You Only Need One

You have a challenge to do four things this weekend:

• Count the number of glasses you have in your house.
• Calculate the maximum number of glasses you would ever need to use, even during a massive entertainment event in your home.
• Identify the difference, and consider how often you will have a full house of guests.
• Go to your local Goodwill, Salvation Army or similar donation store and count the number of glasses for sale.

If you have more than 10 extra glasses, consider donating them to a charity organization. There are people in this world that can use things you can spare. Next, complete a similar process in your office. How many staplers do you have? How many boxes of paper clips and notepads must you keep in your stash? Clear out the inventory, share with a colleague, donate if possible and focus on what you can see.

Finally, go to your closet. My family and I are in the process of clearing out some items in our house, and my daughter suggested I donate some of my older suits. I commented that “there was nothing wrong” with some of my older clothes. When she asked about the last time I wore them and my response was more than 10 years ago, she made me donate them. If you’ve gone through this process before, how does it make you feel when you give and when you have the ability to focus only on a few items?

MPD: Give to others and simplify your surroundings.