Never underestimate the importance of removing stuff you don’t need.
Encouragement is important in all areas of life, but especially when trying to live a life different than those around us.
Encouragement provides us with motivation to persevere. It invites us to dream dreams of significance for our lives. And it begs us to work diligently with optimism and promise.
Overcoming the pull of consumerism is a difficult challenge regardless of our stage in life. Simplicity requires encouragement. To that end, I hope you will find motivation in these articles below.
Each post was intentionality chosen to inspire simplicity in your life. For maximum effect, find a quiet moment this weekend and enjoy them with a fresh cup of coffee or tea.
Small Change, Small Victories | The Art of Simple by Kara Fleck. Small change does add up. Small victories matter.
11 Things in Your Home That Are Making You Unhappy | House Beautiful by Brie Dyas. It’s time to take a second look at your decor.
My Family is Becoming a Minimalist by Christmas | Babble by Leah Campbell. This holiday season, we don’t need more stuff. We just need more love, more laughter, and more you.
A Friendly Holiday Suggestion From a Mom with Too Much Stuff | Chattanooga Moms Blog by Jama Oliver. “If you are buying that gift because it makes YOU feel good, we probably don’t want it.”
—
Simplify: 7 Guiding Principles to Help Anyone Declutter Their Home and Life | Amazon Kindle by Joshua Becker. For the past 10 days, our book has been among the bestselling Self-Help books on Amazon. It provides the motivation and blueprint for you to begin your own journey towards a better life. For the rest of the weekend, you can get the digital version for $0.99.
I liked all the articles but I just can’t get over the ‘no presents for Christmas’. I agree that the time spend together is more valuable, but it’s part of a tradition (especially in my country). What I have learned from minimalism and giving presents is to buy things that are NEEDED and not WANTED by the receiver.
For example my grandfather will get this year from my kitchen knives. His are more than forty years old, and there is noting to be done to salvage them. He uses them every day, not like the neckties he gets every year from my aunt.
Joshua great picks as usual. Thanks a ton. I keep looking forward to your weekend inspiring reads.
I liked this line from the “Minimalist by Christmas” piece: “This holiday season, we don’t need more stuff. We just need more love, more laughter, and more you.” Amen.
Thanks for all your inspiring tips! I moved to tiny condo in the city recently and love livin with less.
Thank you so much for linking to my article! I’ve been fighting against all this “stuff” for years and am blown away by how many people can relate to being a mama literally drowning in things. Your stamp of approval makes me grin!!
Thanks again!
Jama
It was so timely Jama. What sort of feedback have you got from friends and family now the post is everywhere?
It was great to see “A Friendly Holiday Suggestion From A Mom With Too Much Stuff” doing the rounds among my mom friends and very mainstream mom’s groups on Facebook and being so well received. The message is definitely getting traction.
Love the simplicity weekend reads. Always imteresting and different perspectives!
I do not have a Kindle and I wish I could get a hard copy of “Simplify!”
Help!
Michael C
There is no hard copy Michael. It is digital only. If it helps, you don’t need a Kindle to read it. The Kindle software is free to download for almost every available digital device.
Thank you for posting weekly articles that remind me why I’ve adopted a minimalism lifestyle. It IS sill difficult to control unnecessary spending. Reading your weekend articles reminds me why I do it. I’ve reaped numerous positive rewards living this simplified life. Also, I recently lost my job and didn’t freak out! I have money saved to get me through to my next (better) job!
I almost sent you the link to “A Friendly Holiday Suggestion…” to include in your weekly ‘Inspiring Simplicity’ post. My sister shared this with friends and family on Facebook last week according to my wife (who ‘liked’ it). My sister has a very young son and another on the way and she has been inundated with toys and clothes for the past 18 months despite her repeated calls to “please not buy/bring a gift.” It’s gotten so bad she said she doesn’t even want to invite people to birthday parties any more because they don’t listen and she doesn’t have room in her house for all of it. (She lives in a 900 ft sq house)