Medium Marie Monday, July 9th 2012.

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A free ebook written and offered by Leo Babauta. You can find a link to his website and the ebook below.

There comes a moment when we stop and wonder, "Is this all there is? Is there another way to live my life that will bring the joy and contentment that eludes me?"

Caught in the patterns of our lives, each of us has an intuition of something beyond the way we are now living. This ancient practice of Zen has the power to heal division and offer the strength, compassion and refreshment we all desire. The truth about Zen is that it is simple, and best practiced right in the midst of our everyday lives.

As we begin to live the Zen way, we develop a new way of knowing and of being in the world. We do not analyze, explain or justify what happens. Rather than try to mold or control our experience, we simply make friends with it, become acquainted, let it instruct us and be our guide.

The recent economic recession has a lot of people worried, about their jobs, their businesses, their homes and their bills. When your income is dropping or in jeopardy and you still have a mountain of bills to pay, things can get pretty scary.

However, tough economic times do not have to be a time of struggles! If you look for the opportunity in the middle of difficulty, as Mr. Einstein suggested, then tough economic times become an opportunity to transform your life.

The problems of our economy stem from unchecked consumerism - many are living a lifestyle that is outside the means of their income. In the US we utilize our credit to continue to on living this lifestyle, hoping that things will eventually get better.

Unfortunately, this kind of lifestyle is unsustainable, both at a personal and global level. What does this mean for you personally? It means that in order to survive a tough economy, adjustment to your lifestyle is necessary. Simplify you life tomake room for the truly important. Clear away the excess spending to make room for the essential. Take this economic downturn as a challenge to see what it means to thrive on less - to live a better quality of life built on the foundation of love and family, excercise and outdoor activites, reading or finding peace of mind. Spend time with the loved ones in your life, and the things you are most passionate about.

Go back to the beginning.
The Zen way is to return to the beginning. We stop, sit down, look within. We remember where we came from, who we are and where we are headed. We also remember to take care of our simple lives as well as the lives of others along the way.

By returning to our original nature, we remember how to sit, breathe, eat, play and re-claim the excitement, joy and adventure we felt as children, but lost along the way.

In Leo Babauta's ebook, you will begin on a road to that simple lifestyle. Leo will show you how you can thrive on less, change your habits and create a more sustainable lifestyle. He will show you how you can take control of your life, and climb out of debt - and be learn to live a life that will thrive in any economic time.

Download the free ebook from Leo's website.

Introduction
1. A Simple Lifestyle
2. Focus on the Essentials
3. Thriving on Less, Not Struggling
4. Focusing on Enough, Not More
5. Make Small Financial Changes First
6. Look at Large Expenses for the Long Term
7. Changing Your Spending Habits
8. A Guide to Getting Out of Debt
9. Tools for a Frugal Life
10. Resources