{"id":505,"date":"2013-05-13T16:43:04","date_gmt":"2013-05-13T16:43:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.blessedinthemess.com\/blog\/?p=505"},"modified":"2013-05-13T19:28:04","modified_gmt":"2013-05-13T19:28:04","slug":"culture-of-excess","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.blessedinthemess.com\/blog\/culture-of-excess\/","title":{"rendered":"Culture of Excess"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Picture<\/a><\/p>\n

Back Porch Sitting <\/em><\/p>\n

The more I take in the world around me, the violent tragedies, the broken families, the crashing economy, the rapid growth of obesity, diseases, etc. the more I realize that our society is creating our own future doom because of our culture of excess.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Culture of excess… what do I mean by this?\u00a0 It’s quite simple, we do too much, we spend too much, we eat too much.\u00a0 We pay little attention to the things that matter and lots of attention to the things that don’t- which results in the society we have created today.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Please know that the examples I give below are general and are no reflection of one specific person, there are plenty<\/em> of things I need to work on with this as well.<\/p>\n

I see much of this first hand in families today.\u00a0 I know I am not a parent yet, so I realize there are many things to learn yet about that world and the challenges it brings.\u00a0 However, I was a nanny for several different families for almost a decade.\u00a0 I am not just talking babysitting for a parents night out, I am talking full on almost 24-7 childcare.\u00a0 I adored every single family in different ways.\u00a0 Want to know what I noticed the most?\u00a0 Parents or myself constantly running from one thing to the next.\u00a0 School, dance practice, piano lessons, basketball practice, agility camp etc.\u00a0 Meanwhile you have the majority of parents that work now right?\u00a0 So usually they come home after an exhausting day of work and then continue to rush their kids around to a million different things until they have to rush them to bed to do it all over again the next day.\u00a0\u00a0 This usually results in McDonald’s for dinner and perhaps a lot of meltdowns or yelling at each other because you are all tired, and have had no time to decompress the day.\u00a0\u00a0 So you can’t blame anybody for feeling agitated.\u00a0 Often times I see discipline is the first thing that goes out the door, which is a crucial part of parenthood that should NOT be ignored just because there is no time or energy for it.\u00a0 I get it, we want our kids to have all the opportunities in the world, to be the best they can be, to have more than we did and not to mention EVERY other kid is involved in all of these things right?\u00a0 But there are serious consequences of that.\u00a0 If we are too busy to teach our children manners, respect, discuss the world with them, ask about their day, teach them about serving others, allow them time to reflect, decompress, cope with issues, or heck just allow them time to be kids…they will have serious\u00a0 problems functioning well into adulthood.<\/p>\n

\"Picture<\/a>More time to sit and read the Sunday paper<\/em><\/p>\n

Many of our younger generations have serious issues dealing with life and with their emotions.\u00a0 I see this at the high school and college level…A LOT.\u00a0 When they have a conflict at school, with a friend, do poorly in a competition, it seems that they have serious trouble knowing how to handle it, how to deal with their feelings.\u00a0 Why?\u00a0 Because we never give them a chance to. They barely have time to breathe, yet alone deal with their emotions.<\/p>\n

This is not just for people with families,\u00a0 In general I think we are too busy.\u00a0 Lord knows I am extremely guilty of that.\u00a0 I had a really pivotal moment a few weeks ago that made this all come to a crashing halt for me. I was driving home from AU, on my way to train some clients and of course I was running a little behind.\u00a0 I had all these things on my mind of what I needed to do, homework, laundry, pick up Wyatt’s medicine, get groceries, return that friends phone call, etc.\u00a0 You know how it is, the list goes on and on and I don’t even have a family yet!\u00a0 As I am driving down a side street I notice an elderly man trying to get his dog who seemed to have ran out of the house.\u00a0 The dog was trying to play and run around with him but the older man was very growing very frustrated and could not keep up.\u00a0 He kept calling the dog to come back and would get so close and the dog would run away again.\u00a0 I could tell the man was not very mobile and was really struggling.\u00a0 A very clear voice in my head said “Get out and help him.” but then another voice said “But I’m already late, he will be fine right?”.\u00a0 Needless to say I did not get out and help him and man did God wrestle with me on this one.\u00a0\u00a0 My guilt tore me apart for weeks.\u00a0 Am I really too busy to be a good citizen?\u00a0 To help somebody out?\u00a0 If I am too busy to do my due diligence as human being, something needs to change<\/strong>. That is NOT acceptable.\u00a0 I have serious changes to make.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Picture<\/a><\/p>\n

More time to snuggle with my pup<\/em><\/p>\n

Being busy has become a societal norm.\u00a0 It is one of the reasons fast food and processed food have reaped havoc on our health.\u00a0 Nobody has time to cook.\u00a0 We are too busy to think about our spending, and end up with a house full of crap we don’t need and credit card debt high enough to feed a starving small country.\u00a0\u00a0 We are even too busy to deal with our emotions,\u00a0 so we bottle them up and then wonder why later our lives seem to be falling apart.<\/p>\n

This culture of excess MUST stop.\u00a0 We have to take control.\u00a0 Control of our finances, control of our health, control of our families, control of our minds.\u00a0 Maybe that means we can’t do everything, or be everything to everybody.\u00a0 Maybe that means we can’t be the best. \u00a0 But that’s okay.\u00a0 Because in the end, we wont be so busy that we miss that man you pass by that needs help or miss precious time with our family.\u00a0 We will be happier people, better citizens and in turn, put this world back on the track it was meant to be on.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Back Porch Sitting The more I take in the world around me, the violent tragedies, the broken families, the crashing economy, the rapid growth of obesity, diseases, etc. the more I realize that our society is creating our own future doom because of our culture of excess. Culture of excess… what do I mean by this?\u00a0 It’s quite simple, we do too much, we spend too much, we eat too much.\u00a0 We pay little attention to the things that matter and lots of attention to the things that don’t- which results in the society we have created today. Please know that the examples I give below are general and are no reflection of one specific person, there are plenty of things I need to work on with this as well. I see much of this first hand in families today.\u00a0 I know I am not a parent yet, so I realize there are many things to learn yet about that world and the challenges it brings.\u00a0 However, I was a nanny for several different families for almost a decade.\u00a0 I am not just talking babysitting for a parents night out, I am talking full on almost 24-7 childcare.\u00a0 I adored every single family in different ways.\u00a0 Want to know what I noticed the most?\u00a0 Parents or myself constantly running from one thing to the next.\u00a0 School, dance practice, piano lessons, basketball practice, agility camp etc.\u00a0 Meanwhile you have the majority of parents that work now right?\u00a0 So usually they come home after an exhausting day of work and then continue to rush their kids around to a million different things until they have to rush them to bed to do it all over again the next day.\u00a0\u00a0 This usually results in McDonald’s for dinner and perhaps a lot of meltdowns or yelling at each other because you are all tired, and have had no time to decompress the day.\u00a0\u00a0 So you can’t blame anybody for feeling agitated.\u00a0 Often times I see discipline is the first thing that goes out the door, which is a crucial part of parenthood that should NOT be ignored just because there is no time or energy for it.\u00a0 I get it, we want our kids to have all the opportunities in the world, to be the best they can be, to have more than we did and not to mention EVERY other kid is involved in all of these things right?\u00a0 But there are serious consequences of that.\u00a0 If we are too busy to teach our children manners, respect, discuss the world with them, ask about their day, teach them about serving others, allow them time to reflect, decompress, cope with issues, or heck just allow them time to be kids…they will have serious\u00a0 problems functioning well into adulthood. More time to sit and read the Sunday paper Many of our younger generations have serious issues dealing with life and with their emotions.\u00a0 I see this at the high school and college level…A LOT.\u00a0 When they have a conflict at school, with a friend, do poorly in a competition, it seems that they have serious trouble knowing how to handle it, how to deal with their feelings.\u00a0 Why?\u00a0 Because we never give them a chance to. They barely have time to breathe, yet alone deal with their emotions. This is not just for people with families,\u00a0 In general I think we are too busy.\u00a0 Lord knows I am extremely guilty of that.\u00a0 I had a really pivotal moment a few weeks ago that made this all come to a crashing halt for me. I was driving home from AU, on my way to train some clients and of course I was running a little behind.\u00a0 I had all these things on my mind of what I needed to do, homework, laundry, pick up Wyatt’s medicine, get groceries, return that friends phone call, etc.\u00a0 You know how it is, the list goes on and on and I don’t even have a family yet!\u00a0 As I am driving down a side street I notice an elderly man trying to get his dog who seemed to have ran out of the house.\u00a0 The dog was trying to play and run around with him but the older man was very growing very frustrated and could not keep up.\u00a0 He kept calling the dog to come back and would get so close and the dog would run away again.\u00a0 I could tell the man was not very mobile and was really struggling.\u00a0 A very clear voice in my head said “Get out and help him.” but then another voice said “But I’m already late, he will be fine right?”.\u00a0 Needless to say I did not get out and help him and man did God wrestle with me on this one.\u00a0\u00a0 My guilt tore me apart for weeks.\u00a0 Am I really too busy to be a good citizen?\u00a0 To help somebody out?\u00a0 If I am too busy to do my due diligence as human being, something needs to change. That is NOT acceptable.\u00a0 I have serious changes to make.   More time to snuggle with my pup Being busy has become a societal norm.\u00a0 It is one of the reasons fast food and processed food have reaped havoc on our health.\u00a0 Nobody has time to cook.\u00a0 We are too busy to think about our spending, and end up with a house full of crap we don’t need and credit card debt high enough to feed a starving small country.\u00a0\u00a0 We are even too busy to deal with our emotions,\u00a0 so we bottle them up and then wonder why later our lives seem to be falling apart. This culture of excess MUST stop.\u00a0 We have to take control.\u00a0 Control of our finances, control of our health, control of our families, control of our minds.\u00a0 Maybe that means we can’t do everything, or be everything to everybody.\u00a0 Maybe that means we can’t be the best. \u00a0 But that’s okay.\u00a0 Because in the end, we wont be so busy that we miss that man you pass by that needs help or miss precious time with our family.\u00a0 We will be happier people, better citizens and in turn, put this world back on the track it was meant to be on.        <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-505","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t