Comments on: Finding The Center http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/08/22/finding-the-center/ Financial talk for the rest of us Sat, 16 Feb 2013 01:14:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Ericka http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/08/22/finding-the-center/#comment-61038 Ericka Thu, 23 Aug 2007 17:52:42 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/08/22/finding-the-center/#comment-61038 “If you feel like you’re wandering through life, you probably are – you haven’t found that one central thing yet, the thing that wakes you up in the morning and adds constant value to your life. Keep searching – it’s out there somewhere.”

You’ve just described EXACTLY how I feel… wandering. I have a few things that are central themes in my life, but none really drive me. Can’t wait to figure out what that *thing* is!

It’s articles like this that keep me coming back to The Simple Dollar! Thanks for your great site and helping me get my own finances in order.

]]> By: dano http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/08/22/finding-the-center/#comment-60797 dano Thu, 23 Aug 2007 02:47:19 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/08/22/finding-the-center/#comment-60797 Trent-
Love the post. Read the site daily. Thank you. Although, I am not sure whether or not each of has a true center, I really enjoyed your “think about what you think about” statement. As I continue to search for my center I will keep this in mind. Keep up the good work…and know you are making an impact on others’ “centers” as well.

]]> By: vh http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/08/22/finding-the-center/#comment-60791 vh Thu, 23 Aug 2007 02:30:58 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/08/22/finding-the-center/#comment-60791 Interesting. In response to Trent’s “think about what you think about,” I made a little list of the things I think about almost every day and found that a large preponderance of my attention is focussed on the small dissatisfactions of everyday life… Lordie! No wonder I feel a certain angst.

So I made a list of all the things I like. Then, in a truly idle moment, I decided to give each of these items a value: 5 if it occurs daily; 2 if around once or twice a week; 1 if less often than once a week. In a table, I set the things I hate in the left column and the things I like in the right column, and then added up these values. Lo! “Annoyances” score 65; “Pleasures” score 44.

Yes: DECIDE to change is right on. Here’s what I’m going to do to jack up the “Pleasure” rating and crank down the “Annoyances”:

1. ADD things to life that are pleasurable!
Find new friends
Hang out more w/ existing friends
Do more artwork or crafts
Cook better food or go out to eat with friends
Start a blog
Budget time to draw, write, and read books

2. SUBTRACT things that are unpleasurable.
Change attitude about job! The “I hate ASU” campaign has got to stop.
Hire someone to clean house
Ignore annoying neighbors (Hell’s Angel; Master Slob)
In retirement (only 3 more years!), move someplace cooler
And move someplace that is not adjacent to crime-ridden areas and freeways; do not move in across the street from a guy who maintains a used car lot & marina in a weed arboretum.
During the summer, go on vacation someplace cooler

Thanks, Trent…your post led to a nice moment of insight.

]]> By: Brett http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/08/22/finding-the-center/#comment-60709 Brett Wed, 22 Aug 2007 21:21:02 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/08/22/finding-the-center/#comment-60709 Perhaps a better title for your article would be “CREATING Your Center”. Maybe Driscoll has a point – if we are searching, maybe we’ll wander all our lives and never find “IT” (doesn’t seem like fun to me). Instead of searching, how about deciding and pursuing? I can guarantee that your center is out there because your center is whatever you choose for it to be. Decide what will be important in your life and go after it. Once you get there, you may find out that your pursuit doesn’t really create your ideal “center” – if so, just move on. At least you’re always headed towards a goal, as opposed to just searching (or wandering). I am of the opinion that this type of focused life leads to real happiness.

My central values have changed as I progress through life, but I’ve always HAD a central value. When I was 6 my centeral value was probably candy. When I was 16 it was girls. Now, like Trent, it’s family, financial security and career. At each stage, I determined what was importatnt to me and I went after it. Searching is fine, but I think there has to be a “center” there while you search. If and when you find a better central value … go for it.

For most people, I think the center is there whether we acknowledge it or not. Look at where you spend your time and energy, and you’re looking at your central value. If you don’t like it, DECIDE to change.

]]> By: laura k http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/08/22/finding-the-center/#comment-60702 laura k Wed, 22 Aug 2007 20:40:33 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/08/22/finding-the-center/#comment-60702 You say “Look for things that are all in alignment with that central value” and talk about discarding things that are not. Sometimes this means people as well. Even if they are nice/interesting/fun/add something to your life, sometimes they can block you from being who you really want to be. You’ve discussed this before, but it hit home with me most strongly in this post.

]]> By: Trent http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/08/22/finding-the-center/#comment-60699 Trent Wed, 22 Aug 2007 20:32:01 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/08/22/finding-the-center/#comment-60699 If you never find your true north, that doesn’t mean that it does not exist. And even if a true north doesn’t exist for you, searching for it shows you many, many things about yourself.

]]> By: Driscoll http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/08/22/finding-the-center/#comment-60696 Driscoll Wed, 22 Aug 2007 20:05:04 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/08/22/finding-the-center/#comment-60696 “Keep searching – it’s out there somewhere.”

___________

How do you know this is true ?

Perhaps some (or even most) people are destined to wander thru life. Why would your perceptions of your life hold true for everyone/anyone else ?

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