Live Simple

I feel like I am cheating on my ideals. I just turned off the television after eating reheated leftovers… and now I am writing an essay on why I want to live in a tent for 6 months. Oh, the dichotomy of it all.

If I were to give you a simple explanation of why I desire to live simple… I would say this, “I am going to live in a tent for 6 months because I desire to live differently.” Unfortunately I don’t think this simple statement would satisfy your unquenchable appetite for answers.

This essay is a preface of what is to come. I have no doubt that my convictions will evolve and morph as I begin this adventure, so please allow room for my opinions to take root, space to explain my motivations and time to find my beliefs. If life is a conversation let me be the animated uncle… extend grace when I offend with provocative and seemingly naive words. But also listen for the thread of truth that is inherent in my ranting. Be attentive to the admonishments that are fitting for these times, the rebuke that is true for the moment and wisdom that is not my own.

Chew on the gristle that you find, let the ideas soak in and ruin you. Let us live within a conversation that cannot be ignored.

TentLife is motivated by the following three ideals: Simple. Cheap. Different.

Simple - Living simply is more simple than I previously thought.

I want to get back to a lifestyle of simplicity, not for the rest of my life, as I don’t want to be Amish, but as a centering point. I need a fulcrum to find the balance. The American Dream has shifted in ways our forefathers could have never predicted, a life of liberty and the pursuit of happiness, has morphed into a life of liberalism and the pursuit of more. Common thought has moved away from necessity and into the realm of luxury, we wake up to instant coffee, breakfast your way right away, lunch from a vending machine and who has time for supper. We lust after our neighbors car, house, furniture and entertainment system – believing it is an individuals right to own a smart phone.

This road to luxury is paved with debt and jealousy is at the wheel. It’s time to take control of the vehicle, slam on the brakes, get out, inspect the damage and turn the car around! Simplicity is a mindset that comes from the discipline of self-control. It is more than being a minimalist and living below my means. Simplicity extends into other facets of my life – it demands that I strive to reduce my carbon footprint, enjoy the things I already have and embrace the understated beauty of my surroundings.

Living simply is seeing a world bigger than my own backyard. Not justifying a lifestyle of excess but confronting it head on, paddling against the current towards a season of simplicity to find the balance.

Cheap – Cheap is simple, it’s living luxuriously that’s complicated.

Many people in America live a life of denial. They deny that they are broke and buy the pants anyway. I have done this many times, and am more than likely still paying off a pair of jeans I bought in college with my shiny new CitiBank Visa card. I despise the fact that I am a gullible, easily persuaded, over-consuming glutton. Don’t get me wrong, those jeans were damn good jeans, and worth every penny, but that’s not the point… the point is that I did not have the disposable income to afford said designer jeans. It was a purchase driven out of instant gratification and not necessity. Our government right now is perpetuating the indulgent lifestyle of American consumerism and I need to step back and reassess my purchasing plan. In my opinion, as a country we need a reality check, not a stimulus check.

I want to come back to this actuality. The average US taxpayer saves only 2% of there income, which is down considerably from 20 years ago, of which the average savings rate was 8-10% of earned income. I want to get back to that “save” mindset. I want to pay off those pesky credit cards I applied for outside of the student union in exchange for 100% cotton XL t-shirt that I would never wear. I want to make a dent in my mountain of student loans (3 degrees = a crap-ton of notes payable). I want to spend only when I have a necessity and find entertainment in books while rediscovering my own imagination.

Living cheap does not mean I’m completely pulling away from society and friends, rather it means I am dedicated to finding alternative means of entertainment and looking for genuine times of fellowship. The focus behind this the “Live Cheap” mantra will be to live below my means – making margin in my budget and in doing so I hope to find freedom in simplicity!

Different - Different is as different does… It is in the contrast that we find our likeness.

Those that live inside the lines intrigue me… the ones that do exactly what their told, in the exact manner dictated, and live in sublime ignorance to another way. I do not look down upon these types of folks in judgment, nor do I think myself better. I just am not built for this type of living. I crave to take a divergent path, one that is overgrown and winding, with a unknown destination. In traveling the unfamiliar – one has an opportunity to relish the things around them, to describe the beauty of the strange, and wonder at the mystery of it all. This path leads me away from a studio apartment in the artsy district of Oklahoma City. For now, the journey lies in simplicity, in being cheap, and in experiencing a lifestyle different from most.

In Conclusion - At the close of every chapter there is an opportunity for another beginning.

TentLife marks the beginning of a new chapter in my life, one that bucks the norm and embraces simplicity. It is also a close to a season of my life that was distinguished by chasing comfort. My hope is this experience will springboard (or at least nudge) me in a new direction, as I hope to take away lessons of simplicity, frugality, and creative expression.

As I share my reasons for doing TentLife with others, I am finding many people are becoming excited about the prospect of simplifying their life. My advice to those who love the idea of TentLife, but lack the motivation to sell-out completely… take some of these thoughts and see how it would apply to you, right now, where you are. If you have too much stuff – have a garage sale; trim down your wardrobe and take some things to Goodwill. If you have debt – cut down on your memberships; increase your margin; save don’t spend. If you want to live different – go do it! Nobody is stopping you.

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If you are interested in TentLife and are feeling the need to get out from under your monthly rent, or if you are already doing something… Email Me, as I would love to share your story on the blog.