Minimal Me
I'm sitting here timing myself as I write. Why? Because I take up the time and space I give myself for tasks. Anyone else? My goal with this update is to crank out (the first draft) in 20 minutes. I've got places to go and people to meet! Ok, real talk: I've got a book to read and sunshine to soak up. The point is, I don't want to spend two hours on an email draft so I'm using a few favorite tools to limit myself and prevent perseveration. In that vein, today I am thrilled to share a little bit with you about MINIMALISM. At its best, minimalism can help you live more richly. Ironic, right? Here's an excellent video that I found helpful describing what minimalism really is. (Notice how I did not say it's a method for depriving yourself, losing what you love or shaming others.) Minimalism can help you:
Maximize your time, space and belongings
Live in a way that aligns with your values
Create physical and emotional space for the people you love most
Here's how:
1. Maximizing belongings and space: Begin by selling or donating or recycling (or upcycling and selling!) items that are not useful or joyful for you. For many people this process transforms where and how they dwell in their home. (Marie Kondo's book "The Magical Art of Tidying Up" focuses on this particular aspect.) On a side note, when you minimize, it is normal to find that you buy less items and the items you do buy have a higher quality and joy-factor. That's a good sign!
2. Maximize your time: When you live in a beautiful space where you feel you can breathe, there is a natural extension to your calendar. It brings to light just how many times you've said a reluctant "yes" when you didn't need to. As Rachel Hollis declares in her book "Girl Stop Apologizing" if it's not a hell yes, then it's a no. You can honor what needs to be done at work while being brutal with what you give your time and attention to. (This is also a great time to clean out that social media feed. It should stretch you, inform you and uplift you.
3. Living in a way that aligns with your values naturally stems from honoring your yes and no. Put bluntly, if you try to serve everyone, you end up serving no one. Pick and choose what and who gets your time. Seek that one great obsession you were made for AND if that means having a job that pays the rent, great. Your success as a wildly creative, ingenious human, does not depend on the marketability of your passion. It depends on whether you pursue that passion.
4. Creating physical and emotional space for the people you love is a natural byproduct of the first 3 steps. When used well, minimalism can cause you to grow deeper relationships, gather more experiences and be more present. And that is the best PRESENT of all.
I almost made it: 25 minutes.
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