Are We There Yet?



In June, on Thursdays, I intend to take you back into my past to a time where my a-ha's were frequent and progress abounded!  This is the first installment.  

I am now five years into the journey towards the essential.  It has been fun, rewarding, and along the way I shed a lot of stuff!

My knickknack collection is a mere shadow of its former self.  Right now, the last of the extra items are in the garage, waiting until I let my family go through them and cart off what they want for themselves.  I have no items lurking in storage in my home, except for Christmas decorations which consist of three stockings, a santa bear, and a door decoration.

My clothing transformed from the majority of a walk-in closet, to fitting comfortably inside a 30-inch wide closet.  My shoes went down to nine pairs, including house shoes.  

The best part about having less is having more peace.  I am not consumed with consuming.  I do not care if I have a logo on my t-shirt.  My things are things, and I am not defined by what I have, nor do I fear their loss, should theft or fire occur.

I have made it a practice not to buy things that I would see as anchors.  Trust me, I still have a few; but, by in large, what I own and what I purchase would be of little value to anyone else.

When I make a purchase, I am thinking how it will please me, not how I will look to someone else.  I buy furnishings this way, clothing this way, beauty products this way, and just about everything else.Returns for me are almost non-existent.  In fact, I don’t think I have returned anything since the fall of 2013.  I think beforehand what it is that I am going to buy, and I plan my purchases.  As I result, I don’t do things often on impulse, and I have fewer trips back to a store to retrieve my money.

Now that I am here, I can’t imagine going back into consumerism.  I feel lighter, freer, in my mind and breathe easier in the controlled space which is my home.  My social calendar does not overwhelm me, and I still have time to write and produce.

It may be a thing of being in my thirties, but producing is what really excites me, not acquiring.  Writing the Minimize books was so incredibly fun, even in the moments where I didn’t know if I was going to actually complete the projects.  Walking in my neighborhood was a great way to connect to my environment, and spending time with parents, spouse, and friends was so awesome.  

The thing about acquiring is that the happiness that comes with getting what you want fades quickly.  (It does with producing too).  The difference is, with acquiring, when the good feelings are gone you have an item that is dragging you down, or taking up space, or needing maintenance.  With producing you have an accomplishment you can reflect on in darker times.

Keep reading about the minimalist path that gives more time, more money, and less stress!  Order your copy of Simple Fly Life:  The Manual, on Amazon today!  Link to order below.


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