The More of Less and Generosity as an Act of Bravery with Joshua Becker – SASM 098
I'm grateful to know many folks who deliver every time they have the chance.
Joshua Becker is one of them, and he brought the good stuff for you in his triumphant return to Smart and Simple Matters.
I could seriously do a whole show with just riffs on his Becoming Minimalist blog posts, life experiences, or the amazing people we know. But this time we focused on his new book, The More of Less, and the currents of generosity that flow through it (and him).
I could write thousands of words to hype Joshua and it wouldn't be enough. I could be his wingman or facilitator at a hundred events and it would never get old.
However, it's always more powerful to have him speak for himself. So here are a couple of my favorite quotes from The More of Less to get you started into his world or keep you going deeper:
“I know it can be scary to give away money, especially if we haven't done much of that in the past. Generosity is an act of bravery. There's something hard about opening our hands and letting our hard-earned cash go. Just as we think we ought to hang on to our possessions ‘just in case,' so we also think we need to hold on to as much money as we can ‘just in case.' – Joshua Becker
Another one:
“So what should we do, given our legitimate need for a sense of security? We should look to the very things we so often sacrifice in our pursuit of more and more possessions: relationships.” – Joshua Becker
Get ready to start loving Joshua (or keep loving him as much as I do). Press play … and away we go!
You're about to Learn ...
- Why generosity is an act of bravery (even though everyone wants it).
- How minimalism lets you pursue happiness or fulfillment where you want.
- The three layers of clutter and how to get rid of each one.
- Why generosity is a significant shortcut to sustained purpose.
- How to live a bigger, better life of service to others.
- Why generosity is the motivation for – and the result of – Joshua's approach.
- How to find the space to become more generous.
- The dark side of consumerism's lies and more reliable sources of happiness.
- How to avoid the three spots most people get stuck when starting minimalism.
Resources and Items Mentioned in This Episode
Websites
Resources
Books (Affiliate Links Below)
Podcast Episodes
Blog Posts
- The Stories of Generosity We Ought To Champion
- A New, Minimalist Economy
- We Are Wealthy. And Why It Matters.
- Those Things By Which We Get Embarrassed
- The Pictures We Hang On Our Walls
- The Lost Practice of Resting One Day Each Week
Where to find Joshua and Becoming Minimalist Online
Direct Download for This Episode
How to Support Me, This Show, and Our Community
I'm grateful for all of the show's patrons! And you're invited to become one as well on Patreon.
It's a direct way to support future improvements to Smart and Simple Matters and to honor the heaps of time and money it takes to consistently bring you the show.
Timestamps and Topics
- [06:25] Why generosity is the motivation for – and the result of – Joshua's approach
- [12:33] First steps to make the most of your excess [whatever ya got]
- [14:34] Joshua's friend “John” and giving love without expectations
- [19:14] How minimalism lets you pursue happiness or fulfillment where you want
- [23:10] Why Joshua included his religious faith in The More of Less
- [25:48] The fundamental truth behind why we are all created for a purpose
- [29:05] How to discover what you need and what's holding you back from something greater
- [33:13] The what, why, and how of Joshua's Uncluttered course
- [38:01] The community aspect of Uncluttered and a moving story from a student
- [41:50] How The More of Less is different from Joshua's other books
Extra Gratitude and Special Mentions
Let's keep the love fest going with some fond words from a Lucie on iTunes who left this wonderful review of the show.
“I love Joel's goofy personality – and even the sound of his voice. I suspect he must be the world's greatest dad. I'm on board with what matters to him, his authenticity, and the fantastic guests he has on. Thanks for brightening my days, Joel!”
I receive that Lucie and thank you for giving me a boost that iTunes reviews always provide. I will admit to being a pretty darn groovy papa, but world's greatest? I doubt it. 🙂
Awesome Ways to Subscribe to the Show
.jpg "Smart and Simple Matters: Creating Community, Simplicity, and Good Vibes")
Joel Zaslofsky – your community-animating, convention-challenging show host – wanders through time-tested and quirky strategies on a variety of topics. In general, we’ll explore the slower side of life: think mindfulness, real connections, and meaningful conversations. No new episodes since 2019, but it’s still going strong with chats on meditation (hi, Andy Puddicombe), belonging (hey, Cormac Russell), and even death (yep, with Humaira Hamid) … among many other things.
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Thanks again for your time and attention! And if you have someone or something you’d like me to cover on an upcoming show, tell us in the comments below.