Fill your life with stories to tell, not stuff to show.
The simplicity/minimalism movement is a beautiful community. And I enjoy any opportunity to promote writing that encourages people to live more by owning less.
So fix yourself a nice warm cup of coffee or tea. Find a quiet moment this weekend. And enjoy some encouraging words to inspire more simplicity in your life today.
8 Ways Minimalism Can Help Maximize Your Wallet | Forbes by Joshua Becker. Below the surface, minimalism is about something much greater than owning less. It is about re-evaluating our pursuits, our habits and our motivations.
I Had to Learn to Stop Splurging On My Son | The Washington Post by Kristin Vanderhey Shaw. There’s no question that the fact that I made a habit out of buying too many toys for my son is a first-world problem.
Curate Your Life, and the Rest Will Follow | Afford Anything by Paula Pant. Life isn’t about acquiring, it’s about editing.
Decluttering: Practical Steps For Living With Less | Huffington Post by Leigh Campbell. How much ‘stuff’ do you you really need?
Busyness is a Kind of Debt | Raptitude by David Cain. Whatever is normal to us becomes invisible, no matter how counterproductive, and we’ve simply become accustomed to tracking too many ongoing concerns in our heads.
Taking on this more simple and rewarding lifestyle is a long and sometimes difficult journey. I start out motivated and make some big changes and some small ones and finally feel that I am on the right path, but then a small mis-step (buying another something that I don’t need) and the pendulum starts swinging the other way.
I should give myself a little more credit and concentrate on the steps forward and less on the steps backwards. This is not an all-or-nothing adventure. These weekend reads are just the pick-me up I need and is a part of my Saturday morning routine. Do whatever it takes to keep moving forward and hopefully it will become easier as I see my bank account grow and my belongings shrink.
I will not try to minimize the amount of Coffee I drink. It is the one thing that more is better!
The ending Maya Angelou quote in your Forbes piece “we need much less than we think we need” really sums it up! I’m in Ireland with my family right now because we value the experience over new cars and more stuff. Thanks for the weekend inspiration!
John–
I really like that quote from Maya Angelou. Her writings are filled with so much wisdom. Enjoy beautiful Ireland. It’s drenched in history, mystique and God’s presence.
We just got back from a much-needed week of vacation. Minus a hostess gift for friends with whom we stayed, I didn’t buy a single object. I didn’t want anything AND I hadn’t forgotten to pack anything. All I wanted was pretty scenery, to be outside, good food and time with my husband. Anything else was unnecessary.
It feels great to write that. ????
I really like your blog! In my Dutch blog, i also try to inspire others to live more with less. It is a very rich way off life!
Greets Cynthia.
Time is more valuable than possessions.