Tammy Strobel - You Can Buy Happiness (and It’s Cheap): How One Woman Radically Simplified Her Life and How You Can Too

Copyright 2012 by Tammy Strobel

All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, or other without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review.

The material in this book is intended for education. It is not meant to take the place of diagnosis and treatment by a qualified medical practitioner or therapist. No expressed or implied guarantee as to the effects of the use of the recommendations can be given nor liability taken.

Text design by Tona Pearce-Myers

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Strobel, Tammy, date.

You can buy happiness (and its cheap) : how one woman radically simplified her life and how you can too / Tammy Strobel.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-60868-083-2 (pbk. : alk. paper)

1. Happiness. 2. Self-actualization (Psychology) 3. Simplicity. I. Title.

BF575.H27S77 2012

First printing, September 2012

ISBN 978-1-60868-083-2

Printed in Canada on 100% postconsumer-waste recycled paper

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

To the incredible people in my life:

Logan, my life partner and best friend.

Dee Williams, my tiny house hero.

My parents, who have been a constant source of strength, wisdom, and support.

Thank you for inspiring me every day. I couldnt do this without you.

Contents

O ne of the reasons Im writing this book is because of an article written by Stephanie Rosenbloom that appeared in the New York Times business section. My husband, Logan Smith, and I were featured in the article and as a result received a lot of media inquiries. In addition, I was approached by a number of literary agents about writing a book. Writing a book has always been a dream, and Im thankful that Stephanie happened to Google simplicity and happiness and subsequently navigated her way to my blog, RowdyKittens.com .

As Dennis Waitely, a speaker and writer, once said, Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is a spiritual experience of living every moment with love, grace and gratitude. With that said, books are not created without a lot of support and encouragement. I couldnt have written this book without the remarkable people mentioned below. Im extremely grateful for all of their efforts, both large and small.

Im indebted to my incredible literary agent, David Fugate. He believed in this project from the beginning and was instrumental in helping me shape the ideas presented here. I appreciate Davids help, patience, and support.

A huge thanks goes to Jason Gardner, my editor, and the whole team at New World Library. Jason has a keen editorial eye, and he consistently pushed me to do better. Ive grown as a writer thanks to his help and encouragement.

Several people served as my cheerleading team as I wrote this book, including Chris OByrne, Courtney Carver, Jolie Guillebeau, Dee Williams, and Michelle Jones. They all provided valuable guidance and encouragement when I hit bumps in the road and started to doubt my ability to finish this project.

My family has been a tremendous source of my happiness. I wouldnt be writing today if it werent for my parents. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to my mom, Kathy, who spent ten years as a single parent, working and raising me. My mom has been an incredible source of inspiration to me, and I love her with all my heart. She met my stepdad, Mahlon, at a pivotal time in my life. Over the years, he was a constant source of wisdom, strength, and support. Sadly, he passed away a few weeks before this book went to print. He was loved and will be missed. My dad, otherwise known as Stormin Norman, has constantly challenged my ideals by asking hard questions about my life choices.

To all the amazing individuals who let me interview them for this book thank you. This book wouldnt be the same without your stories.

Another huge thanks goes to the readers of RowdyKittens.com ! Thanks for sticking around for the past four years. Im deeply appreciative of every click that comes my way and every heartfelt comment thats been left on the blog. Thank you for your support!

Last, but not least, a huge thank you goes to my husband, Logan. I could not have written this book without his constant pep talks and willingness to listen when my confidence faltered. I never imagined that Id find true love in a bar or get married, but I did. And I couldnt ask for a better best friend and life partner.

Compared to what we ought to be, we are only half awake.

W ILLIAM J AMES

H ave you ever experienced a turning point? Where the tide beneath your feet completely shifts and you start thinking in a brand-new way? On December 31, 2007, I experienced a turning point an idea that caused me to wake up out of a deep haze.. In the video, Dee talked about the idea of downsizing, or what she called smart-sizing herself, and why she decided to build a small, cozy dwelling on wheels.

After watching the video, I became completely intrigued by the idea of simplifying my life, and subsequently I read other articles about Dee and her little house. need. In a small zine called The Little House Dee described her trip by saying, I met some incredible people. They were generous and kind and very, very poor. They didnt have running water or electricity in their houses. They cooked outside and shared a bathroom with their neighbors. And still they seemed happy... at least, they made our work fun and helped me feel happy. When Dee returned to Portland, Oregon, she sold her big house and decided to downsize dramatically by building her own tiny, 84-square-foot home on wheels, a dwelling similar in size to the homes she saw in Guatemala.

Dees story resonated with me on a number of levels. She was the kind of person I wanted to be; she prioritized what was most important in life, like building strong relationships, giving back to her community, and doing what she loved for a living. She wasnt focused on the acquisition of material goods and was authentically living her ideals. Most of all, she seemed happy.

. After reading a lot of blogs and books focused on simple living, my husband, Logan, and I decided to start downsizing our living space. We gave away most of our belongings. Interestingly, the more we gave away, the better we felt. Happiness researchers call this a helpers high, in which helping others through volunteering or giving reduces stress and releases endorphins.

Prior to this turning point, I had been living a normal life and I wasnt happy. Logan and I were thirty thousand dollars in debt, living paycheck to paycheck, and felt stuck in a rut. Something had to change, especially if we wanted to make our dreams a reality.

As I was doing background research for this book, I wondered what a normal life looked like in the United States. I discovered some very disturbing trends. income declined between 2009 and 2011, and the number of people without health insurance increased. In September 2011, National Public Radio reported, Income declined for just about everyone surprisingly at a faster rate overall than it did in 2008, when the recession was in full swing. In addition, a variety of reports indicate the average American carries over eight thousand dollars in credit card debt and has 6.5 credit cards. Like many Americans, Logan and I had good intentions we wanted to pay down our debt, improve our health, and contribute to our community. Until we made a shift in our lifestyle, none of these things would happen.