Marcy and I are fast approaching the 8th anniversary of intentionally giving up our car.
As I have written about in the past, we occasionally rent a car for the weekend to run errands, go to family events, and (rarely) get out of town. These occasions for rental become fewer and fewer as we become more and more discerning about out time and (personal) energy usage.
When I know we are going to be renting a car in the near future, I start what I entitle the "Car List."
This is a list of things that we need to get or to do. Over a couple of weeks, we add and add to these lists.
These lists always start the same: Cat litter. When you have four cats, buying cat litter in large quantities is imperative when one has a vehicle to do so. When we first decided to go car free, cat litter was the one thing I couldn't figure out how to get any other way.
But from there, these lists can go anywhere from new jeans to candles to a rug for the bathroom and on and on.
Over a few weeks, the list gets very...very...very long.
Until one day, perhaps a week or so before the actual rental, I realize we have created a big enough list to put a small country into debt.
And so the next phase begins: the crossing off.
For many days, the crossing off continues as we pare down and really focus on what it is we need -- as opposed to all those things that we want.
Sometimes by the end, the list barely contains more than the original cat litter.
Besides teaching us about simplicity when it comes to shopping, car rental (as opposed to owning) has taught us a lot about priorities.
So, here is the new way for you to make lists that more closely reflect who you are and what you really, truly, deeply, in-your-heart want out of this short and sweet life.
At the beginning of each week, make a To-Do list.
Then, sit down with a cup of tea or a bit of wine and some relaxing music and do some soul searching.
Your task -- if you should choose to be this brave -- is to cut out, at minimum, 50% of what you've written down.
I double dog dare you.
This is a chance to get really clear about your life.
Are you willing to take that chance?
(Photo & Text Copyright: Christine C. Reed, blisschick.net, 2009, Outside Cleveland Museum of Art)
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12 comments:
Thank you so much for posting this--I really needed to hear it right now. I often obssess over to-do lists all day long, adding and subtracting, rewriting in better handwriting, putting them on to post-its to add to my planner and redoing them all when I change them. I need to slow down and reasses.
Thanks again!
GREAT idea. I'm a To Do List fanatic, but often my "NEED" list is a lot longer than it "needs" to be!
A double dog dare... okay, even though you pulled a Ralphie (a Christmas story) by skipping the simple 'dare you' i'll take your challenge.
We have one car and take it on road trips and hikes, but beyond that we are able to walk, take the ferry or bus to where we we need to go.I admire your no car status. perhaps one day. we have the 'flex cars' here, making it super easy if we were inclined.
Now, the list... this is another matter. what is worse than a list is a mental list. This way, i can let whims rule the day as i shop. Dangerous. so i'll start by at lease making a list and sticking to it. THEN, i will move on to the crossing out step. Thanks for this helpful and very mindful post.
Wow. thanks so much for this. I do need to add this to my life. I often need to slow down and just look over things.
Also, I have so enjoyed reading your blog that I invite you to visit mine if you wish, it is www.recycledrealities.blogspot.com and .....also......I just started www.sagesevenvisions.blogspot.com I would love it if you would participate in the project....you have such wise words to share.
I rarely make to-do lists... although I probably should. I do, however, buy things in bulk because who wants to be at the store three times per week anyway!
OMG!! What have they done to my museum? What is that cinderblock glass construction thing? Tell me it looks better in person then it does on this photo.
I'm still in shock to actually comment about your great post.
Peace & Love.
Good for you, going car-free. I admire people who do that. We've never managed to fully pull it off (with three kids playing soccer all over the city, it's a little tough), but we cut back from 2 vehicles to 1 and it's been good for us to more seriously contemplate when and where we need to drive.
Hmmm, I never thought how your car free status could lead to even more simplicity. Interesting how things you "need" aren't so important later on. Just may be a new way for me to approach it - make a list - hold on to list for x time - then review list to see if it is still so important.
Thanks for this -- making a list of possible goals, and then reviewing them to see how my body feels when I look at each one, is a great exercise for getting in touch with what I want on a deep, visceral level.
I'm coming up on my 12 month anniversary of the same thing myself. I also find that with the occaisional rental car, I'm all good to go.
There's a car share service around the corner from my house, which is both convenient and good for short term rentals of an hour or two. Great for big shopping trips, though I do most of them on my bike (with pannier bags) and/or walking to/from the supermarket.
For longer rentals, its cheaper to use another car rental company where I can get a relatively new car for $29/day.
And yes, it does simplify things, and make life cheaper, too.
The thing I've found is how little I miss having a car. Other than driving to my sister's place or my parents' I don't miss it too much. Although the train ride to my sister's place takes about the same time it'd take me to drive - and so arguably I'm missing out on road rage. Which suits me fine. And I don't visit my parents too often.
I live close to the city where I can get around easily by tram or train, or my bike. Many places, I can just walk to.
List-wise, sure I have a short list of stuff to do when I have a car, but really, it never gets too long. Mostly because I forget a lot of stuff, even if its written down! Haha, one of the benefits perhaps, of PTSD? ;)
You are amazing, thanks for so much to think about!
Thank you! Cutting out, indeed. My focus, in many areas, these days. As for giving up your car, this is inspiring. A friend of mine did this in LA recently, and I couldn't see how she would survive, because everything is so spread out and mass transit is terrible. But she adjusted. And with her bus time, she is reading massive amounts of great stuff, and even studying Spanish on audiotape! We can always survive, even thrive, with less than we think. That doesn't mean I'm ready to go car-free with three kids yet, though:-)
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