By Misty I.

What do you love? Do you wish you had more of (fill in the blank) in your life? Is it more balance? Is it more self-care? Is it more time with family and friends?

Or maybe it’s more stuff? More clutter? More crap from the Target clearance section? Probably not.

I give waaaaaay too much meaning to the stuff I own. All of this stuff doesn’t bring me contentment, it just brings clutter. Should I keep my wedding dress? What about my Honolulu Marathon shoes from 2016? I couldn’t possibly get rid of those things, right? Wrong. The Minimalists say it best:

“The memories are not within our stuff, but within us.”

Boy, minimalism is hard and gratifying all at the same time. The more I learn the more I love the concept of “less is more.” I do not believe you are reading this post by happenstance, perhaps you’re ready for a breath of fresh air too. I found this post by another minimalist Leo Babauta intriguing:

Leave Yourself Wanting More

I’m trying to figure out ways to apply some minimalist strategies to my life. This is where I’m headed:

1. GET RID OF CRAP: decluttering is so satisfying! You feel and see the results immediately!! Even cleaning out the “junk drawer” counts! Once you start, keep going!
2. BUILD CAPACITY: I’m really enjoying learning more about minimalism. Right now my fav is reading blog posts on www.theminimalists.com, listening to their podcasts, and getting inspired by their Instagram @theminimalists.
3. LIMIT SPENDING: I can’t continue allowing marketers to make money off of my insecurities. Oh boy….this is so hard. Black Friday is just a few weeks away, will I buckle under consumer pressure? I think the key is to set myself up for success now.
4. EXPLORE THE IDEA OF A CAPSULE WARDROBE: since #3 says I’m limiting my spending I better get creative with my existing wardrobe pronto! I’m interested in trying a capsule, people who’ve tried it seem to love it. Perhaps I’ll start here for inspiration.
5. FOCUS ON EXPERIENCES: slow down and enjoy the little things that really bring me joy. Spending time with my family and friends. Watching baseball. Cooking a meal while listening to jazz. Running.

Are you still reading? Yay!! I will leave you with a warning. Some may try to judge you for trying out minimalism. Why? I’m not sure, but I’ve already encountered it. They may even try to point out all of the “non-minimal” things in your life. It’s okay, let them. Fear not, cheerleaders will emerge as well. Thankfully, I have already encountered those too!

“The beautiful thing about minimalism is there is no right or wrong, there is no pace at which you must live your life, and there is nothing that says “this is how you have to live.” Minimalism is a journey, and it is scary for everyone.” – Ryan Nicodemus

Here’s to a better life and to what’s…only necessary!