When going on a trip, do you
A) Bring everything … so that you are prepared, so you can help others who don't have "x", love choices, and enjoy bringing much of you to wherever you are going?
or
B) Bring as little as possible, feeling the challenge to use everything you brought and for you less is more?
I fall in the latter category … I tend to pack my bag a week in advance … it sits in the corner of the room and I put stuff in a pile all week and then at some point, weed out whatever I can. I know this will sound absolutely ridiculous, but as often as possible, I travel with a computer bag as my suitcase. Because I am '5 foot nothin' as a tall friend referred to me once … I struggle to reach the overhead compartments on planes and usually, I like to carry on my bag just to save time on the other end. So with a computer bag, I can put it under the seat and I don't have to ask for help.
I'm leaving on a four day trip with two nice evening events. I almost have it all in … I might have to actually carry my computer in hand (!) … but I bet if I work at it, I can get it in too. Right now I have my toiletries bag, a pair of shoes, two pairs of pants, PJs three nice shirt / sweater combos, a cello tuner, music, a book, and underwear, socks, jewelry, etc. And, of course the outfit I am wearing. But I would really like to take my glasses, journal, and fit my computer in it and not burst a zipper.
What to do.
I want to take it all (my version of "all"), yet I also want unencumbered freedom - I loath carrying things – no purse or other carry on … just a present for the person I am going to see (which, humorously is larger than my bag and therefore will have to go up in the bin!! But it's not heavy, so I can do it myself).
This is how life is too. Everything you add in is a weight. However, it usually also brings a blessing. So the question is, does the benefit out weight the cost?
The cost/benefit ratio … that is really what life's choices are about. Our highest values determine what we are willing to pay in terms of costs and what we consider to be benefits.
The real issue is:
Often, we are truly unaware of the costs.
And under / over estimate the benefits.
So … a good life comes from knowing how to accurately determine these.