Maximum Gratitude, Minimal Stuff

If anything needs decluttering, it might be our minds.  After all, errands, projects, 24-hour news, plans, worries, and more add to the stress and chaos in our brains.  Many of us experience constantly churning thoughts that steal attention from our people and our purpose, and interfere with sleep and peace. How do you declutter a mind?  I used to think my mind was like a filing cabinet, and I could locate an idea and pull it out at will.  But thoughts are much more complicated and messy than that.  They're not orderly or sequential.  You can't just sort through them and then shut the drawer on them.  The brain is more complex and confusing than that.  It contains knowledge and memories, not all of them good.  It contains trivia and trauma, and many layers of consciousness. Fortunately, there are several actions and practices that can make things a bit calmer and simpler.  We've talked about many of them before, but here I've gathered sm...

I'm not a Catholic, but I was inspired by Pope Francis.  His compassion and obvious joy in serving God were, in my opinion, exactly what the Church needed. I was saddened by Francis' passing, because I think he's been a great blessing to many.  Especially today, when hyper-nationalism and far right politics are on the rise, we needed another strong voice to refute those trends.  His emphasis on humility and service set him apart as a leader in today's world.  He was outspoken about the plight of refugees and criticized the wars in Ukraine, Gaza (saying that "terror should not justify terror"), Sudan, and other places around the world.  He called for decisive action against the climate crisis.  And he promoted peaceful relations between those of different faiths and attempted greater understanding for LGBTQ+ individuals. The Pope of Mercy Born Jorge Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1936, Pope Francis attended a technical secondary school and graduated...

Decluttering is about more than your stuff.  The rewards go beyond saving you money, making more room, creating an organized and attractive space, or simplifying and expediting home care.  I think these additional benefits make anyone's life better. 6 ways decluttering improves your mindset and mood 1.  Reduced anxiety and stress Looking at an overfull room can make you feel overwhelmed by unfinished chores and projects.  You feel worried and burdened by all you need to do.  Decluttering adds clarity.  It helps you prioritize what's important and remove what's not. Plenty of studies indicate that a cluttered environment increases the production of cortisol, a stress hormone.  Clutter puts our "fight or flight" response on high alert.  That response is intended to be an occasional situation – one that lets us meet sudden dangers and challenges.  Being in that stressful situation all the time is detrimental to long-term health. There's so much ...

As a child, the name "Good Friday" always confused me.  How is it good if it commemorates the day Jesus died?  I understood that Easter was the joyful celebration of Jesus' resurrection, the triumph of good over evil, and the hope of eternal life in relationship with God.  But how is the suffering of that Friday good ? I had to go through some suffering of my own to learn its potential. Whether or not you're a Christian, you're going to go through hard times at some point.  The world isn't perfect, and struggles and disappointments are real.  A strong and hopeful perspective is one you'll want to cultivate. 15 lessons we might learn from hard times 1.  We might learn that we're stronger than we know, and that we can survive things we never thought we could endure.   2.  We can learn to let the past go, wake up tomorrow, and try again. 3.  We learn not to waste energy on things that aren't important in the long run.  We get better at...

Is it true that we have to deny ourselves now in order to have what we really want later?  Is instant gratification always bad and delayed gratification always better? These two common messages seem to contradict each other: Enjoy life later.   In order to be successful or build wealth, you have to delay gratification.  Skip the party so you can study.  Don't buy the latte, but put that money into savings or invest it.  You should never indulge in instant gratification. Enjoy life now.   Don't wait for later, because you never know if you'll have tomorrow.  You only live once, so instant gratification makes perfect sense. Which idea is right? My answer might surprise you. I actually agree with both ideas.  If you read this blog often, you'll see that I send both messages.  Live frugally and choose simplicity – but also find joy every day! How is it possible to both enjoy life now and plan for a good future?  Can we really do both? Yes we...

Do you keep hearing about minimalism but aren't sure it's for you?  Maybe you've looked at peaceful minimalist home décor on Instagram, or watched some videos on TikTok about Underconsumption core .  Yes, you can admit that living with only what you need and love makes sense.  After all, it's proven to increase focus, reduce stress, and make home care easier.  And there's no question that getting your shopping habits under control would save you plenty of money and time. Looking at the clutter in your home doesn't spark joy.  And the stuff squashed into the back of closets and drawers doesn't make you feel good.  But the neutral, minimally furnished and decorated homes aren't appealing either.  You like color.  You're artistic and like to keep plenty of inspiration around.  You want your home to tell a story and remind you of beloved people and happy experiences.  You loved expressive, cheerful design before dopamine décor was a trend. ...

Good habits are more than the actions your mama nagged you about (wash your hands, turn off the lights, say please and thank you).  They're a foundation for the actions we need to do that let us take care of business without having to plan or decide each and every step.  For example: If you develop the habit of taking vitamins with a big glass of water each morning, you get all the benefits without having to debate the action. If you deal with mail efficiently each evening, you streamline your to-do list without burying a few important items in a mountain of junk. These useful habits benefit us, unlike bad habits such as smoking or oversleeping.  So why not develop some good habits to help us keep our homes tidy and clutter-free?  Reduce decision fatigue by making small, daily actions a routine for you and your family. Huge decluttering projects or deep cleaning sessions have their place, but for daily ease, try these quick and simple chores to make a profound differ...

Like Christmas, Easter is supposed to be a religious observance, but in America our faith often seems to be placed in money and possessions, rather than in God.  We are devout consumers , no matter what else we may believe.  Many of the 63% of Americans who identify themselves as Christians will give more thought to new church clothes, Easter table centerpieces, and full Easter baskets (even if they include a chocolate cross) than they do to the reason for the celebration.  Let's reclaim this holiday. People don't spend as much for Easter as they do for Christmas/Hanukkah, Valentine's Day, or even Halloween, but it is still definitely seen by retailers as a time to push candy, flowers, stuffed animals, spring fashions, and home décor (especially tableware).  Wallethub.com reports that $22 billion was spent on Easter in the United States in 2024. Personally, I'd rather keep Easter a DIY, family- and faith-centered experience than to give retailers yet another holiday...

Advertisers promise happiness, don't they?  That high-performance car, sun-drenched cruise, fail-safe insurance, age-defying beauty cream, and even that hot and juicy burger will make your life better – more adventurous, relaxing, secure, alluring, and delicious! All it costs is all the money you make (plus a load of debt) and all or most of your time and attention. But the happiness I've received from being minimalist isn't like consumer happiness.  It doesn't require a purchase or a lifestyle where I compete with or impress others.  Most of the time, I'm content and at peace with what I have.  After all, I have a lot.  I get to do what I love, on my own timetable, and for the benefit of myself and those I love.  What more could I ask for? Even though I'm a minimalist, I'm certainly not deprived.  I have enough furniture and housewares for comfort.  I have the modern conveniences of a stove, refrigerator, microwave, washer and dryer, central heat...