May 2015 -- JUSTICE

The Ben Franklin Experiment continues.....

Sorry I took April off.... just now trying to get grounded again (fat chance!).

So here we go for May......

The Ben Franklin Experiment: Part 8 -- JUSTICE

Justice: Wrong none, by doing Injuries or omitting the Benefits that are your Duty.

This is an interesting one, as I know that there are things that I will be unable to do this month that I consider to be my duty. I hate, for example, not getting back to someone after they've left me a message. But lately, I'm having to prioritize a lot, and that means also doing justice to my kids, making sure I'm available to them when it's 'their time.' Balancing all of this is tricky but ultimately rewarding. Wrong none..... now there's a challenge for us messy humans. Or this one at least.

1/6/15

Well, I think I've done ok for May. It's been interesting to 'weigh' my responses to various stimuli against the backdrop of trying not to 'omit the benefit' I should do to others. Actually, we are all on this planet to make each other a little bit happier. It is wonderful to run into other people who try to do that. I need more practice. smile emoticon

I have especially thought this applies to my relationship with my husband. If I say or do things that make his life LESS pleasant/happy, I am doing a real disservice. I want to work on a 'happiness filter' before I say or do things -- to prompt me to scrutinize and pre-screen my communications based on their likely 'happiness outcome'. 

January 2015 - Frugality

The Benjamin Franklin Experiment Part 5 (January): FRUGALITY

Frugality: Make no Expense but to do good to others or yourself: i.e. Waste Nothing

What a great start to the year! How many times do I give in and buy 'that thing because it's nice and it's only £2, 3, 4' -- how much did I actually NEED it? not much. How much good did it do? Probably not a great deal. So will cut down on these purchases!

Also, I have a fair bit in the 'assets' department.... my cupboards have a fair few tins of food, etc. which are perfectly good but go untouched. And it's good food like beans, lentils, etc. I'm hoping to do our diet and our shelf-space and our bank account some good by using more of the food we already have and buying less at the shops.

11th January:
 Update on week 1: frig feels strangely empty, though I know there is plenty of food in the house. Must dig out some interesting recipes. Have reminded myself that one can be frugal also with cleansing products: face wash, lotions, shampoo, toilet roll.... even paper towels in public restrooms -- we all use so much/many of these items when we don't really need to. Daughter 2 is getting lessons in this.... if we don't tell her to count her squares of toilet roll she ends up with a huge wad that won't flush!

12th January:
Further developments. Today my American 'many miles' boots sprang a small leak -- rubber sole wearing through. I've been wanting a pair of those flower wellingtons since they came out about 3 (more?) years ago, but never felt I could justify the expense. While contemplating my leaky boot situation, I happened past a charity shop... with a pair of flowery wellingtons..... for only £3. Sometimes frugal is just waiting for the right moment and being patient until it comes. 


2nd February:
So, Frugality has taught me a few things.... a meal can be made with less than you think; there is more in your cupboard than you think; food staples don't need to be stored away if you are doing a weekly shop anyway; careful management can save you in the region of 25% on food bills in a month; it's worth waiting for the right deal to come around on a less than necessary purchase. All in all this one won't be too hard to carry forward. Although I've done well, I'm sure there are untapped depths I could dig into to deepen the Frugal Habit.

December 2014 - Resolution

The Benjamin Franklin Experiment Part 4 (December): RESOLUTION

Resolution: Resolve to perform what you ought. Perform without fail what you resolve.

2/12/14

This will be an interesting one! I can see this is a value I work at anyway, and sometimes don't achieve what I hope. Let's see what the month will bring.

I'm sort of pleased about this with regard to giving my children a quality Christmas. We have a little wooden advent calendar with drawers for each day. I'm not content to put sweets or chocolates in each.... I want something more meaningful. So I'm putting in little prompts to do activities... bake cookies, hang ornaments, shop for presents..... all the things we're doing anyway, but by organising a little, the preparation for Christmas will really feel very different! Will be a job to figure out doing this while we're on a little holiday, but overall I think this is a good excuse to step back and examine what is really important. No.... what is REALLY important.

I'm also inspired by my image for this month.... I want to prioritise relationships -- to resolve any lingering conflicts or hot emotions.

It would seem that Resolution would better fit January.... However, I'm please that the two aren't in reverse order as Frugality in December would be rather cruel!


26/12/14
Well this has been a month which has taught me a great deal so far. It seems nearly every aspect of my life is telling me two things:
1. I need to reconnect and engage with the present moment and learn to more fully enjoy it.
2. I need to set very clear boundaries over my time and commitments in order that I don't squeeze myself and my relationships out of my own life.

To that end, I am first committing myself to daily meditation time of 30 minutes (which may include some reading/journalling) in order to connect better to my own thoughts, the present moment, and the joy/happiness/peace of mind that I crave.

Secondly I am setting a schedule for myself which I intend to follow rigorously, knowing that there will be things that slip through the net... my business may well suffer for it.... I am prepared to accept this cost in order to be happier and a more pleasant person to live with.

I want to somehow measure my successes at this each day, but have yet to work out quite how.

2/1/14
To sum up, December has been a time of discovering and examining what my resolutions needed to be. A time to step back and look at my life a bit more and take stock about what is really important. I require more practice at 'Performing without fail' but I'm well on my way.

The main goal or underlying target in all this is Ease Of Being. This sums up what I'm trying to do -- enjoy life, create calm and centred awareness, and live within my zone of happiness/contentment. 2015 -- let's make you one characterised by less stress than the past couple!