In a time when conservatism seems to be in vogue, even when it is destructive, we may want to place beside "conservative compassion" "conservative constipation." What are you holding on to that you would do well to let go? Not only is, "enough is enough" "too much is too much." This article may prove to be a laxative for you or someone you know.

Who am I? What is the quality of my life? These are two questions that anyone considering downsizing should ask himself. These are not difficult questions to answer but they do require that the respondent be honest. A person can answer Who am I? by admitting and owning what he believes, thinks, feels, likes, dislikes, fears, desires, and is committed to. These questions are to be answered in the present tense. Neither the past or future is relevant.
An overriding question is: "How is the quality of my life effected, positively and negatively, by, not only what I possess but by what possesses me? Related questions are: How much of what I have is just excess baggage? Am I a hoarder who just want let go of things that keep me in a state of "conservative constipation." (Be very aware of what a "conservative compassion" policy has done, during the first five years of the third millennium, for people in America and in many other parts of the world.
Downsizing simply means to rid oneself of possessions, particularly, the stuff that no longer, indeed if it ever did, contribute to one's well-being. Upgrading consists of self-disvovery, growth, enhancement, time-effectiveness, working easy and free-spirited rather than hard and captive-trapped, play, enjoyment and the pursuit of optimum health. Having these things in mind, who wouldn't want to upgrade his life?
Refusing to downsize may be the number one obstacle that prevents a person from upgrading his life. Along our journeys we collected and accumulated much, too much, baggage. Our warehouses, museums and archives have too much in them. Many of us are overloaded. Downsizing requires that we consider at least five areas:
1. Physical. The physical stuff includes one's body, being overweight or obesity. Shedding excess pounds, getting rid of books, magazines and the like, that you don't read, clothing that you don't wear, photos that you haven't looked at for more than a decade and other stuff that is in your possession which do not contribute to your health and enjoyment.
2. Mental. Included in a person's mental stuff stockpile are beliefs and ideas that do not contribute to one's well-being. Also included may be so-called noble ideals that have been accredited to people we call great and traditions that we have been told are eternal. We may include outdated nationalistic- patriotic-jargonistic declarations placing "us against them."
3. Emotions. Our feelings are as much a part of us as our bodies. They can overload us. A person can choose his feelings. He can also choose to let go of his feelings. Attitudes are the underpinnings of our emotions. Letting go of bad attitudes is a way to downsize.
4. Spirtuality. Spirituality and religion are not the same but they are connnected. They both are matters of the soul. Man is a spiritual being. Religion responds to the soul. The soul longs to be taken care of no less than the body. When religion is saturated with evil or demonic spirits people become entrapped spiritually. The religious trap is enemy number one of true spirituality because it stifles spirtiual growth. True spirituality cannot be achieved until only after a person has been extricated from the religious trap. Religous divestiture of religious beliefs and practices that are disrespectul of love is a way for a person to take care of his soul. When a person takes care of his soul, his soul will take care of him. This is a spiritual law that is no less exacting than the law of gravity.
5. Time-effectiveness. Everything occurs in time. Another way of saying this is: it takes time for everything. Using one's time constructively is a cardianl principle of upgrading. Likewise, it is a significant factor in downsizing. Time wasted, time spent destructively, and time stollen or taken away from one person by another person are all to be considered in downsizing and time-effectiveness. Using one's time to advance another person's aganda while neglecting one's own agenda is also a downsizing issue.
Like life, upgrading is an on-going adventure. The technology of human evolution and human behavior requires that we continue to discard the old and embrace the new, especially when it has proved to be better than the old. We may do this with the awareness Wiseman Solomon reveals in the statement, "There is nothing new under the sun," essence-wise; although form-wise and application-wise there is something new. What is the new? Indeed, it is the evolutionization of the old, on a higher level.
As Soren Kerkegaard, the Danish philosopher-theologian would say, "Take a leap of faith." This may be your path to upgading your life, in a way that you have not known before, to experience more living in your life and more life in your living as present reality.
Be aware! A "good or high standard of living" is not the same or as desirable, as a "good quality of life."

Copyright 2006 by Uriah J. Fields