All my life I’ve been told … “Think big!” In order to get ahead in life, Bob, you must … think “big”.

But recently I’ve been thinking a lot more about … thinking “small.” Not small thinking. You know. Ants work hard. But in the end, all they have are anthills? But more about things that are Small vs Big.

Mega mansions … “big” cars … supersized drinks. Profits, “success.” The bottom line? More is always better? The bigger it is, the better I am. Right?

Well, maybe not. Cause the times are a changin’ 

We’ve been on a run for a long, long time pursuing “the American dream.” Many of us killing ourselves getting there. 

Believe me, please. The wealth and prosperity we enjoy today is one of the greatest gifts of our time. Running hard, playing hard has been life at it’s best. Good for us all … who have paid the price to work our way to the “top.” Live the finest life style on earth.

But some of us seem to be “down shifting” a bit in recent years. As a consumption driven society, we are slowing this long standing “go go” … frenetic trend. For something better paced. A little slower. Even more satisfying?

I’m on the fence re climate change. But there is no question we are eroding our natural resources. (You’ve heard about that sea of plastic waste in the ocean … the size of Texas?!  That’s “big” for sure. Not in a good way.)

Certainly many of our young people today are seeing what many of older generations are blind to. All the money. Stuff we’ve accumulated … what’s it all for?

Time to stop and relook at the way we live. Rethink things.

We’ve done an excellent job of creating the “Me” generation. It’s all about me. No one can generalize here. But greed, ego … big business, opulence have been commonplace. Our norm in so many circles.

But why write do I about this here? In 1997 my employer of 20 years downsized the company. I was a casualty. We lived in a five thousand sq. ft. home. Pool, gardens. Big cars. All of it. But now? We had to downsize our home. Moved to a much smaller place less than half the size of where we’d lived in before.

Smaller. Less stuff. Less maintenance. Friends, business colleagues, clients all said … So sorry what happened to the Brickleys.” NOT! To our surprise? Our smaller home, our less stressful lifestyle just felt so good. Smaller was simply … better! Wow!

Did God take us on a long wonderful ride all these years? Only to say today … “I have a new, very different one for you. If you will only hear Me.” Think Small. Big is overrated.

Last weekend Nancy and visited the home of two nationally known landscape architects. From the street the place was very inconspicuous. Small. Perched between neighbors on either side. No real yard out front. A cute porch. But small. When we entered the front door, it was like the lighting of a Christmas tree. Beautiful furniture. Accessories. Colors. All exploded before our eyes. The kitchen was compact, uniquely designed for function. The master bedroom on the first floor opened up by two large mirrors. 

I was blown away. The yard in back? Tasteful … carefully landscaped. Of course. Turns out our hosts had done the mansion thing previously. Found they occupied maybe 25% of the total space there. But it all this had made a statement. “Look at us …” You get it.

They’d lived there for “show” … big, there. Then traded it all for the elegance of small, calm here. “We are just so much happier.”

This isn’t to say all the “Big”  guys will disappear. I was with one recently. Spent two hours listening to him talk about … guess. Himself. Not one question for me. Ho hum. I moved on. To my small home so beautifully adorned by the wonderful touch and taste of my equally wonderful wife’

Thinking Small today? I think it’s so good.