I'm a proponent of living less, living lighter, living better. Balanced. But it's funny how sometimes it's hard to pull that off in one's own life. Or at least how it's certainly a process, at times a painful one.

I fully believe that if we give one thing up, we let something else, something better into our lives (see my recent article "When Less Is More: Living Light and Thriving" in the Simple Living Network newsletter to see what I mean).

I've had a chance to put that into practice, to go out on a limb, something I quite easily do in the eco parts of my life, but was recently prodded to do in my work/personal life as well. But I've done it (better late than never). 

I've given up an ongoing freelance job that was good in all sorts of ways but was also draining me of the time I need to cultivate my writing life, to follow my dreams. And in giving it up, I'm giving up all the cultural stuff that goes with our times: to have worth you must make money, that more is always better, that simplifying and streamlining is for sissies as is listening to yourself. The thing is, I knew in my gut that I should let it go and follow my intuition and trust that one way or another, I'd get more of something in the process. I'm still in the throes of self-doubt and fear, but I'm already seeing what I'll get more of: time and space to do what I feel called to do and create. More health and balance. More integrity with my principles. More following those dreams.

So I wanted to share that here, the place I promote less is more and balance. It works! By not shouldering so much, by letting it go, my literal and figurative shoulders are releasing a great burden and are now free and light to take on something not so heavy as I go forward.

And wouldn't you know it, this week I was directed to a Salon advice column titled "I Feel Like Quitting Writing" in which Cary Tennis advises a sixty year old writer who feels like giving up:

Sound advice indeed, and the same could be said for those of us on the less is more (balanced) journey. We may be in fundamental opposition to dominant culture, but we can honor what our own voices tell us. We can fight to hear ourselves. And we can listen to the wisdom of lightening our loads.