How to be Cool!
January 30, 2012 in Minimalist Tips
A photo taken by my hubby with his ‘Featuring You‘collection.
So last Monday morning I was reading about Leslie on Miss Minimalist’s blog and was thinking ‘She is SO cool!’. I head over there every Monday morning to read about how someone is using the minimalist ideas to better their life. It is a great start to the week. (I recommend it 
)
Then I got to thinking, ‘Well yeah, that is where we are now. I am that simple living minimalist cool person too!’
Growing up it seems that we try too hard to fit into what we think the world thinks is ‘Cool’, but as we grow, we start to form our own opinions of what we think is cool. What we start to think is cool is what we wish we were/want to be.
Instead of a kid wanting others to think they are ‘cool’, as an adult I want to think I am ‘cool‘.
Being ‘Cool’ is living your dreams! Deciding what you think success and fun is and working toward it.
Most of the folks I hang out with probably think I am nuts. I have to have a blog and find like minded people online (and I love you all!), but as far as I am concerned (and my hubby is concerned), we are the coolest people we know. We are cool because:
- We own very little stuff and live in a small space
- We are creating content (on the blog and my husband with his photography)
- We are Christian and able to be active in our church
- We take amazing road trips far away for a long time (last summer 5 weeks all over western Canada and US)
- We home school and are actively involved in our kids education and what they are learning
- I am writing. I always dreamed of writing, but I am not that good at the technical stuff (you might have noticed). I am so glad I have chosen to write anyways because I am having so much fun. (feel free to point out any super embarrassing errors and I will get them fixed… and love you forever)
The other thing on our ‘cool bucket list’ is international travel. I have been loving reading about these cool people lately:
- Married With Luggage - couple traveling the world with just what they can fit in their backpacks. On their second year now. Traveling from Thailand to Northern Europe by land starting in April.
- Exile Lifestyle - guy that travels to a different country every 4 months (lets his readers vote on where), and writes tons of books. (and he has those super cool toe separating shoes that I think look so fun)
- Sean Ogle Location 180 - This was the featured blog yesterday
- I am wanting to check out Art of Backpacking because it looks really cool too.
I understand that everyone doesn’t see this as cool…. probably only a few, but that is the beauty in it. Everyone has different dreams and goals and everyone can be ‘cool’ if they can work toward them. Don’t worry about if other people will think it is cool. Live up to your own ‘cool expectations’!
Here are some other ideas I thought of:
- Growing your own food
- Making your own clothes
- Being good at a sport
- Playing an instrument
- Having a specific job
- Having a specific training or degree
- Building a house or something else
- Being considered an expert in a field
- Being super environmentally friendly
What do you think is cool? How cool are you?
Like this post? This blog community? Would you share it and help get the word out Thanks!
Great post! I just wrote today about large houses vs small houses and how we want to sell our very large house and build something quite a bit smaller, like in the 850sf range. But, whenever I talk to ANYBODY about building a small house they think we are out of our minds, that we will hate it, and then we will be stuck. I hope that isn’t the case, and I definitely believe that whatever your thinking is, eventually becomes your real life situation; but the negative thoughts are slightly annoying! It would be nice if someone would say to us, what a responsible thing! Building a house you can afford, one that works for your family. That is why I like the online community, finding like minded people. People that have been on this journey much longer than I have, and people that are just starting.
I think that a small house is cool! Especially if you can build it yourself and design it well. Well designed small spaces, I believe, can hold much more stuff and be much nicer (you can pay for much nicer furnishings and materials for a smaller space), be greener and more fun. Thanks for sharing!
We live in Des Moines, and also love to travel. We can’t always pack up and go go go like we want, but we have made a goal to see all 99 counties in Iowa. Now I know that sounds like a dream come true to almost everyone (NOT!) but we find great pleasure in getting out of the city (yep, we’re a city) and onto the highway and county roads, and exploring all the cool little towns dotted across the Iowa landscape. We don’t really have any rules, except I always take at least one picture per county, of the courthouse, but anything else that catches our eye we stop, explore, take pictures of, and gush over. We have seen some amazing things- some unexpected, amazing things here! It works for us, so I guess that constitutes one of our Dreams!
http://www.heatherloveshinythings.blogspot.com
fun! thanks for sharing
love your pic of the staircase from December. I tried to post on your site, but it wouldn’t let me without having a blogspot account
hmmmm, what do i think is cool?
i’d have to say the simple act of being comfortable in your own skin (which can mean something different for everyone) is cool.
yes, another great one!
[...] finally decided to go with the dreads came after writing the post about how to be cool. Now I am just [...]
Hi Lorilee!
From one “cool girl” to another, keep up the good work! I love what your wrote: “Being ‘Cool’ is living your dreams! Deciding what you think success and fun is and working toward it.”
So true! Thanks for the great blog…
Leslie from Texas
thanks so much for coming by!