Maximum Gratitude, Minimal Stuff

Change starts with you. I wish there was an easier way to put that.  If only change began when we read or saw something that excited us.  If that was the way to make a big change, we'd be able to maintain the "aha" moment.  The thrill would last.  Each day we'd feel energized for our new path. If only reading my blog, or watching a podcast, or joining a class took care of making the change you dream about.  Those things might be the inspiration, they might offer a guide, they might create a community you can join – but you need to take the steps. A thousand steps Or what about the adage that says change starts when you hit rock bottom?  If only that were true.  I've known people who believed they'd hit rock bottom, tried to change, and then when things started to go wrong (or they were confronted with the demons they'd been hiding from all along), they fell again.  Sometimes they fell further.  Rock bottom hadn't been the bottom after all. Tr...

If you want to, you can become a minimalist overnight by renouncing all of your possessions.  Hire a firm to do an estate sale, or call 1-800-GOT-JUNK , and get rid of everything fast.  Keep some underwear and toiletries, a couple pairs of pants and a couple of shirts, and your most comfortable shoes.  Maybe you can keep your phone and some ID.  Now you're a minimalist! Of course, that's not a realistic approach for most of us.  In fact, I don't know anyone who would choose to live like that, including myself. A slower, less drastic approach works better.  So I recommend this step-by-step guide. 10 steps to a simpler home 1.  Stop the bleeding. Just like an emergency worker doing triage, you need to stabilize your situation before you can continue with the process.  This means you need to stop buying unnecessary things. You can never reduce clutter until you stop bringing it into your home.  You need to get control of your shopping habits , w...

When we listen to the news – especially the rumors, rants, and outright lies that are so often reported as truth – it's easy to become angry, cynical, and full of despair. Our world is far from perfect.  There's crime, pollution, disease, hunger, wars and rumors of wars.  There's the insane hatred that leads to terrorism.  And global warming threatens food and water shortages, natural disasters, and the real possibility that life as we know it will become impossible. Even as we try to make improvements, new problems emerge.  It's as if we're in a boat that has sprung a fatal leak, and no amount of bailing will save us.  Human error and selfishness seem to outweigh our ingenuity and goodwill. The road of hope So why bother to try?  Why not embrace isolationism, take care of ourselves, and forget about everyone and everything else?  Why not give up and let Armageddon come? That's the road of no hope.  Those choices let selfishness and evil win. I re...

Have you been wanting a simpler wardrobe that takes less space and makes the decision of what to wear easier?  Would you like to save money and time?  Maybe you're tired of competing and comparing, feeling awkward in your fashion mistakes, or wasting the pieces that sit at the back of your closet with the tags on.  Or maybe you just wish your closet looked clean and organized. But a minimalist wardrobe has to be all black, white, and gray, right?  Maybe with the occasional dab of red.... And a minimalist wardrobe has to be just 33 pieces, right?  Including shoes and accessories?  I think that's something I read in a book.... A minimalist wardrobe won't work for you if you love fashion, right?  It should include only basic, "classic" pieces.... You know what?  You don't have to give up on the idea of dressing with more ease and enjoyment.  You can break the "rules" and still create a minimalist wardrobe. 6 "rules" you can bend to suit yourse...

Swamped.  Hectic.  Tired .  This is how we describe ourselves much too often.  There are too many chores and activities that we dread.  Why are we so over-burdened? Once upon a time, I was given a Kodak Instamatic camera.  With my valued possession, I took 24 photos on a family vacation.  After getting them developed at the drug store, I chose the best and stuck them in my photo album, where my siblings and I enjoyed looking at them over and over.  Now I can take hundreds of photos with my phone every day if I want to.  But has my capacity to manage those photos increased in the past 50 years?  Most people I know are drowning in photos, and rarely share or look at most of them more than once. When I was little, my mom went to one store to buy my socks and underwear.  She went to one fabric store for dress patterns and materials.  Now I have thousands of choices online.  The plethora of brands and reviews can steal hours – ...

In a noisy, complex world, minimalism is an appealing choice.  Even if you don't want to stick with shades of white, beige, and gray in your decorating (which isn't necessary for a minimalist home, but many people think it is), you may wish for more order and calm in your life.  Even if you don't want to wear all black (which isn't necessary to a minimalist wardrobe, but many people think it is), you may crave mindfulness and focus . Minimalism goes beyond a design aesthetic or decluttering.  It's a mindset that affects all areas of life. But while you can find many articles and social media posts featuring stark minimalist homes (or the backlash against so much emptiness, maximalism ) and 10-piece minimalist wardrobes, you don't see quite as much written about the following habits that can create a framework for more meaning, balance, and fulfillment every day. The 10 habits 1.  Screen sabbaticals Unplug technology and take a break from screens to improve slee...

Are you curious about minimalism and wondering if it would be a good lifestyle for you?  Lots of people are exploring the idea and talking about the benefits, and you'd like to know if it's something you should consider.  Fortunately, you've come to the right place.  I've designed a quiz that will help you decide.  Simply write down the first answer that comes to mind for each question. So grab a pen and paper and jot down yes or no as your response.  It will take only a few minutes to learn whether minimalism has anything valuable to offer you. The minimalist quiz 1.  Would you like a calmer, more spacious home? If serenity and breathing room are important to you, write yes . 2.  Do you wish you had more free time? If the idea of having a few extra hours is attractive, say yes . 3.  Would you enjoy having more money in the bank? Not everyone cares about owing less and saving more, but if that appeals to you, choose yes . 4.  Would you like...

What if you knew there was one tiny thing you could do to make yourself healthier, both physically and emotionally?  What if there was plenty of scientific evidence that this one-minute habit would have a giant positive impact on your life?  Would you want to do it? Guess what?  There is such a practice, and you can start doing it now.  There's nothing to buy, no app to download, and no class to take.  The behavior is gratitude, and it's simple and effective. Why do we need gratitude? Like every other living thing on our planet, our brains evolved with two major purposes: survive and reproduce.  And they're really good at it.  Our brains keep us connected to the world and each other, and they constantly alert us to what's wrong and what we need to fix. That's right – our brains gather information about our environment through our senses, staying hyper-aware of anything that could pose a threat. The trouble is that we're prone to think about all the th...