Mary Schmidt Marketing Troubleshooter

“Not keeping up the Joneses is not a constant struggle. It doesn’t take a lot of discipline. I think that once you start it’s actually easy and fulfilling, not grim at all.”
- Rita Schmidt, Little House On A Small Planet

I’m lucky - here in New Mexico we’re pretty laid back. (No, Rita is no relation.) Many people live here precisely because we don’t have to “keep up with the Joneses.” (Of course, there are status junkies here like everywhere else - they just don’t dominate.)

I strongly believe the reason so many people are so stressed (particularly now that our “easy credit” days seem to be over) is those mythical Joneses. Who, if you knew them, are probably just as stressed, if not more so.

Here’s my riff on some key points from Little House:

Choose a New Jones. These days, my “Jones” are the people who can live well on less, want to make positive changes, and don’t obsess about their (or their house’s) looks.

Find New Friends. If your friends rate you based on your possessions, it’s time to find not just new, but real friends. I’ve got several who have much nicer homes and state-of-the-art entertainment systems…and they’re perfectly happy to come flop on my old sofa and watch my decidedly “non-state” television.

Forget the Joneses? Who cares if the guy who used to work for you is now a millionaire. Is your family healthy? Are your children happy? Did you take a great vacation this year? (Note great isn’t necessarily the same as expensive. Duh-oh!) Envy won’t change a thing. Or, as Oscar Wilde noted, “Living well is the best revenge.”

Close Your Eyes. I’m in marketing - know when I’m being played…and I can still feel the tug of those miraculous marketing pitches. Remember those ads are designed to get you to buy something…probably won’t really change your life. (A Ralph Lauren shirt won’t magically transform you into the gorgeously blonde scion of an old money family in Boston.)

That’s all for now. Happy Friday! I’m off to put together another pile of stuff for Goodwill. (The less you have, the less you have to dust…;-)