company make money selling things, but our philosophy has always been to only sell what is needed and to make the best recommendations possible.

It is also the reason we focus on USA Made products and Eco-Friendly products and solutions to marketing. By helping you to make good choices about clothing and promotional marketing items, you will increase your ROI (Return On Investment) and overall cost.

This article is from Zen Habits and I think is very appropriate for the times we live in.

Personally I have been moving away from having more things. I find the more clutter and things I never use that I get rid of the happier I am. I find joy in knowing that many of the items are used and needed by others. Some just end up in the recycling bin.

I'd like to hear what you think of this article and concept. 

Bryan

Steps Towards a More Sustainable Life of Less

Posted: 09 Mar 2009 04:07 PM PDT

Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow me on Twitter.

When my grandparents were young, none of the appliances (let alone hi-tech gadgets) in our homes were in common use — not the refrigerator, electric stove, dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, toaster, television, computer, air-conditioner, microwave, etc.

None of it. They had cars, but they walked far more often than we do today. They had telephones, but not cell phones or Blackberries or iPhones, and they weren’t using phones all the time. They had stores, but they didn’t order things online and they didn’t buy all the time. In fact, during their Great Depression childhood, they bought very little and used very, very little technology.

And while the last 70-80 years have advanced our lives in amazing ways, and there’s no doubt that the comfort and convenience of our lives have improved tremendously … we rarely stop to consider whether technology and consumerism have always changed our lives for the better.

I mean, I am as big a proponent of the miracles of the Internet as anyone, but have we given up too much of our lives that used to exist offline and outdoors? It’s great that we have such comfortable cars that can drive incredibly fast and take us anywhere we want to go in minutes … but have we thrown away the joy and the health benefits of walking places?

It’s great that we can communicate instantly from anywhere with our mobile devices, but have we given up personal face-to-face conversations and the pleasure of being outdoors, disconnected from the world?

It’s great that food is so convenient these days, but have we given up the pleasures of slow eating for fast food, the joys of cooking for microwaving, the wonders of real food for processed food?

It’s great that we can buy pretty much anything we want these days (and often do), but have we allowed the abundance of cash we’ve had (until recently, but even now we’re still pretty rich) to force us to have bigger houses just to store all our stuff?

I propose a life of less. A life that’s more sustainable.

And yes, some will wonder if that will hurt the economy even more — buying and consuming less will mean people will lose jobs, no? Not necessarily. Scaling back our lives means we need to find jobs for people that are based not on producing more goods, but on producing more value — valuable information, valuable inventions that require fewer resources, valuable contributions to the community. But how will all of this be paid for if no one is buying stuff? There will be less wealth produced because less is being consumed … but if we consume less then we actually need less wealth. We just need to get off the escalating cycle of consuming and producing more.

We work more than ever before, despite advances in labor-saving technology that mean we should be able to work less. We do so to support a lifestyle that has become more expensive than ever, because of the new levels of convenience and abundant consumer goods that we’ve become accustomed to. We can break out of this trap, by consuming less and then needing to work less.

I’ve thought these things for awhile now, but it struck me most as I was walking to a meeting with a friend and business partner. Most people where I live don’t walk — cars are used all the time, even if the destination is just a few blocks away. I’ve been getting into the habit of walking places — for traveling, not exercise — but I’m a weirdo for doing so. And it struck me that only 50 years ago, I would have been normal — everyone walked back then.

And I wondered how we lost this valuable activity — walking to get places.

We lost it because convenience and speed have become more valuable to us than health and frugality and the enjoyment of the world around us.

I propose a life of less. A life that is more leisurely, a little more spartan, a little less expensive, a little less heavy on consuming the Earth’s resources.

I don’t think we can change the economy overnight. We can’t even change our lives overnight. But we can make a gradual change in that direction, with small steps.

Here are but a few ideas — I’m sure you could contribute some of your own:

• Can we walk to more places and drive less? We’d get fitter and use less fossil fuel. We’d have to loosen up our schedules to do this, but I think that’s a good change anyway.
• Can we start building more livable communities, where things are less spread out, so that we can walk more instead of driving everywhere? Where everything we need is a 10-20 minute walk away, or at least reachable by bike or public transportation? You might already live in a place like that, but not where I live, and not in lots of places. Even work should be close by. Again, this is a long-term change, but I think a good one.
• Can we start living in smaller houses, so that we need less heating and cooling and land and maintenance and cleaning? We can if we buy less stuff, which leads to …
• Can we start buying less stuff? We don’t need all the stuff we buy.
• Can we start celebrating things like birthdays and Christmas without spending sprees? We could do nice things for each other instead, or make things, or bake something.
• Can we start buying locally more? I know a lot of people already do this, but it would be great if this trend continued. It supports local farmers and drastically reduces the amount of resources needed to get food to our homes.
• Can we start packaging food less? Even non-food items (like toys) come with ridiculous amounts of packaging these days. I’d like to see a return to olden ways, when you scooped flour out of a huge bin into a container or something like that. Packaging we throw away (or even recycle) is so wasteful.
• Can we stop buying so much processed food? Real food is so much healthier, requires fewer chemicals and resources, and tastes better once you wean yourself from the addiction to processed foods.
• Can we eat slower, and enjoy the food more, instead of rushing through meals?
• Can we stop our addiction to mobile devices and being connected all the time, so that we can enjoy the pleasure of other people’s company without interruptions, or enjoy solitude or a nice quiet walk without being connected?
• Can we design cities and towns so that they aren’t based on the automobile, so that perhaps private vehicles parked at the outside of cities, and then people used public transportation or walked within the cities? We’d reclaim the streets for the pedestrian, make them alive once again with street markets, cafes, parks, children running around without fear of death, people exercising and doing tai chi and jogging and walking and enjoying a fume-free outdoors.

Again, these are just a few ideas. There are thousands more.

And I’m not saying we should give up techonology. I love connecting with people from around the world! I love being able to access information instantly that I would never have had access to just 15-20 years ago! I love the ability to express myself online that is unprecedented in human history!

But I also think we need to keep the good things that have come with the advances in technology, and throw out the bad, the things that have made our lives worse.
—
Read more about simplifying your life in my book, The Power of Less.

The Number One Dream Killer: Doing What Works

I follow a blog called Zen Habits, and today I discovered an article entitled, "The Number One Dream Killer: Doing What Works."  This in turn led me to a new blog that I really like, called The Illuminated Mind.  Both have some very thoughtful posts and, for me at least, provide food for thought and reflection.

I found this "Dream Killer" post and another one entitled "Why Being Productive is a Huge Waste of Time" to be very interesting.  I find it hard to break out of the mold and do things different.  I have tons of ideas, but occasionally find myself mired down in the minutiae of day-to-day work.  Being an Air Traffic Controller at O'Hare and running Full Moon Rising, Inc. when I am not there keeps me hopping.  The Air Traffic thing has trained me to be decisive and expect immediate compliance, something that is not necessarily the best way to be in business, especially when collaboration is required.

These articles are refreshing as they remind me to think outside of the box and keep trying to do things I would not normally do.  I think as a company we do think creatively and attempt do things differently, but of course it is you who would be the real judge of that.

I would love to hear what you are doing to break out of your box!

Bryan Thompson

Work is important, and in these troubling economic times, it's easy to have pre-occupations about finances.  But as I once heard, "Nobody lies on their Death Bed thinking, 'I should have spent more time in the office!'"

On this day, in which we celebrate the Joys of Love and honor those for whom we care most deeply, we would like to share the following, re-printed with permission:

DailyOM.com

Originally posted: February 6, 2009
The Dance of Intimacy
Coming Back to Center in a Relationship

Anyone in a long-term relationship knows that the dance of intimacy involves coming together and moving apart. Early in a relationship, intense periods of closeness are important in order to establish the ground of a new union. Just as a sapling needs a lot more attention than a full-grown tree, budding relationships demand time and attention if they are to fully take root. Once they become more established, the individuals in the union begin to turn their attention outward again, to the other parts of their lives that matter, such as work, family, and friendships. This is natural and healthy. Yet, if a long-term relationship is to last, turning towards one another recurrently, with the same curiosity, attention, and nurturance of earlier times, is essential. 

In a busy and demanding world full of obligations and opportunities, we sometimes lose track of our primary relationships, thinking they will tend to themselves. We may have the best intentions when we think about how nice it would be to surprise our partner with a gift or establish a weekly date night. Yet somehow, life gets in the way. We may think that our love is strong enough to survive without attention. Yet even mature trees need water and care if they are to thrive. 

One of the best ways to nourish a relationship is through communication. If you feel that a distance has grown between you and your partner, you may be able to bridge the gap by sharing how you feel. Do your best to avoid blame and regret. Focus instead on the positive, which is the fact that you want to grow closer together. Sometimes, just acknowledging that there is distance between you has the effect of bringing the relationship into balance. In other cases, more intense effort and attention may be required. You may want to set aside time to talk and come up with solutions together. Remember to have compassion for each other. You’re in the same boat together and trying to maintain the right balance of space and togetherness to keep your relationship healthy and thriving. Express faith and confidence in each other, and enjoy the slow dance of intimacy that can resume between the two of you.

© 2004-08 DailyOM - All Rights Reserved

How to Create the Abundance Mindset

I found this on a blog called Zen Habits. It will take some time for me to go through all of the information on the blog, but I can tell right off this is a site I need to read.

One of the first things I noticed was he has released all of his posts for others to post, no copyright. This ties right into this first post. I will be reposting some of his articles here, and giving credit in the hopes it will bring more people to his site so they may share and learn from what he has to say.

I hope you find it illuminating and informative.

How to Create the Abundance Mindset

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Steve of Freedom Education.

Give away what you got.

It’s not that complicated, really.

But let’s think for a minute; what do a great number of people do instead?

When someone has a great idea, they hoard that idea.  They don’t give it away.  They shelter and protect it.  They keep it to themselves in fear that someone else might take it.  They think, “I better save that idea for later.”  They don’t share their ideas or give them away - they keep them.

Well, let’s think - why would you do that?

The problem isn’t that your ideas aren’t any good.  It’s not even because your ideas aren’t worthy or that you aren’t worthy - because you are.  The problem is your thinking.  You think that if you give one idea away that you won’t come up with more great ideas.  And that fear has got you living in the lake of lack.

Instead, you could start by giving what you got.

Let’s look at Bloggers

Why do a lot of bloggers fail to be successful online?  Bloggers don’t fail because they’re terrible writers (although there are some).  And they don’t fail because they don’t have something valuable to say; they all do - they fail because they stop writing; they stopped giving and providing valuable ideas to others.

To create the abundance mindset, be willing to give.

It’s no different than with money.

Are you Mr El-Cheap-O?

Maybe you’re one of those people who holds onto every penny you’ve got - save money for a rainy day sort of thinking.  I know because I used to be that person.  Maybe you’re really frugal with your money or what I like to call Mr El-Cheap-O.

There’s nothing wrong with being frugal.  What I’m talking about is something completely different.  I’m talking about the hoarders, the real savers - the people who are scared to spend their money.

Just remember that holding onto your money doesn’t bring more of it to you.  It does just the opposite.  Holding onto or hoarding your money (in fear) is evidence enough that you don’t think there is enough.  And when you don’t think you have enough, you’re projecting the scarcity mindset or what my friend Julia calls the “scare-city” mindset.  This mindset is based in fear.

Are you short on time?

Some people are always running out of time - like it was cash or some commodity.  They’re always in a panic to get stuff done.  They’re time vampires.  They literally devour their time and suck the life out of themselves - until there is no time left.

These time vampires live in the lake of lack.  The don’t give away their time because they don’t think there is “enough time” to give.  And when you don’t think there is enough, you’re coming from scarcity or lack.

The way you do anything is the way you do everything.  If there is lack in one area, then there is lack in all areas of your life.  It really comes down to your mindset.

So, how do you break the pattern?

You’ve got to be willing to give from where you are.

Give what you got because giving signals “more-than-enoughness.”  It signals abundance.  When you’re in a state of giving, and giving willingly you’re telling others (and yourself) that there is plenty.  That there is more than enough for everyone.

“You receive through the same doorway through which you give.  The way to receive freely is to give freely. Quality is more important than quantity, since the universe amplifies thought into circumstance.  Begin giving, and let God perfect your giving.” ~ Brad Jensen

Here are 6 ways to give and create the abundance mindset:

• Are you short on time? If that’s the case, give away some of your time. Take time to give to others. You don’t have to dedicate 90% of your day to serving others - that’s not what I’m saying. Just find that balance between giving and receiving. Find an organization or a person that you really love and volunteer some of your time. Give your time away.
• Don’t feel loved? You’ve got to give some before you get some. Give away some hugs. Go out right now and give 5 people you know a big hug. I guarantee right after you do this, you’ll feel great. You’ll feel like a million bucks! Why? Because you feel loved. And you can only feel loved when you give that love to others. Go out right now and hug 5 people!
• Short on Cash? Give some away. Yes, you heard me right. I’m not saying you should sell the farm, far from it. But you may consider giving money to a charity, giving money to a friend who needs it, or even giving money to a panhandler in the street.  Givers gain.
• Are you stuck? Do you want to get unstuck?  Help others first. Think of someone you know that is having a similar problem. And think of a way that you could help them based on what you know.  Write down what you plan to do to help this person and then go out and do it. I’m telling you this works!  When you help others wholeheartedly, help will always come back to you.
• Lacking self-belief? Yup, you know it. You’ve got to give it away! If you lack self-belief, then give away that belief to others.  What do I mean?  Find someone you know who is lacking in self-confidence or in self-belief and give them a boost.  Spend some time with this person and feed their mind.  Tell them how much you believe in them.  Tell them how successful you see them becoming; how you always knew they could make it. Tell them how proud you are of them. Fill their mind with positive ideas.   Instill belief in others and belief will come flowing abundantly to you.
• Short on ideas? This is my favorite. If you’re short on creative ideas, give them away! Give others creative ways to increase business, find a new stimulating career or improve their health.  Give ideas away and ideas will flood right back to you.

With all of these tips, you have to start with where you are.  You can’t give what you don’t have.  Be willing to give what you got from where you are and I promise you - abundance will flow into your life.  You will be actively creating the abundance mindset.

Steve is a Life Coach and the creator of Freedom Education - Mind Power for Your Personal Growth.  He is also the author of the ebook, The Genius Within YOU. You can download his ebook here.

Unruffled feathers

So much of our time is spent doing this and doing that, running here and there in mad pursuit of some goal, only to find that in a week or a month or maybe even a day it will be deemed totally irrelevant.  I know some days I have trouble finding the time to go to the bathroom.  But at least I have learned to recognize that when I get into that state, the very best thing for me to do is to stand still for a moment, breathe deeply, and absorb my surroundings.  It is then that I can see what is happening around me, notice the delicate features of Life Being Lived and Love Being Shared. 

This little Thoreau-ean disport was sparked by an accidental discovery of a wonderful little blog called Hedge Sociey.  The blog itself is about art, books, and other wonderfully beautiful bauble, but its inspiration comes from the author's observation of the birds outside her office.  Despite whatever the headlines scream, irregardless of Holidays, the birds would gather to talk amongst themselves.  Were their songs a comment on the seemingly irrational behavior of the colorful bipeds scampering around below?  Or are they a debate amongst themselves about what to do about the cat creeping up the tree?  Or perhaps a celebration of the discovery of some especially tasty seeds or berries?  One thing is for sure - they were singing, and it was beautiful.

Father Winter is riding his sleigh towards my area as I type this; tomorrow I'm supposed to take wing and migrate to warmer climes for a week.  Should I fret about delays, cancellations, and inconveniences?  Yes, I have obligations to fulfill and No, I don't have money to burn, so I must stay realistic in my behaviors.  But my attitudes need not be compromised.  When I was a kid, I used to dream about flying.  Now I groan with the thought of dragging unwieldy baggage around an airport and suffering the indignities of security checkpoints and trying not to sound selfish and self-centered to overwhelmed ticketing agents when I'm asking about alternative methods to get me out of the snow and slush and into the sun and warmth. 

How the Hedge Society must delight in watching such silliness from their perch on top of the tail of my jetliner.  Or, perhaps, they're just concerned with taking care of each other, helping each other find food and adequate shelter, and keeping a safe distance from the cat.  They must, I believe, delight in their aerobatics through the dancing snowflakes.  I know I delight in watching them. 

So the question for myself today is, what kind of society do I choose to live in? 

I think I know the answer.  A little bird told me.

Take care,

Brian Fallon

Zen for Mortals

Came across a very nice website the other day, Zen Habits.  It is written by a guy named Leo Babauta, who is, as I understand him, just a guy who likes the Zen principles, and just tries to live his life by doing The Next Right Thing.

This is an attitude and culture that we at Full Moon Rising, Inc., try to emulate, both personally and professionally.  This doctrine of holistic integrity is often easier said than done, but we find that even when we're 'imperfectly zen,' people respond to the effort with compassion.

And isn't that action - reciprocating with compassion - an act of Doing the Next Right Thing?

We're interested to hear your thoughts!