Living Small for A Well Life
Living Small Can Lead to A Well and Anxiety Free Life
Updated 2026: The American Dream many of us grew up with was an idealized road map of education leading to secure jobs, a big house, a standard family unit, leading to retirement in a sunny state. Well... that's been blown away by the reality of changing economics, failing social safety nets, and unexpected family care burdens, to name a few.
On top of that, the world population is increasing at about 250,000 (not a typo) people per day, putting intense pressure on the environment and human infrastructure. This can all create an overwhelming sense of despair or hopelessness. One step is to start Living Small for a better life.
"Living Small" means different things to different people, but there are a few common themes for everyone. Foremost is a mindset change to let go of expectation, from within and especially from others, that material wealth and accumulation of material places and things are synonymous with wellness. There is nothing wrong to aspire to own a dream car or beachside cabana. For the ever-increasing number of us struggling with expenses, the real joy and wellness in life stems day to day from unexpected, beautiful scenes and being around people we respect and love. So what else is common to Living Small?
Live in smaller, more affordable housing. Smaller is relative to the number and any special needs of the people in the "family unit" (stay tuned for another blog post on the modern family unit). It can be very difficult to let go of the artificial expectations and perceptions around Living Large, but the rewards can be immense. Lower housing costs, less time doing house chores, and more free time for the creative you. Easier said than done, especially in high rent metro's like San Francisco, so it may take other lifestyle or job changes to make it happen. The author is a case study. I recently went from a 2000 sq ft 3-bedroom house to a 250 sq ft tiny home, which I call my "digital cottage". I can work on more projects of interest, have money for travel, and more time to be with family and loved ones. I am happier and freer than I have been in a long time!
You don't need 20 pairs of shoes or jackets or ... fill in the blank .... I learned this with my own housing downsize, where a bunch of clothing went into storage, and after a few weeks, I totally did not miss any of it. This does not mean you need to live in the same ragged outfit daily, but downsizing your wardrobe, then keeping it downsized, saves a lot of money and facilitates Living Small. Other obvious aspects of Living Small that seem hard on the surface but easy once accomplished include: less expensive and more efficient cars; walking, biking, and public transit; and eating healthy for less.
But it all starts with an emancipation from the mindset and expectation that Living Big equates to success and happiness, and the realization that Living Small could be an enormous boost to your well being.
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