Maximum Gratitude, Minimal Stuff

Humans are meant to be creative.  By pushing boundaries, breaking new ground, and developing inventive ideas and techniques, we've adapted and survived through the ages.  Creativity makes us responsive and resilient, and it feeds our souls. But what if you feel like you're in a creative rut?  What if you're too busy to do anything creative?  We've all been there, and these tips can help you flex your creativity once again. Practices that jumpstart creativity 1.  Change your environment. We can get locked into thinking the same way when we're in the same surroundings day by day.  My house is the same, my neighborhood and workspace haven't changed – how can I shake myself out of feeling bored with the same old stuff? Rearrange your house or your workspace.   Change around pictures, plants, even furniture for a "new" look. Add a new scent.   Try a new candle or reed diffuser.  Run a cut-up lemon through your garbage disposal.  Place a bouquet of lavender

I think it's a positive choice to remember our mortality.  It may not be something we think about every day, but it shouldn't be something we ignore completely.  It's not only an inevitable part of life, it's part of what gives life meaning.  As Brad Pitt (as Achilles) says in the movie Troy ,* The gods envy us.  They envy us because we're mortal, because any moment might be our last.  Everything is more beautiful because we're doomed. I'm getting ready to celebrate a birthday, and this is a question I want to contemplate.  It seems particularly apropos since I had emergency surgery in February, and have had pneumonia twice.  This has not been a healthy year for me. It's easy to forget the value of even one day , especially in a world that's always in a hurry and full of distractions.  But we could decide to approach each day as the gift it is, with the realization that none of us is guaranteed tomorrow.  What if I knew this year was my last? * This

Can your brain keep you from decluttering?  Maybe.  Mel Robbins explains how in her useful and inspiring book,  The 5 Second Rule .*  It's not specifically about decluttering, but it's an idea that can help you access your intuition.  What it does is stop you from over-thinking any situation. * This blog is reader-supported, with no ads!  If you buy through my links, I may earn a small commission. How our brains work Like other living entities, we're hardwired to do two things – survive and reproduce.  And our brains are designed to help us.  In fact, they're almost too good at that job.  That's because our brains work very hard to keep us safe from danger. As a result, we can find it hard to be daring, creative, innovative, or even just different from the way we usually are.  When we decide to try something new, our brains are excellent at reminding us of all the reasons we should avoid it.  Memories and fears surface that may persuade us to stick with what has he

You may not realize it, but you could be harboring some beliefs that make it difficult (or even impossible) to declutter and stay that way.  These are common mindsets that can hold us back.  If you're struggling to declutter, it's time to identify the thoughts that are making it so hard. Decluttering block #1: I hate tossing things out. I think we can agree that throwing things out feels wasteful and bad.  Especially if your parents or grandparents lived through the Depression or the World War II era, this mindset runs deep.  The urge to keep everything (even things that are broken) will be stronger if you or your family have a history of trauma or hoarding.  You might not even be aware of how strong this inner compulsion is until you start trying to declutter. If you find it hard to get rid of broken, frayed, outgrown, neglected, or otherwise unused things, see if one of these reminders can help: 1.  The reprimand might not be coming from you. Your aversion to tossing out an o

My 2-year-old grandson loves working.  He stacks up blocks so he can knock them down and build them again.  He puts rocks in his toy dump truck so he can tip them out and fill up again.  He puts the pretend food from the play kitchen in his little grocery cart, then lines it up on the sofa so he can "shop" all over again. Of course, he's playing, not working, but what he's emulating is work.  The siren sounds that accompany the toy fire truck are "hurrying to stop the fire."  Even putting stuffed animals down for their "nap" and then waking them up to "feed" them is a copy of the work his mom does. For many of us, however, work isn't something we seem to enjoy.  How many complaints have you (or a coworker) made about Monday morning?  How many times have you wished for (or rejoiced at) Friday afternoon?  How many weekend chores have you complained about?  All of these behaviors are common, and even expected in our culture.  We're n