Simple Life Reboot - Transformational / Healthy / Minimalism / Lifestyle / Edit: Recent Episodes
Dave & Sheryl Balthrop: Lifestyle Authors, Speakers, Bloggers & Podcasters
Dave and Sheryl Balthrop are a husband and wife team sharing their transformational journey to a simpler priority-driven life. After raising their children and achieving the “American Dream”, Dave (a mentor to persons with disabilities) and Sheryl (an attorney), discovered they were investing more resources in stuff than people. They decided to change their lives. They put their dream house on the market, edited 85% of their belongings, and embarked on an adventure of a lifetime. In this audio version of the couple’s articles posted on http://www.SimpleLifeReboot.com, Dave and Sheryl share their personal successes and failures. In these entertaining recordings, you will discover how to have more time, energy and focus plus less stress and debt in your life. Each episode provides tools and encouragement to make desired changes in your life, including practical tips on simplifying, reducing clutter, changing habits, living intentionally, overcoming obstacles and more.
As many of the readers of Simple Life Reboot know, our journey to a simpler, more fulfilling life, began in the Spring of 2013. (see: The Trip that Changed Everything) But before we “changed everything”, the over-arching feeling had been that we never had enough, enough money, enough time, enough of anything. Our solution had […]
“If you want your children to turn out well, spend twice as much time with them and half as much money.” – Abigail van Buren My Uncle Russ once told me about a neighbor who sent his son over to ask if he could wash his car. My uncle told the boy he would pay him […]
Daily we stand against the tide, the relentless negative forces of human nature that work to bring us down. The challenge to be better, and do better, is never ending, and ever present, in each of our lives. How do the 7 deadly sins; wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy, and gluttony, play against the […]
Sheryl and I recently took a trip to Victoria, B.C., to wipe the cobwebs off our dashboard GPS map, and to fulfill one of the original intentions of our embracing simplicity almost two years ago, now. For those who are not familiar with our story, it was that first trip down the California coastline back […]
It happens every year about this time, mid-way through January, after the holiday meals and desserts have fully accreted and solidified in the form of “love” handles. Now comes the not-so-glamorous work of unpacking the storage shed, of taking off the extra pounds that have accumulated over the past couple of months, and getting back […]
This Christmas, when you gather with family and friends, remember that it is not about pretense or appearance. Love everyone as they are, just as you are loved by God, who came among us to make things right. Focus on the needs of others. Give your loved ones what they need from you, – a […]
“The only true gift is a portion of thyself.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson Sheryl and I love Christmas. For those of us who have discovered the value of the simple and minimalist lifestyle, the gift-giving portion of the holiday has become less important…to a degree. The concept of gift-giving is beautiful, but for many at […]
“There is one day that is ours. Thanksgiving Day is the one day that is purely American.” – O. Henry I give thanks to God and Country, for without God, I would have no life, and without America, I would have no liberty. I GIVE THANKS …to AMERICA Consider for a moment the absence of […]
“Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues hence, in the soul in which this virtue does not exist there cannot be any other virtue except in mere appearance.” – Saint Augustine When it comes to our work, there is nothing wrong with hustle. I believe that highly productive people are to be admired. When […]
“Tell your story.” – Joshua Becker, Becoming Minimalist, speaking at SimpleREV 2014 There is something beautiful about hearing a person’s story that allows us to connect with both the individual and his or her experience. Whether a person’s circumstances are dramatic or cumulative, the sharing of a struggle to overcome challenges has the extraordinary power to instruct and inspire. Courtney Carver of “Be More […]
“A great artist can paint a great picture on a small canvas.” – Charles Dudley Warner What does your life canvas look like? Are you filling up your canvas quickly, with an array of colors assembled as an afterthought, or are you painting with intention? When we act with intention, we exhibit a higher purpose, […]
Fear is deceptive. It often masquerades as something else, fooling us into believing an outright lie or otherwise thwarting our ability to make lasting positive change. Far too many of us yearn to reboot our lives into ones of greater simplicity, but we are stopped short by fears we cannot bring ourselves to face. Essentialism calls us to relinquish our […]
“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” – William Morris When Sheryl and I moved from our large colonial home to smaller accommodations next door, we found ourselves faced with the necessity of reducing our possessions. After a couple of moving sales and multiple […]
One of the most difficult questions we get is: “What do I do when I want to make changes, but my loved one does not?” Whether the desired change is to rightsize, de-clutter, reduce activity or financial overload or otherwise, we generally encourage the inquiring party to make individual changes, and then wait patiently in the hope that demonstrated benefit will […]
Having just returned from Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A. a heartfelt “THANK YOU!” to Joel Zaslofsky and Dan Hayes for putting together the first ever SimpleREV conference where folks from around the world came together to share stories and discuss how the simplicity/minimalism movement is changing lives and communities. Sheryl and I were honored to speak. We told […]
Have you had this experience? You start out strong, buoyed by the excitement of a new challenge and the promise of better things to come. Then, somehow, as you move beyond the initial phase, the load intensifies, progress slows and you lose some degree of confidence in the attainability, if not the desirability, of the objective. It can […]
Like many, I spend my fair share of time and effort trying to avoid physical discomfort. An example would be my strong preference for a comfortable bed. So, why do I fondly remember sleeping on that bumpy mattress jammed in the back of our car on that California trip? (Read: The Trip That Changed Everything!) […]
“It sure seems like you’re working pretty hard just to ‘simplify‘ your life”, a somewhat skeptical friend observed. He was, of course, right … though I did not want to admit it. Fortunately, we both had other pressing commitments, otherwise I would have had to acknowledge that taking steps to simplify our life continues to be […]
Nimbleness is the ability to pivot, to adapt to new circumstances and keep moving. It is achieved, primarily, through the creation of margin in our lives. In this fast-paced, unpredictable world, our ability to remain calm, constant, and in control is in direct proportion to the resources and options we can muster at any given time. […]
The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown. –H.P. Lovecraft Change is something people have always resisted. It’s something we fear and try to avoid, even knowing it is inevitable, part of life, itself. Today, change is occurring at a pace […]
“Money is not the prime asset in life. Time is.” Unknown Far too often we fail to appreciate the preciousness of time. Unlike other resources, it is irreplaceable. Nonetheless, we tend to operate in default mode, either rushing about or coasting along, giving very little thought to how spending time doing “X” may well preclude us from […]
I wanted to edit it out. In our 67th episode, Interview with Mom, we asked if she had learned anything from observing our Simple Life Reboot journey. I hoped to hear how inspired she was, or perhaps how we were making a difference. Instead, she paused, and said: “Well, I’ve learned that you’re much more compassionate than I realized.” […]
Sheryl and I have been talking lately about some of the unexpected benefits of our decision to simplify our lives. It was just 15 short months ago that we undertook The Trip that Changed Everything, our 10-day tour of the California coastline between Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara. Meandering south along Highway 1, listening to podcasts […]
Far too often the journey to simplicity focuses on our own needs and desires. In an effort to share another perspective, Dave and I sat down for a candid talk with my mother, Carolyn. Mom has had a front row seat on this roller coaster ride to greater margin. Though not a “fan” of reducing possessions, she stood by us as […]
Sheryl and I have been influenced by a number of extraordinary thinkers on the subject of simplifying your life to focus on what is important. One person who has inspired us is Michael Hyatt , author of “Platform”, and online entrepreneur, who spoke recently at the World Domination Summit in Portland, Oregon, U.S.A. Default Approaches Michael’s […]
Sometimes the unexpected will test and grow you (and perhaps your audience as well). This video is a cell phone recording of a “rap” I performed at the 2014 World Domination Summit. Please read about the experience in SLR 065 “What Are You Afraid Of?“
There was no forewarning. One moment I was happily standing with two other summit attendees. The next, I was struggling to maintain my composure, holding back an overwhelming urge to cry, scream, and vomit. It all started innocently enough. Dave and I were attending the World Domination Summit. As big Amazing Race fans, we were thrilled to learn that WDS […]
What things do we need from others to feel our life has worth? The answer to that question informs us about why material treasures so inadequately satisfy our most basic emotional needs. Three emotional reservoirs are required in order to be happy. They are the longings of our heart… …to be known …to be needed […]
It’ s time to reclaim downsizing as an empowering practice. For far too long, downsizing has been understood to be a process of decline whereby individuals were forced to make undesirable lifestyle changes due to the loss of employment, relationship or health. While the initial impetus may be an involuntary loss, “downsizing” itself, if done mindfully, is a positive. In […]
You hear a lot of people talking these days about following your passion. Too often this advice includes dropping everything to go after that one thing in life that “fulfills” you. But what effect does “dropping everything” have on the people who depend on you? Following your passion is not something we advocate here at […]
Many of us come to a point in our lives when we sense that something is wrong. We work harder and harder, and yet, never quite seem to achieve our desired lifestyle. Is the goalpost moving? Or, is some other dynamic at work? For those of us seeking to edit the non-essentials from our lives […]
We are blessed to have four wonderful children. With Father’s Day just a few days gone, a lot has been on my mind regarding being a father. When you become a father you surrender the right to be a selfish man. At first it’s against your will, but as time goes on and you hold, […]
What is the best way to tackle a daunting task or behavioral change? Many authorities emphasize the traditional approach of goal, structure, and feedback. While helpful, such approach lacks the transformational jet fuel of adventure and experimentation. Rediscover Adventure Ask a young person why she tried chocolate on her broccoli. She may well answer […]
In modern American culture, being a big consumer has almost become a badge of honor. We enjoy acquiring and displaying material wealth. Our approach of spend now – pay later, is based on the faulty premise that happiness can be purchased with the acquisition, collection and consumption of things. Truly, to live is to consume. However, when we make consumption our primary objective, […]
The genesis of the project was practical and uninspired – but the outcome was akin to finding hidden treasure. No Room For Albums When we moved into our smaller space, we simply did not have room for the family photo albums we had lovingly assembled over the years. We had no choice but to box […]
Are you afraid to drink from the cup of success? What is it that keeps us from realizing our best selves, the person we were born to become? Sharing our journey with you here at Simple Life Reboot continues to help us stay focused on building our new life of margin and deep living. We […]
If you are reading this and are over the age of 40, please stop. Wait, on second thought, nix that. Whatever your age, please keep reading… but only for the purpose of ultimately sharing or implementing the simple lessons it has taken me nearly five decades to learn. Now, as a disclaimer, this article is […]
What is the course of your life? How we understand the unfolding of our lives not only impacts our ability to weather life’s storms, it also shapes the journey itself. As Dave and I get to know people creating margin and focusing on priorities rather than stuff, we cannot help but draw parallels between the […]
Do you manage urgency, or rather urgently manage, the events of your life? Simple living is made possible when we focus on the long term important issues so they do not become short-term critical emergencies due to lack of planning and execution. In a former life, I was a restaurant owner. In the heat of […]
Far too often we forget to tell people how much they mean to us. Dave and I would both like to take this opportunity to thank you. We recognize that by reading this, you have taken precious time out of your day. We treasure you as a reader and are committed to honoring your time. […]
Quiet time is hard to find. So when a client canceled an appointment a few afternoons ago, I decided to drive to a local hill and get in a short, solitary hike. Mt. Pisgah is situated a few miles south of Eugene, Oregon. It rises over a thousand feet above the surrounding Willamette Valley, and […]
It washes over us like a tsunami – an unmanageable wall of information. The greater our desire to be current, competitive and connected, the more likely we are to be paddling ourselves to exhaustion. We prefer to drown than miss out on something important… We need a lifeguard! Fortunately, we have “SAM”. SAM not only […]
To what extent are we willing to go into debt, make unfair demands on family and co-workers, or compromise healthy habits, in order to achieve objectives? Is our standard of living too reliant upon our willingness to push ourselves to the limit? Long Term Impact We may view our pedal-to-the-metal approach as proof of a […]
Imagine leaving behind the home of your dreams to begin living the life of your dreams. Sheryl and I made that decision in August 2013. Our beautiful home, the home in which our kids had grown to adulthood, was no longer serving our needs in the most positive way. In fact, it was beginning to […]
This is my chair. When I reflect upon why I bought it, I realize how much our intentional living journey has changed me. You see when I purchased it, I thought I needed to fill a space. While I didn’t really “need” another chair, I thought our family room required something new … plus, it […]
It was the spring of 2013. Driving south from Eugene, Oregon, Sheryl and I wanted to stay with family the first evening in Santa Clara, California, and then begin what we hoped would be a little adventure trip. The plan was to drive down the California coastline along Highway 1. We would take our time, […]
What is a simple lifestyle? Time and again I have seen how a thoughtful, concise explanation of values and objectives permits even very different people to understand and relate to one another. As an attorney, I make my living with words. You can imagine my consternation on the occasions when I have been unable to […]
“It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power.” – Alan Cohen When was […]
Sheryl and I have decided it’s time to dig out our running shoes and begin rebuilding what is left of the legs that carried us across the finish line at the Hood to Coast relay race with friends and family in August of 2012. We are inspired by the fact that regardless of age, a […]
Have you attempted to change your life before? Is change easier if it’s voluntary, or if there is no choice in the matter? In the summer of my senior year in college, I discovered the answer. An oncoming car crested a hill in my lane. It struck my small car head-on with such force that […]
To be good at life is to have good relationships. What is life if not our connection to the people we get to know and love? But, in order to live a life of generosity and connection, we must first take an honest look at ourselves. We must also understand, in very practical terms, what […]
Have you experienced this? One day you are relatively satisfied with a situation. Then, something happens and you cannot make needed changes fast enough. How can something be “okay” one moment, and then abruptly “not okay” the next? For most of us, there is usually a triggering event which causes us to become acutely aware […]
I remember when I was a child, pleading with mom or dad to let me stay up “late”. On that rare occasion when I was allowed extra time to play or watch the tube, it was like I’d hit the jack pot! What I discovered after leaving home was that a routine bed time was […]
“What are you practicing?!!!” I can still hear my gymnastics coach decades later. There is no grey area. We are either practicing to improve, or we are practicing habits which lead to decline, if not danger. Missed or sloppy practices result in a fall. What we fail to recognize is that the greatest “injury” comes […]
When does your day begin? Until recent years I thought my day began after getting up in the morning. But deeper analysis suggests we should begin to prepare for our day at night, by getting the proper rest. According to Genesis, when God created time, He first created night and then day. Night Before Day […]
I have found few things in life as discouraging as backsliding on an important goal. Whether our objective is professional, financial, physical, or otherwise, a lack of perspective can tragically turn a minor lapse into outright collapse, making resumption of progress difficult. The pattern is all too familiar. For instance, we commit to running. We […]
Do you have trouble showing people the true you? I mean the you that is buried beneath the armor we put on every day to keep others from hurting us. I mean the you that emerges on your very best days. I mean the you that will remain when everything else goes away. When we […]
What makes it so difficult for us to remain focused with most of our resources firmly committed to our priorities? Are we not disciplined enough? Are we doomed to always succumb to the distractions around us? Or could there be other reasons we lose focus? Consider the following: Packed Calendar In any given month there […]
Do you find yourself increasingly distracted by life’s daily obligations that leave you too little time, thought or energy, to feel renewed, refreshed, or inspired? That’s what vacations are for, right? But many times our vacations can leave us more tired and frazzled than daily life. We can spend a lot of money getting to […]
“So, I heard you were downsizing.” The question from a business acquaintance at a Chamber of Commerce event caught me off guard. Gulp. I paused, desperate for a response which recast what sounded, at least to my ears, quite negative. I wanted to share the joyful, enriching and values-driven journey of simplifying my life and […]
Creating margin is crucial to having the necessary resources to do the things in life which are important to you. Over the past few years Sheryl and I wanted to share some experiences with our children before they began leaving the nest. We decided to plan a few trips. As it turns out, each of […]
Would you like to simplify at work but fear you cannot do so without jeopardizing your position or prospects? If so, you are not alone. This can be a paralyzing dilemma, particularly when others are dependent upon your work performance and/or income. Rather than take rash action or settle for permanent quiet desperation, consider whether […]
“You can do anything, but not everything. ” David Allen The Problem We live in an exciting time. With easy access to the internet and quality podcasts, blogs, books, webcasts, forums, and MOOCs, the sky is the limit for growth and service. The problem is our inability to deal with abundance. If we attempt […]
Close relationships are the bedrock of life. If you have them, nurture them, appreciate them, treasure every moment you have with the people in your life. If you have lost touch with family, try to reconnect. If you cannot reconnect, I hope you will consider reaching out to others near you who would benefit from […]
What are your primary objectives? Is your daily experience something of a “hit or miss” when it comes to making progress? Would you like to hit your target with greater frequency? If you are like Dave and me, and do not have the gifts of a Hawkeye, Annie Oakley, or Katniss Everdeen, you might benefit […]
What does a beautiful life look like? It is different for each of us, but for many it includes things like family, faith, hard work, adventurous spirit, trips with people we love, creativity, humor, passion, celebrating traditions, and enjoying good health. Truly, a beautiful life is all of these things, and maybe something more. PURPOSE […]
Any person making a significant life change will be familiar with that initial uncomfortable period between making sacrifice and seeing fruit. It’s much like hiking up a mountain with an obscured summit. As the intensity increases, we may start to wonder 1) if we’ll reach a “better” place; and 2) if we do, will it be […]
Can a simple diagram help us understand the common inconsistencies between our intentions and actions? C. S. Lewis in his Screwtape Letters uses a bulls-eye model of concentric circles to categorize human behavior. Our model, described below, relates how we tend to lose focus on our inner values and become drawn to the deferred, displaced […]
Consider some of the reasons why debt is such an obstacle to our ability to realize our full potential. Debt impacts margin. Debt has a debilitating effect on our daily decision-making and our quality of life. Debt can prompt behaviors that are counter-productive at best and self-destructive at worst. 1) DEBT PUTS US BEHIND One […]
One of the surest ways to improve our lives is to create margin. However, when creating margin, it is crucial to keep in mind this principle from Aristotle. “Nature abhors a vacuum.” Recently created space is a magnet for less desirable replacement “fillers”. If you doubt this, please consider the following: Have you ever scheduled a […]
Transitioning from a life with narrow margin to one that offers freedom and opportunity can be a slow-moving process. Sheryl and I started on our journey in June of this year (2013). We began by having two moving sales to reduce our belongings by about 80%. We then updated floors, counter tops, interior paint, […]
Though we may not be conscious of the desire, we yearn to create. Whether it is a special cupcake, a sculpture, a song or a paper airplane, we delight in making something to share with others. Unfortunately, as the years go by, we discard our creativity for consumption. Instead of sharing a special recipe with […]
For many of us, our reluctance to make needed changes stems not from an unwillingness to sacrifice for long term gain, but rather from a fear that such changes will lower us in the esteem of others. We are deeply invested in activities and possessions which signal our status and abilities. We would rather suffer […]
Americanitus Is your home too large, but still too small for your possessions? Is your income good, but still too little to pay all of the bills, retirement and savings? Is your day a confused jumble of rushed projects and lost moments? Many of us suffer from what I call, Americanitus, a feeling of desperation and […]
I had just been discharged from the U.S. Air Force, and after four years as an Administrative Specialist, I could not leave Dover, Delaware, fast enough. I drove towards Oregon in my hot, blood-red Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, making record time. It took roughly two and a half days to cross the country, burning up 250 […]
I am profoundly fond of organization and yearn to replace chaos with order. Though I have failed to maintain organized spaces and events on numerous occasions, I am never willing to abandon the quest. Imagine my consternation when I learned that organization could be misused! It was not until I started cleaning other people’s houses […]
Voltaire had it right when he quipped that the problem with common sense is that it is not common enough. Far too often families are ending up in court. In most of these situations, the dispute could have, and should have been avoided. One of the objectives of Simple Life Reboot is to strengthen and […]
One of the biggest challenges in tackling a new project is the assembly of pertinent information. When starting out, it is difficult to know what resources might be ultimately be helpful and how they will fit with the plan. As resources are gathered, particularly from different mediums, organization and retrieval can also be difficult. Fortunately, […]
Over the years we have heard time and again that stress is an enemy – a ubiquitous foe to performance and health. To protect ourselves, we are encouraged to “manage” or reduce stress. But… what if we have it all wrong? Kelly McGonigal in her June 2013 TED talk on “How to Make Stress Your […]
Growth involves discomfort. Whether it’s appropriate soreness after a workout or pre-speech butterflies, it is often not possible to make progress without experiencing this unpleasant sensation. Good parents recognize that their children’s health and growth is dependent upon trying healthy foods, learning new skills and suffering a few uncomfortable moments along the way. A child […]
The salesperson was the first person to know outside our immediate family. No doubt my face lit up as I shared why I needed comfortable shoes for the office. It took some time, but I ultimately selected a gorgeous pair of green flats. I was thrilled with the purchase and anticipated the amazing path the […]
We’ve all heard the cliche “Work Hard, Play Hard”. This might even be the formula that motivates us. Unfortunately, this is also an approach which gets many of us into trouble. We mistakenly believe that if we go “all out”, that at some distant point in the future, we will have the opportunity, energy and […]
I find myself checking my cell phone literally dozens of times every day. Has someone called, texted, left a message? The evil little device puts me in touch with everyone, ALL THE TIME. Of course, it’s not really evil, but without it I would feel…well, inadequate. There, I said it! Besides, how will my business […]
Have you ever wanted to start editing your possessions, but didn’t know where to start? Is it an overwhelming prospect? Please consider whether the following steps would help you with the process. Start with an attitude of thankfulness for the abundance we enjoy Enlist the help of an accountability partner to help you with the […]
None of us would accomplish anything of significance without the help and inspiration of others. We all, as Sir Isaac Newton so well stated, stand on the shoulders of giants. Dave and I wish to thank the thought leaders who inspired us. It is our hope that our readers will read these giants’ work and […]
After Sheryl and I decided to move forward on selling our home, we had a few decisions to make regarding all the stuff we had accumulated over the years. I am not sure how this happens, but we found we could literally walk through our house and point to dozens upon dozens of things we had not used or […]
We live in a death denying culture. We prefer to ignore the reality that absent divine intervention, we will all die someday. We pretend that with new medical advances and improved environmental factors, our lives can be extended indefinitely. We try to shield ourselves from the reality of death. We prefer that the dying be […]
We’ve all been there. We encounter an obstacle which separates us from what we want or need. How do we respond? Do we become discouraged and give up? Do we become frustrated and rail against the obstacle? Or do we do something else? What is the best approach when faced with an obstacle? Leo […]
I want to share with you one of the most essential concepts when it comes to improving your life. Let’s talk about margin. First of all, what is margin? “Margin is the space between our load and our limits,” says author Richard Swenson in his book, Margin. In simple terms, margin is having room to […]
Does it seem that daily life has become increasingly fractured, more hurried, and less satisfying? Certainly, the financial collapse of 2008 did not help, but it seems more systemic than that. We Americans have historically put our faith in things like working long hours, buying the latest gadget, and buying the bigger house, all in an attempt to bring about the “good life”. […]
Are you like me? For most of my life, “the more – the better” has been my mantra. A larger helping is preferable to a smaller portion. Participating in several activities is superior to involvement in a few. The bigger and the more numerous the “trophies”, the greater the success. The busier, the better! To […]