The Joy of Less

When I talk to people about how the recession has changed their lives, I am surprised by how many people end up having positive things to say.

Today we aired a positive profile of a cafe in Oakland reported by one of our Street Team members, Robert Vergas. The message from the cafe owner and customers is one of appreciation for what they have, rather than focusing on what they lack, and on making do with less.

It reminds me of an article I came across that was titled exactly that, "The Joy of Less," about a man who lived extravagantly in New York, but always dreamt of living a stoic life in Japan. One day he went for it, and he never looked back.

It is comforting to see that hard times can inspire people to leap for their dreams, or can push people to discover reserves of positive thinking and creative problem-solving to live their best life, today, regardless of the circumstances that might otherwise stand in their way.