Who's On Your E Team?

I came of age in the 80's, which in itself could be fodder for innumerable blog posts! :-0
Those of you similar in age will recall Mr. T and The A-Team.

In fact, I went through a phase in high school - thanks also to Madonna - where I covered myself in jewelry. Gold chains, black plastic o-ring bracelets, big dangley earrings....the works. My circle of close friends even took to calling me Mrs. T!

So, having lived through the decade of hedonism and extreme shopping - when malls first appeared and became the place to hang out - I'm mindful of the past that has made me the consumer I am today.

And much like the A-Team, I'll need a strong posse of talented characters to support my quest for a new lifestyle of pared down spending and voluntary simplicity.

In her book, Doing Less and Having More, Marcia Wieder talks about the concept of ease. An entire section is devoted to "The Roadmap to Ease" and, in one specific chapter she mentions to the importance of "Ease Teams".

"There are two possible types of Ease Teams you might want to consider building. One is optional, the other is not. The optional team is a group of people, or a person who, like you, want to simplify their life. You may meet on a regular basis, share your creative ideas, support each other's dreams, and exchange resources. It's wonderful to have this kind of backing."

"But it's your prime Ease Team that will truly make a difference in your daily life. These are the people whom you know you can count on. These people are the resources you need to make your life easier"...

As we go through this year of Not Buying It, we'll need just this kind of support from each other. There may be others in our household who are not joining forces with us. Perhaps their mindset and priorities are different than ours right now. And we know that our society in general is still wrapped up in the more-is-better quest for stuff.

So...let's start building our teams.

Wieder says, "The quality of these relationships will directly affect your life."

"Who's on your Ease Team, what is your relationship to them, and are they making your life easier?....Whenever and wherever possible, build an arsenal of people who are on board to (support you in your quest) and make your life easier".

"There are plenty of people available to give you grief and headaches. But if you make a point to create the best imaginable Ease Team, you'll see the results in your daily life."

As the New Year gets underway, and I continue to clarify my intentions and practice of Not Buying It, I'll be assembling my E Team. If you'd like to apply, please send me three reasons why I should hire you. :-)

Or - if you want to create an E Team in your own location - please comment and let me know the progress you're making on finding like-minded folks to support you right where you are.

Rah! Rah!

Go Team!