Luxuries spawn obligations

One of history's few iron laws is that luxuries tend to become necessities and to spawn new obligations.  -- Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari

I am loving every page of Sapiens, and this is one quote among many that ring true.

It challenges me to live with less, because I will actually have more freedom and less obligations the less I am able to live with.

Harari talks about our foraging ancestors, and how they would work for about four hours per day and then spend the rest of the time with their tribe. That feels about right to me. I want to work for four hours a day, and then spend the rest of the time with those I love most, or reading a book, or taking care of myself.

While this will mean I have less luxury items in my life, it will bring me closer to who I naturally am and the life I want to live.

Somedays work is work

Even though I am now on the path I want to be on, and have a sense of purpose in my everyday activity, there are still days when work is work. When there are tasks that just have to be churned through without too much thinking, without feeling inspired and alive.

Today is that day for me. In fact it is this whole week. I need to edit and prepare podcasts for publishing. I need to open bank accounts. I need to do paper work.

Knowing that I am doing it for a good reason, and doing it for my own purposes, makes this type of work bearable, even though it is mundane.

Sacred mundane.