Simple.

In the last year or two we've made some major changes in the way we live.

We used to have 2 cars that we both used for long daily commutes. Now we have 1 car that is used as infrequently as possible. I walk 5.5 miles round trip between campus and back (I'll be getting a bike soon), and Kira drives about 9 miles round trip and hopefully will soon be sharing that with a carpool buddy.

We used to spend $85/month to each have cell phones, plus another $10 or $15 for a house line. Now we just have a house line and no cell phones.

We used to have a huge HDTV in our living room and a small crappy old TV in our bedroom. We had satellite service, premium channels, and Tivo. Now we have just the one crappy TV out in the living room, and no cable or satellite service. We pretty much only use it when we borrow DVDs from the library. I suppose I might get a cheap indoor antenna, but probably not.

I've given away probably a third of my clothing. I haven't bought any new clothes (though I have received some as gifts).

We used to regularly eat out or order take-out food. Now we prepare almost every meal ourselves.

We used to own our own home, but now we rent a modest apartment in a high-rise building.

We used to live in the US. Now we live in Canada.

I've made less and less money each of the last several years, really only having a "regular" full time job for about 8 months in the last 3+ years. Now I'll be a full time student with a tiny annual stipend. Now that Kira has completed her bachelor's degree, she's starting a job making half of what she made before she went back to finish.

This trajectory is in many ways the exact opposite of the conventional idea of "success," at least as far as I was concerned for the first 20-some years of my life. But I've gotten happier each step of the way.