because we only live once...

Well...  I don't know who came up with that sentence... I can't remember when we started using it...  and I certainly can't remember exactly when we started using it so often and for the wrong reasons!!!

But is seems that today, we justify every silly, unjustifiable things we do/buy with that one sentence!
It also seems like big corporations, marketing people and the like are "using" it to get us into buying things we don't need, with money we don't have.... to impress people we don't like - well.... because we only live once!  So why not????

It seems to me that because we only live once, we have turned every wants into a need...

If I only live once, I really do need to eat that 30$ steak - even if I later get a heart attack! And buy the giant flat screen TV  - even if I need to use credit and loose sleep over it! Buy the latest newest trendy thing - because everyone else has it and I don't want to be left out!!!  And so on...

If I only live once, who needs to care about being healthy? and compassionate?  Who as time to think of the impact their action has on others???

We need to live NOW... because who knows when it will be over???

Well, I think this sentence who can have such a wonderful meaning has turned us into walking nightmares!

Because guess what?

 If you only get to live once, so does all the people who work in horrible conditions to provide you the "cheap" stuff you absolutely need even if you can't afford it!

If you only get to live once, so do the local business owner who can't live because you'd rather buy cheap jeans at 20$ and a t-shirt for 5$ from a big chain abusing workers in third world countries!

If you only get to live once, so do all the animals who endure horrible conditions so that you can eat them!

If you only get to live once, so do your children/grandchildren which will be left with very little to look forward to if we keep on going like that!

If you really only get to live once and want to make the most out of it, I think this is what you should do:

- use less resources to leave some for other generation to come
- buy local to help people in your community
- encourage fair trade
- instead of buying people gifts, exchange stuff you no longer need with the stuff they no longer need
- instead of buying gifts, bake/cook something, offer to babysit, grow a plant and offer it, make something, offer to run errands, ask what people really need!!!
- go to your local farmer's market and get most of your stuff there
- give stuff you no longer use for people in need
- find your real purpose in life
- think about the impact every action you do has on others
- volunteer at the hospital, in an elderly home or you local animal shelter - whatever make your heart beat!
- be an example to others , inspire people to be the best version of themselves
- instead of having a fancy pricey party where people need to dress up and bring a hostess gift invite people for tea and a hug - we need so much more hugs then anything else!
- be honest with yourself and others
- learn the difference between : use, need and want.  And apply it in your life

and I could go on and on.....

But basically, what I mean is:

LIVE A SIMPLE LIFE SO THAT OTHERS CAN SIMPLY LIVE

I read somewhere that "when you are born, you cry and people smile...  you need to live your life so that when you die, you smile and people cry".  I find that very inspiring! I can't remember where or who said it but it does resonate with me! Oprah or Maya Angelou maybe...)

So please, my lovely readers... you do get to live only once... But make it significant and worthwhile... it is so short in the span of humanity you can't leave a mark by buying the biggest flat screen TV ever! You need to do better then that!

And there is so much more joy to be taken out of the non-materialistic aspect of life...

Be who you are... DREAM your life... LIVE your dream...
namaste

love&peace,
chloe
xox
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