For many years I couldn’t get enough of “self-help” from writers and speakers such as Tony Robbins, Zig Ziglar, Stephen Covey, Jack Canfield and so on. However, my focus, often based on their advice, was on succeeding so I could have more…a nicer car, more expensive clothes, a bigger house, vacations to anywhere I wanted, etc.
There was always that glimmer of encouragement to “be more” rather than just to “have more” as exemplified by Zig’s famous saying, “you can have everything in life you want, if you just help enough other people get what they want.”
But even in that laudable phrase, there’s an underlying motivation of “having more.”
Much of what I’m advocating in this book is for a Costa Rica expat paradigm shift, especially concerning the drive for material accumulation. This occurred for me, gradually, as I was exposed to a new way of living here in Costa Rica…a way much less focused on things.
Of course the average per capita income of a household in the U.S. is more than twice that of Costa Rica and that difference is much more pronounced if you are talking about “campesinos,” or country-folk. So obviously there is going to be less consumption of material things in a country like Costa Rica, as compared to the U.S.
Now, I’m not saying that we should necessarily all live like campesinos…well, maybe I am a little bit saying that.
Truth is, in Costa Rica campesinos live pretty well. For the most part they have decent homes, but without many of the luxuries that are taken for granted in the U.S. They enjoy simple pleasures and live a simple life. In general, they care for and respect the land and find great joy in the natural beauty of Costa Rica. In short, they get along just fine without the vulgar material wealth that many folks in the U.S. consider a birthright of the American dream.
So what I am advocating is a Costa Rica expat paradigm shift. One that takes us away from the idea that happiness can only be measured by how big a house (or houses) we live in. One that awakens a desire to give back rather than take. And yes it can start by changing your personal goals. By changing our goals in life from having more to being more…that is, making choices that make a difference.
I am not saying in the least bit to stop striving to succeed. I believe we should maximize to the fullest extent our ability to do that, but it is what we then do with our “success” that makes the difference. Do we invest it in stuff that only provides personal comfort for ourselves, or in creating a better world?
For instance, investing in some form of renewable energy to supply electrical power to your home could perhaps be a better idea than installing that swimming pool. If the kids want to swim, take the family for a nature hike to a nearby creek or “swimming hole” (hopefully non-polluted) and enjoy both the water and the natural surroundings. Take advantage of the opportunity to teach your kids the importance of keeping nature clean and beautiful.
These days many folks in the U.S. are being forced to get by with less as the result of a rapidly changing economy. Many reacted to this by electing Donald Trump. But is he really the solution?
An emphasis on that is what “expat mindfulness” is all about.
Hey, my book The Definitive Guide to Costa Rica Expat Living is live on Amazon. If you’re thinking about making an escape from the rat-race, whether for political or mental and physical health reasons, or all of the above, The Definitive Guide to Costa Rica Expat Living was written just for you!
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