Think-Back-On-It Thursday #11 - Minimalist Mentors

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I can't believe I've written nearly 525 posts for Maximum Gratitude Minimal Stuff.  As I revise, update, and check links on older posts, I'm pleased to notice that some of them are really interesting and useful.


But many of you are newer readers, and have never seen posts that were written in 2018 or 2019, or even last year.  And if you've been a faithful reader for quite a while (I appreciate you), you've probably forgotten.  I keep coming across posts I don't remember, and I actually wrote them!


It's worth visiting what we've written, read, or thought before, as both a reminder and for new insights.  So on selected Thursdays, instead of posting new content, I'm going to direct you toward posts of the past that I think are worth a re-read.


contented baby



Inspiring minimalism


Most of us don't just wake up one morning and say "I want to become a minimalist."  Maybe we look around our homes and think, "I need to clean up around here.  Where did all of this stuff come from?"  But to actually start the work of decluttering, learn how to do it, stick with it for the long haul, and then go on to minimize our schedules, tech, debt, and more?  That usually takes more than a spur-of-the-moment decision.


My original minimalist mentors were Elaine St. James and Vicki Robin, and I became a minimalist homeschooler under the influence of John Holt (I started reading his books when I was student teaching to earn my California credential).  More than 10 years later, I found a lot of motivation from Leo Babauta, Francine Jay, and Joshua Becker.*


* This blog is reader-supported.  If you buy through my links, I may earn a small commission.


But just as you never know when inspiration is going to strike, you can't tell exactly where it will come from.  I hope you're finding ongoing insight from this blog, but you might wonder where I get my ideas.  What keeps me motivated to think and write about minimalism?


Well, you might be surprised.  I certainly am.  Inspiration comes in all shapes and sizes.




Welcome, Little One!  You Can Teach Us How to Have a Better Life, from May 2, 2022

Modern consumer culture has made babies Big Business, and the number of products sold as "necessities" grows every year.  But babies are minimalists – happy with food, warmth, clean diapers, and love.  We can learn from them.


Lighten Your Load, from June 24, 2019

This post is by my husband Jon, not me, but he shares inspiration that comes from Scottish-American naturalist John Muir and a big mistake made by his high school friend Randy.  His post gives all of us more insight into the challenges and benefits of minimalism by comparing it to a wilderness backpacking trip.


One Little Word That Can Help You Succeed at Anything, from August 15, 2022

Change is exciting, uncomfortable, and a little scary, and your attitude determines your success.  One word makes the difference when things get tough.  With inspiration from Minecraft, Harry Potter, and piano lessons, you can learn how to get through those uncomfortable moments of growth.


27 Things I Stopped Buying When I Embraced Minimalism, from September 19, 2022

We're all bombarded with ads and influencers that push us to buy, buy, buy.  What if we learned to buy less?  Inspired by the Buy Nothing community, I did a Buy Nothing year in 2022, which continued into 2023 and has become my normal lifestyle.  Read all about it, and see if it doesn't inspire you to do something more creative with your time and resources.


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