10 Ways to Become a Minimalist

I recently read somewhere online that people in western Europe own 10'000 things on average. If you think about it, that really isn't very much. (You could also compare it to a developing country in African where some people can count their belongings on ten fingers.) We should all strive to own less. I wrote a post last week about my experience with minimalism and how it has been the best stress reliever that I have discovered yet. Own less, experience life more...that is my new motto!

Here's how you can do it too:

1.  Throw away the half used lotions, shampoos, and soaps that you don't use in your bathroom.
(You can also do this with pens, pencils, dog toys, kids toys...etc.)
2.  Burn your candles, don't save them for special occasions.
3.   Put DVD and CD contents onto a hard-drive and give away the hard copies.
4.   Limit sentimental things to 1 box.
5.   Stop stocking up on stuff, only buy what you need.
6.   Keep your two best sheet sets, get rid of the rest. (same with towels)
7.   Get rid of old t-shirts, socks, and underwear. (Why do you keep those anyway??)
8.   Limit kitchen items to one set:
(one set of pots: small, medium, large, 1 muffin tin, 1 cookie sheet, 2 mixing bowls. You DON'T need more than that unless you are running a restaurant.)
9.   Cancel cable, sell the TV. (You can watch news/tv online.)
10.    Don't keep books, donate or sell them when you are finished reading. (You can also borrow, trade, and/or use the library. I am a huge fan of trading. Nothing brings more joy than trading one good book for another.)

Helpful hints:
-Stop thinking you might need something for later. Instead go outside, experience life, explore. You don't need anything for that.
-Tell yourself that you will be just fine without 'said item' that you are debating getting rid of. If you don't use it regularly, then you probably don't need it, and won't miss it.
-The less you own, the less that owns you. You will feel more free!

A Minimalist Lifestyle will help you:

• Become more creative
• Get outside more
• Have a clearer mind
• Consume less
• Focus on what's important
• Save more money
• Live with intention

 Some great articles and resources:

-A great article: Living with Less, A Lot Less
-Great for motivation, especially his facebook page: Becoming Minimalist
-Less on minimalism, more on zen. Still good stuff though: Zen Habits
  

What am I doing with my life?

Ahh, the age old question, what to do with my life? I don't know about you, but this is something that I am struggling with.

In high school I was very confident, probably too confident. I knew who I was, what I wanted, and what I didn't want. I went after the things I wanted and I accomplished them. I made sure not to be distracted by the 'popular' crowd and not to get into things like 'drinking'. I felt that I was too good for those things, therefore I did not need them. Wow, I was a cocky young person!

I entered college with a different attitude, maybe that's where I went wrong...? Upon entering college I decided that I wanted to do and try everything. So rather than working towards a goal (career) I wanted to experience life and just have fun. (I should have traveled instead of going to college to get that.) I did just that though, I tried everything in college and had a fun time. (Maybe some things I shouldn't have tried, but no regrets...right?) I also received a great education, but that part didn't matter as much. I majored in something I thought was fun, rather than something I thought I wanted to pursue as a career.

After college my mindset went from wanting to try everything, to wanting to experience the world. Finally I was on my own, which meant I could go wherever I wanted and do whatever I wanted. Having that feeling for the first time as a young adult is phenomenal! You feel invincible. So once again, I did just that. I road tripped to LA, lived there for a while, road tripped back to Virginia, lived there for a while. I took care of old people, managed a fitness center, worked in a coffee shop, worked in a greenhouse, led childrens activities on a farm... Then, I went to South Korea to teach English, did that for a while. I came back to the states (got married- another story) I worked at Rosetta Stone, then I managed a Pilates studio for a while. Then I started my own chocolate business. I did that until Andy got a too-good-to-turn-down job offer in California. So I closed my business, and here I am.

All of that brings me to my current unknowing position. What do I want to do with my life?? I have traveled, learned new skills, helped people, taught people, learned about plants... and Pilates, and started my own business. Shew, that is a lot...is it time to retire yet??

I feel like I am starting all over again. Picking my major as a freshman. Except I am not going to college, I am just living my life, deciding what to do next. I wish it was as easy as having a set career and looking for the next job position in that career. Instead, I have to figure out what I am good at, what do I want to spend my days doing, what am I qualified for...do I need or want more education? I feel lost, I really do. Those are hard questions to answer. When the sky is the limit, how do you pick just one thing? And where do you start?

The outtakes were too funny not to post. 

PS - What you don't know is that I am wearing yoga pants and slippers in the bottom part of the picture.