Comments on: Slow down your life http://www.frugalvillage.com/2008/04/05/slow-down-your-life/ Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:22:58 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Debbie D http://www.frugalvillage.com/2008/04/05/slow-down-your-life/comment-page-1/#comment-26803 Debbie D Thu, 23 Jul 2009 00:54:45 +0000 http://www.frugalvillage.com/2008/04/05/slow-down-your-life/#comment-26803 Hi Sara, My newspaper carries your column and I've been reading it for a few weeks now. I want to commend you on your efforts to make more people see the light! I'm in my late forties, and have been living what you write pretty much since I got married over 26 years ago. We had very little money when we first married, and then we moved to New York state (near Poughkeepsie) with a ten-week-old baby and a strong conviction that babies do better if they spend their time with their mothers. I have been a stay-at-home mom ever since, to that child and the three that followed. Our youngest is now 15 but I still have no outside job; instead I make our home work and homeschool our son. I get very frustrated when I hear people complain that you just can't survive on one income these days. It wasn't easy when we did it either, but we made a commitment and we were willing to sacrifice to make the commitment work. I think what many people are not willing to do is make the sacrifices, because they think that means also sacrificing contentment and happiness, which we have found to be untrue. We have always been pretty content with our situation, even when money was really tight, and we learned to make do and live abundantly in spite of (or maybe because of) living frugally. I especially liked this column about slowing down and taking time to do nothing once in a while. I think it was when we had our third child in five years that I finally realized that my body could not keep going at top speed all day, and I started living by the following principle: If it isn't done by noon, it's not getting done today. Those little words helped me become sane. Our third child was a rotten sleeper and I was often trying to put in a full day of activity, child-rearing and housework on just a few hours of good sleep. When the fourth one came along, this was a well-established habit for me and as a result the fourth child caused barely a ripple. Obviously I don't live by this mantra anymore - I can't! But I still believe strongly that everyone needs downtime and to go without it will eventually cause emotional, physical and spiritual decline. It concerns me when parents have their children enrolled in eight after-school activities - those kids are going to grow up nervous wrecks. Thanks for reading! and thanks for the effort to help people live more sensibly. Hi Sara,

My newspaper carries your column and I’ve been reading it for a few weeks now. I want to commend you on your efforts to make more people see the light! I’m in my late forties, and have been living what you write pretty much since I got married over 26 years ago. We had very little money when we first married, and then we moved to New York state (near Poughkeepsie) with a ten-week-old baby and a strong conviction that babies do better if they spend their time with their mothers. I have been a stay-at-home mom ever since, to that child and the three that followed. Our youngest is now 15 but I still have no outside job; instead I make our home work and homeschool our son.

I get very frustrated when I hear people complain that you just can’t survive on one income these days. It wasn’t easy when we did it either, but we made a commitment and we were willing to sacrifice to make the commitment work. I think what many people are not willing to do is make the sacrifices, because they think that means also sacrificing contentment and happiness, which we have found to be untrue. We have always been pretty content with our situation, even when money was really tight, and we learned to make do and live abundantly in spite of (or maybe because of) living frugally.

I especially liked this column about slowing down and taking time to do nothing once in a while. I think it was when we had our third child in five years that I finally realized that my body could not keep going at top speed all day, and I started living by the following principle: If it isn’t done by noon, it’s not getting done today. Those little words helped me become sane. Our third child was a rotten sleeper and I was often trying to put in a full day of activity, child-rearing and housework on just a few hours of good sleep. When the fourth one came along, this was a well-established habit for me and as a result the fourth child caused barely a ripple.

Obviously I don’t live by this mantra anymore – I can’t! But I still believe strongly that everyone needs downtime and to go without it will eventually cause emotional, physical and spiritual decline. It concerns me when parents have their children enrolled in eight after-school activities – those kids are going to grow up nervous wrecks.

Thanks for reading! and thanks for the effort to help people live more sensibly.

]]> By: wheresthebox http://www.frugalvillage.com/2008/04/05/slow-down-your-life/comment-page-1/#comment-20146 wheresthebox Tue, 15 Apr 2008 03:48:00 +0000 http://www.frugalvillage.com/2008/04/05/slow-down-your-life/#comment-20146 This is totally where I am at right now. In fact, I need to turn off the computer right now and go to bed! Definitely a lot of food for thought here, though, thank you! This is totally where I am at right now. In fact, I need to turn off the computer right now and go to bed! Definitely a lot of food for thought here, though, thank you!

]]> By: Sangeeta Sinha http://www.frugalvillage.com/2008/04/05/slow-down-your-life/comment-page-1/#comment-19973 Sangeeta Sinha Thu, 10 Apr 2008 08:34:28 +0000 http://www.frugalvillage.com/2008/04/05/slow-down-your-life/#comment-19973 Sarah, well written but who slows down nowadays? Everyone is running after something - God knows what! Slowing down really is required to balance the body metabolism. Sarah, well written but who slows down nowadays? Everyone is running after something – God knows what! Slowing down really is required to balance the body metabolism.

]]> By: AmyBoz http://www.frugalvillage.com/2008/04/05/slow-down-your-life/comment-page-1/#comment-19933 AmyBoz Sat, 05 Apr 2008 18:55:27 +0000 http://www.frugalvillage.com/2008/04/05/slow-down-your-life/#comment-19933 Sara, This is so right on the money for my life. I am a multitasker by nature and feel as though if I'm not busy, then I must be lazy. Granted, there is a lot that needs to get done in my life, however, if I don't start taking care of myself, I'll have nothing left to give to anyone else! I'll be taking these suggestions seriously as I look at making some changes in my life in the days ahead. Sara, This is so right on the money for my life. I am a multitasker by nature and feel as though if I’m not busy, then I must be lazy. Granted, there is a lot that needs to get done in my life, however, if I don’t start taking care of myself, I’ll have nothing left to give to anyone else! I’ll be taking these suggestions seriously as I look at making some changes in my life in the days ahead.

]]> By: Tim http://www.frugalvillage.com/2008/04/05/slow-down-your-life/comment-page-1/#comment-19932 Tim Sat, 05 Apr 2008 17:58:47 +0000 http://www.frugalvillage.com/2008/04/05/slow-down-your-life/#comment-19932 You have great ideas here. I realize it's hard to slow down sometimes. There are days when I feel I need to get a million things done, and I get frustrated when I dont make progress. The "Accept" idea you have above hits home most with me: I choose whats on my list. Knowing that makes all the difference! Tim <a href="http://themoneykings.com" rel="nofollow">TheMoneyKings.com</a> You have great ideas here. I realize it’s hard to slow down sometimes. There are days when I feel I need to get a million things done, and I get frustrated when I dont make progress. The “Accept” idea you have above hits home most with me: I choose whats on my list. Knowing that makes all the difference!

Tim
TheMoneyKings.com

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