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Showing posts from October, 2024

How to Keep the Magic in Everyday Life

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When my husband and I go for a weekend trip to the Sonoma coast in Northern California, I'm always amazed by how fast a lot of people are driving on Highway 1.  Highway 1 is not meant to be a fast drive.  It's narrow, it's hilly, it winds, and the views are consistently spectacular.  It's a road to savor – not necessarily puttering, but certainly not racing , showing off your car's cornering and suspension or your own stunt driving skills. But my opinion may be in the minority. How do you ignore such rare beauty in favor of covering the miles as fast as possible?  Maybe these are residents of the area – so used to the marvelous vistas they no longer pay attention.  It doesn't seem possible to me.  If I lived there, I'd want to drink in that loveliness every day.  I wouldn't want to lose the magic. Noticing, and not noticing But don't we all get used to what we see every day?  Think about the last time you drove to work or the supermarket.  Did you re

12 Tips to Try When You're Frustrated with Decluttering

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I won't sugar-coat it – decluttering is a hard job.  The more you're stressed and challenged by your home – the more you need the benefits that come with decluttering – the bigger the job probably is.  The advantages are real, but so is the frustration.  At times, you may feel tired, sad, or overwhelmed.  Letting go of stuff requires constant decision-making, and sometimes you'll need a break. And you deserve one!  You're not just decluttering, you're in the process of changing your mindset and your habits , and that's hard for anyone.  So when you feel like the job is too big, or that you should have everything under control, remember that no one has it all under control.  We're human, which means that we often have to learn the hard way.  But the victory will be even sweeter because you made it through the highs, the lows, and everything in between. When you feel like giving up, on decluttering or anything else, be gentle with yourself, and say goodbye to

The Simple Pleasure (and relief) of Creating Order

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I have a fear of messiness.  Oh, I don't think it rises to the level of a phobia, but if it did I could tell you its name – ataxophobia .  I don't have panic attacks when confronted with a mess, but I sure don't enjoy it. I do have a need for order in my life, and can get very anxious when confronted with big changes or the need to do a task I don't know how to do.  And like anyone who feels fear and anxiety, it causes me to avoid those things if I can.  Yet when I get up the courage to ask for help, I often find that the task isn't as fearsome as I believed.  So my behavior is kind of irrational, after all. Why we all benefit from tidiness I'm sure that's part of the reason minimalism appeals to me.  Now, you might be braver than I about going new places or tackling new technology, but maybe you suffer from stress in other areas.  Maybe your job is very demanding, or your finances aren't optimal, or you have a relationship in crisis mode.  Maybe you'

How to Create a Wardrobe with Hygge Style

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Google "hygge wardrobe," and you'll find a number of sites that want to sell you "must-have pieces to cozy your closet." I'm not surprised.  After all, our society exists to sell us stuff we probably don't need.  So let's remind ourselves that we don't have to run out and purchase "hygge essentials" to create a comfortable, sustainable, good-looking wardrobe. Dressing hygge is about more than being cozy.  After all, not every day is a snow day!  Let's look at hyggelig principles that can be applied to our closets. 7 elements of a hyggelig wardrobe 1.  Contentment Hygge is all about being content with what you have and making the most of it.  As author Louisa Thomsen Brits describes it, "Hygge is about having less, enjoying more ."  The Danish tend to keep their wardrobes simple, based on neutrals like black, navy, charcoal, or tan, with pops of color for personality and fun.  A cohesive closet means that a small number of

How Effective Change Begins - Not With Politics, But With You

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As those of us in the U.S. near the end of this election season, I'm finding it hard to remain positive.  Maybe you're feeling the same. I have no intention of writing about politics or candidates or parties.  It's not going to happen.  But even though I spend minimal time reading about, listening to, or discussing most of the claims made by politicians, it's hard to escape the tirades, fear-mongering, and – unfortunately – outright lies that are publicized over all forms of media all day, every day. It's become ugly, and a bad advertisement for democracy and our supposedly great nation. American ideals All over the world, there are people who long for what the U.S. claims to have, and what was articulated by President Franklin Roosevelt – freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.  They long for what President Barack Obama celebrated in his second inaugural address – a freedom that is not reserved to the lucky, a happiness that

The Hygge Way to Clean and Declutter

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When I returned home from a weekend trip recently, I immediately unpacked my suitcase, washed a load of dirty clothes, and put everything away.  It made me feel settled and at home.  It was comfortable. A few days later, I felt a bit restless, so I set my writing aside and started cleaning.  I cleaned the refrigerator door and wiped the kitchen counters.  I swept the porch and mopped the floor in our small entry hall.  I decluttered a few old papers from my file box.  It felt good. Self-soothing with home care For me, cleaning, organizing, and decluttering are a form of self-care.  Tidying gives me satisfaction.  It makes me feel that I'm managing my life and ready for what's next. A hygge home isn't dirty.  It's not cluttered with garbage, dirty dishes, or things we never use or put away.  It's not covered in a thick layer of dust.  So don't decide that pouring a glass of wine, lighting a candle, and snuggling under a blanket is hygge, but running the vacuum is

How to Get Rich with Minimalism

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I few weeks ago, I read a post about how 20 years of minimalist living can make you a millionaire. It's not a get-rich-quick plan, but unlike many financial schemes, it's a sure bet.  Author Joshua Becker of becomingminimalist.com uses conservative figures to make it clear that minimalism can save you a lot of money which, reinvested over time, can make you financially independent.  It's useful to see the details spelled out, which I didn't do in my post How Minimalism Has Made Me Rich . Not the people you want to follow A 2017 Pew Research study found that 54% of Americans spent more than they earned every single month .  While the personal savings rate increased in 2020 when people needed to stay at home, a surge of spending and debt began again once COVID-related restrictions were lifted.  It's safe to say that even more people are over-spending today, paying for their lifestyles with ever more credit card debt . When the Joneses spend more than they earn and sa

Humans 2.0: How to Achieve the Next Great Step in Our Evolution

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You've probably seen sci-fi books and movies that talk about "the next stage in human development."  Mostly, they refer to advances in technology and artificial intelligence.  Those are supposed to enable us to upload our consciousness into bodies that won't age or die, that can gather, store, and retrieve information thousands of times faster than a mere human brain – the next step in our evolution. That sounds terrifying to me. But what if there's another way to advance in our development?  What if there's another way to become more and better than what we are now?  I'm not talking about figuring out how to stop replication errors in our cell production so we can live to be 200.  I mean how we can improve our thinking, and ultimately our lives. I think I know what that is. The secret to our evolution Like all humans, I'm hardwired to look for problems.  It's a matter of survival.  I'm always aware of dangers and difficulties.  My default resp