A Conversation about Simple Living and Blogging
A couple of weeks ago I had to opportunity to sit down with Tony Mazzocchi to discuss simple living. A couple of years ago, Tony decided to make big lifestyles changes in order to live more simply and has been writing about this process on his blog, “We Only Do This Once” (his new logo on the right) . Taking knowledge from his real life experiences, on the blog Tony writes about selling unnecessary stuff, getting personal finances in order, organizing your life, and finding time for yourself.
Tony and I talked about freeing yourself from the burden of debt and possessions and how this process challenges you to change your behavior, mental attitude, and perspective on life. By thinking deeply through things like money, time, and purpose Tony was able to make huge changes in his life to create a happier and more productive existence. He talked about he is now able to contribute to the world in ways that he thinks are more meaningful and important and that ultimately helps more people.
The name of his blog, “We Only Do This Once” refers to Tony’s mantra and the idea that we have to make the most of our time and our life. The idea that “we only do this once” gave Tony the motivation get out of debt, get rid of the things he didn’t need and work on figuring out the best and most important ways to spend his time and energy every day.
He found that writing the blog was helpful for him but more importantly, it served as a place where he could use his experiences to help others. He found that many people were looking for information on lifestyle changes, getting debt under control, etc. so rather than only detailing his own experiences, he actively writes from a perspective that’s informative.
From speaking with Tony and reading his blog I have learned that a good blog will be written in a way that readers can learn from the writer’s experiences. Blog posts detailing knowledge of your own life should ultimately help readers change their lives too. So far, Tony’s blog has won several awards so he must really be on to something! He is currently writing a book and I’m sure that will only provide us with more great insight on how to create happier, more meaningful lives.
My experience talking to Tony was very enlightening – both in terms of how to create a successful blog and what it means to live simply. Our conversation reminded me of how each simplifying narrative is personal and distinctive – everyone has a different story to share. This uniqueness exists in all of our lives but it is intriguing to learn how a lifestyle choice like living simply can differ from person to person. One thing that constantly resonates with me is how each story of simplifying always seems to contain a lesson about the positive benefits and satisfaction that comes from these changes.
Comments by Laurie