BLOG 218–Do You Like Experiences or Things? 

With my words, I hope to throw some oblique light upon your life.
I want to inspire you to see life differently and/or better.

*** The joy I am experiencing in life is a marvelous thing!
*** To read past blog posts, go to >> kitsummers.com/blog/
*** Hit by two trucks, one involving a 37-day coma, I remain happy as can be.
*** If you are reading this through Facebook, check out my blog on my website.
*** Thanks, my wife, Beth, for editing and adding to each weekly blog.
*** I will have places to show you and tales to tell.
*** Secrets to unfold and good news!

BE TAKEN AWAY WITH ME
ON WONDERFUL ADVENTURES!

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TOPIC FOR THIS WEEK—Things vs Experiences
 
Throughout my life, I have gained much, and I have lost more. For example, for six years I lived in my van and traveled to all the National Parks in the US and drove through every state (I have also visited Alaska and lived in Hawaii for 4 months. These are experiences that are much better than anything money can buy. How is it for you?
 
Most of us live life on various levels–for a time we do great and are satisfied financially, but then things can get difficult. Like a roller-coaster, up and down we go. When money is tight, you have to remember that things will eventually become stable once again. I’ve lived with no money and been extremely happy.
 
1–Experiences Bring More Joy than Things.
The main reason for this joy we find is that we are naturally inclined to adapt to situations as if they are the new normal, and when this happens, what was once novel and exciting, now seems familiar and somewhat boring. We then raise the bar and want something even newer, leading to an endless cycle of desire. Doing NEW things can change your outlook.
 
These experiences don’t have to cost much or even be time-consuming either, simply choose. Experiences can include anything from swimming, visiting new places in and around your local area, trying new food and activities, or even various ways of juggling.
 
2–New Experiences Will Make You Grow.
Not only do experiences bring more joy into our lives, they also help us broaden our horizons. For example, interacting with people from different countries and cultures gives us a sense of perspective; remembering that the whole world doesn’t center around us, what we’re used to,  and our home countries.
 
There is so much to learn from different groups, whether that be new foods, language, moral, religious, or environmental values, or simply new ways of looking at the world. Do you partake in expanding your horizons?
 
With the advancement of the internet, which connects us to a whole host of different cultures and communities online, there is something special about meeting people in real life and hearing their stories first-hand. In addition, there is only so much sensual satisfaction that the online world can bring, and it’s never quite the same as smelling a special flower from South America or a freshly-cooked curry in front of you, hearing the sound of wildlife in the trees above your head or feeling the warmth of the sand beneath your toes!
 
3–Memories Will be with You Forever.
Another benefit of experiences over things is that memories last for a lifetime. While it may seem, at first, that a physical object will last much longer than, say, a week away on holiday, the truth is that the memories of the holiday will stay with you forever which cannot be said for the latest computer gadget, or juggling club, or pants!
 
While the level of happiness is about the same for material and experiential purchases at the time of purchase, that happiness will go down over time for physical objects, but it will go up for your experiences.

4–Experiences Will Make You Sound Super Interesting.
You’ll be able to tell them about all the cool places you’ve been to. If you add stories of you doing community service with stories of your travels, your friends will think you’re adventurous, and that you are a good person, too. Telling your friends about your latest trip is way more interesting than telling them about your new watch.
 
Often times we work hard to save money to make an expensive purchase and then spend more of our time worrying that the purchase. For example, your new car is going to get scratched, broken into, get a flat tire, or even stolen. So then, do you truly enjoy your new car?
 
5–We Are the Sum of Our Experiences.
As well as broadening our horizons as we form memories, travel experiences also help to shape our identity. I’ve been around the world! It is believed that we are essentially a sum of our experiences, mixed with the values, ideas, and experiences we encounter becoming building blocks for our inner selves. While we may feel as though material possessions help to make up who we are, it is, in fact, experiences that have a much greater impact on our identity.
 
6–You Will Not Have the Stress of Ownership.
The capitalist society we live in the West is mainly centered around purchasing products that we believe will make us feel better–but which inevitably get boring and eventually thrown away. So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that younger people have started to question the status quo about ownership and have started changing the game when it comes to buying stuff.
   
7–You will make less Impact on the Environment.
While some travel experiences do have a negative impact on the environment (think: car exhaust, flight emissions, all-inclusive resorts, and irresponsible wildlife interactions), on the whole, experiences tend to have less of an effect on the planet than physical items that often end up in a landfill.
 
8–Experiences Allow You to Find Your Reason for Living.
Experiences can help you to have clarity and to feel productive; adding to the world. Such as, volunteering makes you realize that you want to help other people. Perhaps, traveling helps you see what kind of community you want to be surrounded by. Experiences can show you what your values are in life and how you can add to other people’s lives.

9–Experience can bring us permanent joy that “things” can not.
Why?
Experiences allow us to be more social, to have memories that never get old, and to have something interesting to talk about with friends at holiday. They allow us to be more open and to find purpose.
 
10–Experiences Bring Long-Lasting Memories.
How often have you purchased a computer only to see that a new model was released a week later? You most likely want that new model and no longer feel cool about your new toy. “Things” provide temporary happiness.

Things get old very, very quickly.
Experiences last a lifetime.
Your experiences are different because they leave you with memories that can last a lifetime. I will always have my memories of the times I went to Europe, Australia, New Zealand and my 31 trips traveling across the US roundtrip. .
   
Start now to develop memories to last you the rest of  your life.
   
What new stories are you ready to write?

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WORDS TO INSPIRE YOU! >>
Inspirational quotes and motivational sayings have a unique ability to change the way we feel about life and can change our thinking.

They are so interesting, challenging, and essential on our path to joy, happiness, and finding ways to inspire ourselves and others.

Inspirational quotes and ideas give us a quick and timely burst of wisdom to get our focus back, offering the inspiration needed for the day or occasion.

I hope to inspire you with my words.
Words have power.

Are you accomplishing what you want before your eventual death?
At any age, you can (and should) make changes to make your life better.

How you think and feel about yourself, including your beliefs and expectations about what is possible, determines everything in your life. It all derives from your quality of thinking.

WHEN YOU IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF YOUR THINKING,
YOU CHANGE THE QUALITY OF YOUR LIFE—SOMETIMES INSTANTLY!

Just as positive words can make someone smile, and/or a well-timed amusing quote can make someone laugh, your thoughts react to the world in real-time. You have this control!

You have complete control over only one thing in the universe — Your Thinking — and that’s where motivational quotes come in!

To keep your motivation, you have to use each day as an opportunity to improve and get closer to your goals. It might sound like a lot of work—and with your busy schedule—next to impossible. But you can do it!

Self-talk is so essential—THINK RIGHT!

Motivational words, yes, they’re just words.
But they’re positive words; they will keep you on track.

EVEN IF YOU START LATE, ARE UNCERTAIN,
OR ARE DIFFERENT –
YOU CAN STILL FIND SUCCESS!
Don’t forget that you are only as young as the last time you changed your mind!
Keep your thoughts and self-talk fun and productive, and always reach for more advancement.
 
REMEMBER, VERY LITTLE IS NEEDED TO MAKE A GREAT LIFE.

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I HOPE THE FOLLOWING WORDS INSPIRE YOU >>
“Buy experiences, not things.
Spending on experiences makes people happier than spending on things.
Things get broken and go out of style.
Experiences get better every time you talk about them.”
— Jean Chatzky
 
“Work hard in silence, let your success be your noise.”
— Anonymous
 
“If you want something you have never had, you must be willing to do something you have never done.”
— Thomas Jefferson
 
“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”
— Neale Donald Walsch
 
“Two things define you:
Your patience when you have nothing,
and your attitude when you have everything.”
— Imam Ali
 
“The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.”
— Walter Bagehot
 
“Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it.
The time will pass anyway.”
— Earl Nightingale

COMPOSE A NOBLE BOOK AND WRITE A BEST-SELLER.
YOU ARE AMAZING—PLAY YOUR PART!

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MY DAILY JOTTINGS >>
Each week goes by so quickly, don’t you think?
And time is going faster all the time.
Do you keep track of what you do each day?
Do this for a few weeks, and you will see your time differently.
 
4/22–I had the wood, I had the idea, and I wanted to see the beauty.
Today I built a flower garden, about four feet off the ground, right in front of our front windows. This way it beautifies the front of our house, and we can see the plants growing from inside the house.
 
Make your views in life beautiful, it can affect your life–much!
Beth wrote what is just below.

4/24–To go along with the flowers in front, I put in two gardens in the back for flowers. I will be taking care of the vegetables we are growing; Beth take care of the flowers. This is working out great for us. How about you, how does your garden grow?
 
4/25–Another garden is built. Beth has developed a fascination with cacti and succulents. So, I build a garden to house these.
 
Today we each ate the first two ripe strawberries that we grew. Great satisfaction in the tiny morsel.

We picked up, yet more, bunny rabbits, to add to Beth’s collection. These two buns were owned by Beth’s friend, who no longer wanted to deal with them.

As we get more and more bunnies

I am not allowed to deal with the bunnies myself, Beth wants her own thing. I am fine with that, she handles the rabbits excellently.
   
Is it time to “make” things happen and live a fuller life?
“Make” a great week for yourself.

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YOUR CHALLENGE FOR THE WEEK > >

Because of my accident and 37-day coma, I saw double because my right eye muscles were weak. I went through seven strabismus eye operations (the doc goes in, cuts the muscle, moves in on the eyeball, then sews it back on.) They could not get it right. They eventually did, I do see double sometimes when I am tired.
 
It amazes me how the human body can adjust to various changes and keep on operating.
 
Your challenge for this week is to wear an eye patch and just use one eye to get by.
Can you do it?
   
Do something new daily, then keep doing it for the rest of your life.
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NEXT BLOG
Our house is not finished yet. I will be starting work on the two remaining rooms (and they are big rooms.) I hope my work on the house has inspired you to make your own home better and better.
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