Don’t Worry, Live Simply, & Love Everyone.
I seem to have a thing for cool chairs. This simple chair has gotten the most comments of any post on my site.
So here is another chair that I really like.
I love the simple design and the layout. Its like a double hammock, but in a chair. A very cool idea.
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Serious question. Are you?
This is not rhetorical, I’d really like to know. Please answer in the comments below.
It could be a simple yes or no. Or it could be a bit more complicated and you can explain if needed. The question is simply, are you happy?
I’ve been thinking about this lately and I ran across this questioned asked on Reddit. I immediately answered yes, and then clicked the link and was a bit disheartened by what I saw.
Some of the top answers that got voted to the top were:
“I don’t know”
and
“Not even a little bit”
Both of these made me pause and think about the question a little more and consider why those are the top answers. It also made me a little sad.
Hold that thought now.
I was also thinking about this info graphic about what keeps us fat. I was thinking about the chemicals we eat everyday in the name of convenience. We all buy and consume these highly processed foods and drinks to save time, but for what? What are we doing with our time that has us so busy that we can’t cook a simple and decent meal? As I looked around me the answer I came to was, “not much”.
I don’t see a lot of great projects being undertaken. I don’t see a lot of people doing amazing things. I do see a lot of people wasting great amounts of time not accomplishing a great deal and yet sacrificing their health for convenience.
OK now back to the question on happiness.
It is obvious that our mental state is directly tied to our physical body. You cannot separate the two. I would also put it that our mental state is closely related to what we do; what we create, what we make. If we just passing through life and not creating anything amazing and still sacrificing our bodies with this convenient processed food then it’s no wonder people aren’t happy.
So I ask again. Are you happy?
I am happy. I am very happy.
Why am I so happy? Because I choose to be.
I choose to not live a passive life sitting in front of a TV or computer monitor consuming. I choose to create. I choose to build. I choose to make amazing things. I choose to spend time with family and friends. I choose to help those around me whenever I can. I choose to actively try to eat things with ingredients I can pronounce. I choose to cook my meals at home. I choose to grow my food in my garden. I choose to live a simple life that makes me happy.
If you are happy I want to hear why. If you are not, I’d also like to hear why so I can try to help you become happy.
Please respond and let me know.
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Happy birthday to TrulySimple!!! and a happy Cinco de Mayo to you!!!
One year ago today I launched TrulySimple.com and today I’m celebrating by looking back at some of the fun posts, great recipes and also looking forward to much more to come.
If you are new to TrulySimple I encourage you to like us on Facebook –> click the like button on the left there, and also join our email newsletter so you can keep up to date with all the cool stuff we have in store for you.
Here are a few of the most popular posts on TrulySimple.com over the last year.
One of THE best things I’ve ever done was to get rid of my front lawn and put in a garden. I cannot tell you how much more I enjoy working on the garden vs mowing a lawn.
It is also the most amazing thing to be able to walk out front and pick fresh food to eat. Every morning I walk out and grab some spinach and cilantro for my omelette and its an amazing feeling.
If you are thinking about starting a garden I highly encourage you to check out some of these posts:
We made these while camping up at Pismo Beach and both the adults and the kids enjoyed making and eating them.
Check out this fun recipe to make with the family next time you are out camping or just around a bonfire.
Here is a great guide that I’m still working on improving to get yourself out of your email and get real work done.
Most of the time email isn’t work. Its a distraction from the things you should be doing. Its a crutch to help yourself feel and look busy. Its not helping get the product done. Its not helping the customer with their problem. Its a distraction that “feels” like work and its time to stop it.
These have been quite popular for TrulySimple and quite popular for my stomach as well. I’ve been craving these things lately and will need to make them again soon.
These are simple the most amazing blueberry muffins you will ever eat.
If you are looking for something fun to make that EVERYONE will love, check these out.
I’m not a numbers guy. Make me stare at a spreadsheet all day and I’ll poke my eyes out. Another thing I don’t really like that much…paying bills. Its just not that much fun. So I stopped doing it.
Thats not to say that the bills don’t get paid, its just not me that pays them. Oh yeah, and I actually make money doing this.
Make sure to read the follow ups to this post with, Free money time of year and Free money part 2.
Here’s a few other random ones that I really liked as well:
I created TrulySimple as a way to encourage and motivate myself to cook more, eat better, and do fun and cool projects like my garden. I hope I was able to encourage others along the way.
Here’s to another fun year ahead.
P.S. I’ve updated the look of TrulySimple and am still tweaking it a bit. Let me know what you think.
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Found this picture via Xeni Jardin and I love it.
I also love growing food. Its a truly awesome feeling to be able to walk out of your front door to pick a couple tomatoes for dinner or to walk around your garden and plan what you will eat based on whats ready to eat.
But it has not all gone as planned. Its a learning experience as I go, and I’m learning a lot.
As you can see from the above picture, my garden is growing like crazy. The tomatoes have attacked and are quickly taking over. I obviously planted way too many way too close together and as they get ripe I’m going to have a hard time just being able to pick them let alone eat all the tomatoes.
The zucchini has been growing good, but some strange mold has been growing on some of the leaves and some of the zucchini’s themselves.
My peppers and chilis are starting to come in and those are just awesome.
here is the attack of the tomatoes (not killer as far as I know). I started out by adding a couple of tomato baskets I had around. Then I added a couple more as they were outgrowing those. Then I added 3 more. Then some string to help hold them in the planter box. Then 2 more tomato baskets. Its getting nuts.
And this is just a sad sight. My beans and peas have died. I’m not sure what went wrong here. I suspect I didn’t water enough. They were growing great and I was snacking on the snap peas while I worked out in the garden one day and the next day, they were all dead. Very sad.
And my corn is stunted. I think these are done as well. They just stopped growing and are turning brown. Very sad on this one as I LOVE corn on the cob.
My broccoli came in quick and then I went away for a week and came back to find it had all flowered. Very sad. I still have a few that are almost ready to eat, so I didn’t loose them all.
My cantaloupes are kicking ass. Check those out!
And so far my watermelons are looking good as well.
And i’m really just not sure whats going on with my lettuces. They are all growing in tree-like configurations now.
And the carrots are coming in nice. My wife grabbed these to throw in something she was cooking. I’m going to start harvesting the rest soon. I think those are growing well, but who knows, they grow underground. Crazy carrots.
Beyond the learning experience of starting a garden and the joy of being able to walk out to my front yard to grab something to eat, I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to inspire others to start a garden. I have many friends who have started gardens and I’ve heard from many readers that they are now starting gardens as well and that makes me smile.
I love that I can share the awesome feelings that come with growing your own food.
Our food system is broken. Our food grown and covered with chemicals that we have no idea how they impact our body or our environment. It is then shipped halfway around the world before it reaches our stores. Its wasteful and not that good for us. And thats the food that grows! You don’t even want to think about the mass produced chemical laden processed food we eat every day.
But you have a choice here. You can buy local at farmers markets. You can join a CSA. You can grow some of your own food. Even if its planting a small lemon tree in your yard or creating a small garden box and throw in a tomato plant and a few herbs. Grow something. You will love it, and you get to eat it!
If you’ve got a garden project send me some pics and tell me how its going. You can email me at Ben@TrulySimple.com
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Check out this awesome rocking chair that generates its own electricity while you rock.
It stores the electricity you generate by rocking in its battery pack for later use. Brilliant
via ilikecool
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I want to provide a truly simple way to make people’s lives better.
