Tuesday, July 1 Real Personal Wealth

Post 1221, Day 182 of 2014
- 1,278 days since I started this blog -

Daily Comment

Yesterday, I wrote a little look-back, and ended up being grateful for being happy. A few days earlier, I wistfully regretted not being able to help depressed friends, although I also didn't let that affect my personal happiness.

I think I know the reasons for my happiness at this time. It has a lot to do with internal attitude adjustment, of course - some might say that my way of looking at things is entirely responsible.

But I know one of the biggest changes I made, about three years ago, was to my spending habits.

Three years ago, I had the realization that if, in fact, I was going to retire at age 66, that extra year was even now in sight. Retirement meant leaving behind almost all my stuff. An apartment-plus-storage full of stuff that wouldn't be participating in the remainder of my life.

I didn't want to add anything to the pile of shit I had accumulated, I wanted to reduce that pile. I shifted from being a consumer to being a donator, as best I could, and it changed me. 

I created a test all new purchases had to pass: Anything I bought had to be an immediate need, a short-term consumable, something that wouldn't live with me (like a gift for someone), or something that I would fit in one of the two suitcases I will take with me in the early, travelling part of my retirement.

So, I stopped being interested or curious about finding new ways to spend money. I avoided all commercials, including a lot of email, since even the informative ones always seem to end with a sales pitch.

It was so liberating. My expenses dropped below my VA income (40% less than my previous job's), which allowed me to spend what I needed to on personal maintenance, left more on doing things (like vacations) and still have some extra to add to my savings. 

With that, the burden of materialism seemed to fall away. Not that I have totally stopped being materialistic, but what is left of it is no burden. I stopped being overly concerned with my finances.

Which means I had real wealth. Not, perhaps, when assets were measured, but by the standard of having more money than I needed.

I had a sense of abundance.

Once I felt that bit of liberation, I found the attitude spread into almost everything. 

Since then, I've been feeling, for the first time as an adult, that I don't have to do anything I don't want to do.

Which may be why my apartment is so appallingly messy.

And nothing to get hung about.

 Please leave a comment if you visit my blog. Thank you!

 Food and Diet Section

2014 Daily Weight

Today's Weight:         206.8 lbs

Previous Weight:        209.4 lbs

Day Net Loss/Gain:      - 2.6 lbs

Diet Comment

Well, that's an immediate good result! However, I expect it is more due to my air conditioning failure last night (the hottest night of 2014 - so far) and me sweating in my sleep. In other words, a lot of water loss. Today's fails will probably undo this good result tomorrow.

Food Log 

Breakfast

A couple of donuts (fail!) and a Quest bar.

Lunch

At Dynasty Chinese Buffet:

Pork tenderloin, sauteed mixed vegetables, boneless chicken. Not shown: Spicy steamed cabbage, macaroons.

Snack
A Quest bar.

Dinner

A turkey sandwich with chips (at a jam I went to). Big fail.

Snack
A Quest bar.

Liquid Intake

   Coffee:  28 oz.   Water: 144+ oz. 

Please leave a comment if you visit my blog. Thank you!