14 Ways To Add Value To Any Situation, Part II

By Sunday, July 27, 2014 3 0

Diamond-Cut Life is about how to be rich in the things that matter, like health, financial solvency, dynamic relationships, and peaceful coexistence. Last week I named my first seven ways to add value to any situation. This post completes the two-part series, and draws from my background in counseling psychology (I have an M.S. in that field). Set a boundary. A boundary clarifies ...

Eight Tips On Compulsive Hoarding

By Saturday, March 1, 2014 10 0

Hoarding tends to trigger stress, depression and anger in the families and friends of the one who hoards. I suggest that hoarding -- being out of control with accumulated stuff -- is the reverse image of being rich in what matters. Hoarding creates suffering, even though it is triggered by abundance. Rotting garbage, rodent and insect infestations, shame, ...

Friendly Tour: The 57 Best Posts Since 2007

By Sunday, February 9, 2014 7 0

570 of anything, whether it’s books, bikes or blog posts, means you can’t find what you want without help. Since Diamond-Cut Life has posted more than 570 pieces since it started in late 2007, I'm presenting today a new page: a friendly tour of the 57 best/most popular posts on how to be rich in what matters, arranged ...

Best Low-Cost And No-Cost Christmas Gifts

By Wednesday, December 18, 2013 8 0

Giving and receiving gifts can be juicy and joyful, and make us lots richer in what matters. I think the best gift-giving keeps us living within our means and grounded in our values. Climate change is driven by overconsumption, and research indicates that more stuff doesn't even increase our happiness. But more and better relationships do. A cool ...

The Heretical Truth About Money

Mainstream culture tells us to buy as much stuff as possible. Hence the success of Walmart. Upscale mainstream culture tells us to buy the most expensive stuff possible. Hence the success of designer labels and Ferraris. Mainstream wisdom is that buying lots of stuff and/or expensive stuff  will give us happiness, status and popularity. The heretical truth is ...

When Slow Is Fast

By Thursday, August 29, 2013 12 0

Like many people, I have lots to do. And I love to get a lot done.   So I tend to rush. Which often,  just slows me down. For example, it takes me forever to get dressed in the morning when I've done a hurried, harum-skarum job of putting my clothes away for the past month. I can't ...