The Rachel Cruze Show - Why Less Really Is More—in Money, Faith and Beyond

Starting point is 00:00:05 All right, if you know me, you know that I'm not usually the one saying less is more because I typically go for quantity over quality and like different things. I always like having options, like whether it comes to things in my house or my clothes or whatever it may be. But as I've gotten older, genuinely, I really am starting to see an experience and believe that less is more. And so today we're going to kind of unpack what that looks like for your life and your money. So make sure to like, subscribe, and share this episode with a friend. All right. So the first one may feel obvious because we do talk about this, but spending less is actually more.

Starting point is 00:00:44 We do find that when you end up spending so much money for whatever reason, it can cause a level of stress and anxiety. Because maybe either you're spending money that you don't have and so you're going into debt for stuff. Maybe you're spending money to keep up a certain lifestyle that you don't even realize you're chasing. and maybe spending money on things because you just want, think, you know, this is going to make me happy in the moment and it feels good and I'm going to do that, right? And so I get all of that. Like that all makes sense to me. But I have found when you have margin in your life, especially with your money, it brings you more peace. It does. And so make it kind of an action idol, maybe next month just to say, hey, what if we cut back on our spending? I've done some spending challenges where it's like a no spin challenge or getting rid of some stuff, like whatever it looks like, there is something about either stopping the spending, purging what you have that creates this space that is just amazing. Because the less you have, the less fewer decisions you have to make. Like it's the less, you know, brain calories that have to go into things. And there is something about that that really makes life amazing.

Starting point is 00:01:50 And money is a tool to create a life that we love. So we are going to use it and spend it on things that we want. Totally understand that. That is totally fine. But let's just be a little bit more aware of why we're spending what we're spending. and even cut back if you can just as an exercise for yourself, just to say, okay, is there a level of contentment with what I just have and I'll have to keep buying new? And so there's something around that that I think is so spot on. Now the second area where less is more is with your time and your calendars.

Starting point is 00:02:17 So we live a life where we are just rushed. I mean, there's so, it is so common to talk to people and it's like, how are you doing? You're like, God, we're so busy. We're just so busy, right? And so we all feel so stretched then because we want to do everything. And I'm talking about friends that have like nine kids or my single friends, but it seems like we just pack in these schedules of things. And it's all fun stuff. Some of it's great and exciting and we're choosing to do some of it, but also some of it you're doing it without even realizing how rush you constantly feel. There's a book, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer, and it is so good. It talks about all of this, about how there is such an inner piece that occurs when you have margin with your time and when you

Starting point is 00:02:57 actually say yes to things you want to say yes to, but you say no to things. that maybe you don't want to do, right? And it's okay to say that. But to create this margin where you are just not rushed around all the time. So you can actually have a level of silence and solitude. And all of that creates a healthier version of you. And so finding that rest, finding that margin with your time is big. So less is more when it comes to our calendar.

Starting point is 00:03:25 And one part of life that I always want to think about with less is more is how much of my personal info is online and that is why I use delete me. So if you don't remove your personal data from the internet, it's basically like a billboard because your name, your address, your email, your kids' names are all out there on sketchy data broker websites and then they go and take your data and sell it and then you're at risk for scams and fraud. But listen, here's the good news. Delete me goes in and removes your data to help protect you from fishing, harassment, and other online threats. Winston and I use Delete Me and it saves us a ton of time and worry. and you guys, your family safety and financial security are way too important to leave exposed.

Starting point is 00:04:07 So sign up for Delete Me and take control. Go to joindelateme.com slash Rachel for 20% off, bringing your monthly cost to under $9 a month. Or you can just click the link down in the description. Number three, less is more when it comes to your faith and your spirituality. So I am learning this so much right now because I'm such a doer. And so if there's ever an area of my life that I want to grow, I'm like, oh, do it. okay, what I got to do? What I got to do? So even in my spiritual walk, it's like, oh, yeah, I'll do more Bible studies. I'll do this. I'll do church events. I'll do it. Like, I'm going to do all of this. And it's all like good stuff, right? Like, not as bad. And we should be doing some of that. Right. But when that's all we're leaning on and focusing on is doing and doing and doing it's doing and doing it can create a level of, you know, to a degree performance, but also this like expectation like this is what I should be doing. And I'm going to be doing it. And then creates another level of anxiety and pressure. And then it's filling into your. calendar like we just talked about, right? And it's just like, oh my gosh, where there's a little bit

Starting point is 00:05:04 of like, what if it's just a little less complicated? And what if walking with God is like way more simpler? I mentioned John Mark Comer. It's an earlier book, but I read one of his other books, which was so good, but he had a quote in there. And it was about this, it was kind of like a story. I don't even know if it's true or not, but this old farmer would go into this Catholic church every single day for two hours and just sit there. He wasn't reading. He didn't have his eyes closed, like he was praying. He wasn't chanting or singing, like nothing. He was just looking. And finally, after like weeks of this, the priest came over to him and was like, what are you doing? What are you doing in here? And he's just simply said, I'm looking at God, looking at me, and we are happy.

Starting point is 00:05:47 And there's like this contemplative beauty in that. And I think it's just, it's amazing. Like there's a level of inner peace there that occurs when they're just calm and you're able to have that silence and that stillness. And I don't think we take advantage of that a lot because we are a culture of doing, which again, doing is not always bad. But if we don't balance it out or prioritize the other side, we could just be spinning our wheels. All right, the fourth area that I want to practice less is more is with parenting. Sometimes you can feel like the mountaintop experiences is what you're going for, like that great trip or that moment or what they're going to see with this or like kids that turns 16. It's like, here's the car, right? Like it's like these big,

Starting point is 00:06:27 moments of life. But what you realize, like, less is more. It's not usually those high moments those, you know, that occur maybe a few times a year, if that's. It's the normal day-to-day rhythms that we have with our kids day in and day out. And sometimes they're good days. Sometimes they're bad days. But it's kind of this idea of like, what am I just doing in the norm of life and what is the baseline that I'm setting for my kids? Like how am I engaging them? How am I talking to them? My time with them, like all of that, they're going to remember more that foundational experience that occurs day to day, not just the mountaintop experiences. And it's actually a really beautiful thing, too, because that doesn't cost money. Like a lot of this is the simple stuff that you're just doing

Starting point is 00:07:10 on a Tuesday night with your kids. And maybe it is you're driving to and from sports or whatever it looks like. But these moments that we actually have and being in the present with them, I think, is what lays such a beautiful foundation where it actually earns a lot of trust with your kids. And so the mountaintops are great, like fun, awesome, love them. But really less is more when it comes to parenting in the sense of like the time with them doesn't have to be fancy or glamorous. So I wrote some kids books kind of around these topics of just gratitude and contentments. And there's something along the lines that like our kids need to learn this, but also we do as parents too. So I'll put a link down below to those.

Starting point is 00:07:46 But that whole project, I did those last year and the year before. And it was like one of my most favorite projects I've ever done in my work because I love kids books. and I love those messages because I think they're simple. Less is more, but important to hear. Now, like I mentioned earlier, I am a natural spender. So I have had to learn how to cut costs that really matter in tight seasons. And if this sounds like you, you'll definitely want to check out my episode, five quick ways to cut costs even if you love to spend.

Starting point is 00:08:15 So you can click here to watch that or if you're listening on podcast, I'll put a link below. All right, you guys, remember to take control of your money and create a life you love.

The Rachel Cruze Show - Why Less Really Is More—in Money, Faith and Beyond

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