Going against the grain. Marching to the beat of a different drummer. Taking the path less traveled. There are many ways to express this timeless principle of bringing mindfulness to your actions instead of moving blindly with the herd.

Buy Nothing Today

The majority of the money that leaves our hands does so with barely a whisper. It’s incredibly easy to not even notice how much you spend over the course of a day, especially if you are out and about, engaged with and interacting with the world. All day, every day, you are enticed and encouraged to part with your money and to acquire yet another possession. 

Money is a tool, so there’s nothing inherently wrong with using it, but it’s truly countercultural to step off the treadmill of constant spending and acquisition. All this requires is incorporating a small pause between the feeling of desire and the action of purchase. In a consumption-based and consumption-focused society, a non-action can be a radical action.

Questions to ask yourself when you want to buy something today:

  • Can it wait until tomorrow?
  • Do I need this, or do I just want this? 
  • Would I rather spend this money on an experience than a possession?

Say Nothing Today

A challenging and totally against-the-grain endeavor is to walk through the day as a mostly silent observer, speaking only if absolutely necessary. In a world full of unsolicited opinions and nonstop commentary, voluntary silence is a refreshing new way to engage with the day. 

If you can’t avoid speaking altogether, simply try to speak in as few words as possible, cutting away the verbal fat and clutter, and paring your words down to the bare minimum. It’s an exercise in restraint. The day looks different from this perspective of quietness and awareness, and who knows what you’ll learn when you shift your focus from speaking to listening?

Questions to ask yourself when you want to jump in and speak today:

  • Is my opinion necessary in this situation?
  • If yes, do I need to give it at this very moment, or can it wait?
  • Do I know enough about this subject to contribute to the conversation?
  • Would I miss out on something by speaking in this moment instead of listening?

Copyright 2023 Kesel Wilson (entirely, 100% human-created)

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