I read a book a few years back that definitely changed my life. The titled was “Your Money or Your life” by Joe Dominguez & co-author Vickie Robin.  I thought it was going to be a story about becoming independently wealthy, but it turned out to be about become financially independent.   These are not the same.   Joe refers to financially independent as “financial intelligent or  financial integrity”.   He spoke about comparing his life as being raised a poor hispanic kid from the ghettos of New York, to becoming a successful stock broker on Wall Street, he found that from both classes a lot of people where not happy with there lives.  He saw being rich didn’t get it and being broke didn’t get it.  So what was the answer?  His discovery was  living life in alignment with values is the only way to get real fulfillment.  He refers to this as maximizing life’s energy.  If you want to understand more about simply living and the concept of life energy go to “The Simply Living Network” website.

In the meantime hear is my short explanation.  Before you get scared off this is not a sermon and it has nothing to do with religion.  It has everything to do with 3 main topic, I’ll call it the Simple Living Triangle:

1. Spirituality – this is what makes you tick.  It how you feel about your existence and your creator.   How you feel about Art.  How you feel about the environment.  It’s those things in life that touch your soul.
2. Health- taking care of your health, eating right, exercise, do those things that make your body as healthy as possible.   If you don’t have the energy to live your values you can’t be fulfilled.
3. Financial - This is not how much money you have, it is your relationship with that money.  Changing your behavior to align your activities with your spirituality and your health.

Many people talk about how they want to help the poor, give to charities,  do good for the environment, loose a few pounds, but there actions are buying the newest, latest, coolest whatever, or having one more cookie.  This is not a concept in judgment,  not what the masses think you should be doing.  It is about using good judgment to make sure that if you want to drink fine wine you don’t spend buying that new electronic gizmo.  If you want that new electronic gizmo don’t spend  on that fine bottle of wine.  It’s about being honest.  It’s about understand your values and living in accordance with those values.

As Joe wrote ” life energy is the only accurate measurement of our spending power”,  (story for another day) and to have a fulfilled life we need to spend that life energy in accordance with the Simple Living Triangle listed above.

As I’ve done this over the years, and not done this over the years, I fine many activities address all three at once.  When I started riding the bus:

• I felt good about saving money because it was free because my job gave us mass transit passes as a perk.
• I felt good about the environment because I was not driving and adding to the smog level of the city.
• I felt good because I was getting exercise because I rode my bike between bus stops and work or home.
• I felt good about expanding my horizons because I was able to put the headphones on and listen to audit books while I rode the bus.

I had the same experience taking my lunch to work.  Spending quality time with my family.  Managing my spending patterns.  When I give I usually receive what I really want and need.  The list goes on and on.

In conclusion let me give you 3 good reference to understand more about Simply Living

• Your Money or Your Life book and/or Audio book- Author Joe Dominguez & Vicki Robin.  Best $16.95 of life energy I ever invested.
• Simple Living Network – Great reference on how to live a financially independent Life style.
• Financial Integrity – a blog site to help you with you new life style.

Just a final note.  I realize first hand that this is much easier to write about than to implement.  I have experienced both sides of this life style.  I know that living opposite to your values redeem the opposite of fulfillment.  What makes living this tough is that gratification and consiquences are not always immediately rendered, but be assured you will harvest the crop you plant.