Alright so…as you all know, my blog mainly focuses on lifestyle enhancements. But lately a lot of what I’ve been finding is, when you Google how to improve your lifestyle, or getting more from your money to enjoy life, most people talk about just being frugal, money conscious, or maintaining a dreaded “budget”…..damn I don’t like that word. Not in the slightest.

The question is….why? Why is it that lifestyle is associated with money? Well, for one – money is the modern day bartering system. So alright, fair enough there…

…but why is it that people believe that money is what limits them? I believe in splurging and living practically – the best of both worlds. I’ve been blasted before because of this – many stating that method of thinking is easier said then done – but if you really look at how society is taught to utilize money, you’ll realize it’s not about budgeting, or clipping coupons, or getting that no-frills flight for a discounted ticket rate.

It’s about the way you look at money….and the way many are taught to look at money is a very weird way. I know I keep banging this into your head but as a whole, people are taught to be consumers. Now I’m not saying consumerism is bad, not at all. But the way in which you’re taught to be a consumer, may be detrimental to the way you’re also taught to achieve your real desires, and real goals.

There’s a saying – Americans live to work – Europeans work to live.

What is living? It’s a definition custom tailored to each and every individuals concepts and goals. Yet still, as a majority, people are mostly taught what living is – not to define and teach themselves what it is.

Learning can be done two ways – the lazy way, or the easy way with a touch more effort on your part. You’re probably thinking “lazy and easy are the same, aren’t they?” – not necessarily so.

Lazy is auto pilot – which hey, sometimes I love autopilot. Push notifications, auto updates, automated money making, etc, etc….lazy can be fun as hell.

Easy can be auto pilot, but in order to be auto pilot, there has to be some sort of structure built first – when you think about it, lazy stems from easy, except it’s already put in place.

That’s how many who have learned how to live, have learned it the lazy way. This is especially so in any country where the mass majority intakes large amounts of tube time (television, if that didn’t register with you).

Weeks ago I was at a friend’s working on a car with them, it was the weekend…and as we were driving out of the neighborhood, for the first time I saw a lot of people’s garage doors open – and when I looked inside…what do you think I saw?

Stuff.

Garages filled with stuff.

Here we were, driving through the community and where I thought most garages would look like their intended use, instead I saw tons of stuff, piled on top of each other however neatly people saw fit – and not being used. Forgotten about. Stored away for…whatever reason.

That’s not caring about yourself. That’s not the good kind of selfish. That’s temporary gratification to fulfill short term desires.

The commercials come on, they tell you you need this, and you want that, and you’re missing this, and you’re home wouldn’t be complete without that – and your daughter needs to learn how to be a mom, and your son needs to learn all things rough and tough and mechanical and tactical all before they’ve both even hit puberty. They tell you you’re better off with this credit card, because you can get more things – then months later if you’re still in lazy mode and the bill hasn’t been paid, they say it’s okay that you’re in debt and this and that company can help you – it’s not your fault, but those damn people who enticed you and held an imaginary gun to your head making you sign up for that card and this loan for that boat. They further encourage you – they say even if your financial track record is shot to shit it’s still okay, because they’ll help you finance and consume more irregardless, if you’re tired of that 2012 CLK500 and want the 2013 one now…

….doesn’t all this sound exhausting?

but alas – you’ve learned the auto pilot way of living – what do you care? It hardly took any effort….

Wait though. You do care? Good, that’s what I want from you. To care. About yourself. Be selfish – in a good way. Not the way you’ve been taught.

Plain and simple, the easy way of living is this – exercise your imagination. Creativity. Attitude. Looking inside yourself – not at the TV, not listening to the radio commercials, not reading the junk literature…but looking inside yourself. Taking time out, day by day – even 30 minutes – that’s just 2% of your day – to strike up a conversation with you. Get to know what you like, what you want, what’s fun for you, what you enjoy buying – not what everyone else says that should be liked, should be desired, is fun, and is enjoyable to buy.

There’s two roads – the road less traveled, and the most well known road. Take the less traveled one – because really, when you think about it, that’s your road. Free of pot holes, miles and miles of smooth, unbeaten pavement.

When you begin to teach yourself how to live, how to desire, and how to acquire – then you’re learning how to live – because you won’t be going off any cookie cutter template that’s already been made – but you’ll have your own identity. Side note – go ahead and subscribe on my official site for a free ebook on how to do this.

You’ll be original in your own way. You’ll stand out above the crowd, and you’ll do it for you – not for anyone else. You’ll be selfish enough to find out and explore what makes you happy…and you won’t care whether or not you have the latest car or the newest iPhone – because you’ll go after what you really want, and not people judging you by what you should want.

It takes more effort, but the effort is minimal, and in fact, less stressful.

Remember this – the person you see in the mirror – that’s your competition. That’s your audience. That’s your follower. When it comes to your life, and how to live it, as long as you do it in a positive and constructive way, to better yourself – then the only person you have to focus on getting things done for, is yourself.

Stay awesome. 😉

– Rego

Musings Episode 29: Lifestyle… is a post from and appeared first on Rego’s Life

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