Remembering Gratitude in 2020
Today is Thanksgiving in the United States, and I’m reminded about a blog post I wrote this time last year about cultivating a present moment gratitude practice. It’s hard to believe that just months after I wrote the post, we would enter the era of COVID, a time when a consistent gratitude practice is more […]
Three Writing Prompts for a More Intentional Life
Every morning, my two boys grab their bags of cars and trucks, dump them out on the floor, and happily line them up into traffic patterns. At the end of the day when it’s finally clean up time, my husband and I patiently hold the bags open while they put them back into the bag […]
Grounding and Letting Go During Turbulent Times
“Ladies and gentlemen, the Captain has turned on the fasten seat belt sign. We are about to enter some turbulence due to the storm. Please return your seats immediately and keep your seat belts fastened. Thank you.” Anytime I’ve been on a flight that hit turbulence, I immediately respond by steeling myself for the inevitable jostling […]
Four Words To Declutter From Your Vocabulary Today
My home and calendar reflect my minimalism journey over the past five years. I have decluttered the physical items I no longer use or love, and have removed the commitments from my calendar that I was doing out of guilt or obligation. I continue to struggle, however, with what’s going on in my head. I […]
Live for Your Eulogy, Not Your Obituary
What is your greatest fear? According to Dr. Karl Albrecht, there are five fears that all humans share: fear of extinction (ceasing to exist), fear of mutilation (think spiders and snakes), loss of autonomy (physical and social restrictions), separation (abandonment, rejection, and loss), and ego-death (humiliation and shame). I’m not a fan of spiders and […]
Disruption, Discomfort, Discovery, and Decision: Life During COVID-19 and Beyond
As I think about the impact of COVID-19 around the world, one word keeps coming up: disruption. In a matter of weeks, every facet of our lives has been disrupted: health (physical, mental, and/or emotional) finances work and education relationships with family, friends, and the larger community leisure access to and availability of products and […]
Embracing “Involuntary Simplicity”
Five years ago, I discovered minimalism when my husband and I were struggling with infertility and starting our treatment journey. I knew that in order to prepare for a baby, I needed to make space: physical space in our home, white space on my calendar, and emotional space in my overwhelmed mind and spirit. The […]
5 Questions Minimalists Ask (Plus 45 More!)
Minimalism encourages constant self-inquiry. This self-inquiry can take many forms, but usually boils down to one question: “Why?” Minimalists examine their motivations before making a decision to ensure their actions align with their values. They also look at past decisions to see how they have impacted their present thoughts, habits, and environment. These decisions include […]
Broken Pieces Make You Stronger: Remembering 2019
With 2020 approaching, I have my new planner in hand and have been excitedly leafing through the first pages. Casting my vision. Setting my goals. Picking my word for the year. I feel the hope and promise of a new year, a new decade. A year where I will also turn 40, experience a “milestone” […]
My Morning Routine and Three Tips to Start Your Own
I have a strange snoozing habit. When my alarm goes off on my iPhone, I allow myself a glorious 9-minute snooze. When it goes off again and I still feel like I can’t move out of my cozy bed, I give myself a certain number of Mississippi’s. “You can have ten,” I tell myself. One […]