Embracing Minimalism: Strategies for a Simplified Life
In the pursuit of a more fulfilling life, two experts – Courtney Carver, author of the forthcoming book Soulful Simplicity, and Debra Michaud, a renowned professional organizer and ADHD coach – advocate for living simply.
Carver, who runs the blog Be More with Less, has spent several years streamlining her life by removing items from her home, tasks from her to-do list, and activities from her calendar. Her forthcoming book aims to guide readers on how living with less can lead to so much more.
Simplicity, as both Carver and Michaud suggest, is about figuring out what's essential and not essential to the individual. Michaud believes we can learn from the tiny home movement about assessing the usefulness of objects. Her question for assessing belongings is: "Would I buy it today?"
Carver encourages keeping collections but saying 'no' to uninteresting commitments. She also emphasises the importance of eliminating debt and having a specific place for items in your home as part of simplicity.
Michaud believes that living simply involves streamlining systems with one's wardrobe, finances, and home to reduce time spent on maintenance. She advises creating daily and weekly routines to save energy. To make tracking easier, she suggests putting purchases in overspending categories on one credit card.
Living simply, according to both experts, is not about loss but gain, specifically time, space, money, energy, and attention. Carver notes that simplifying life takes time and patience, and it looks different for everyone. She states that simplicity can't be defined in one article or Instagram post.
Michaud sees living simply as gaining freedom by reducing excesses in one's life. She asserts that this cycle can distract one from what truly matters: meaning, purpose, and connection. Living simply, she believes, can help one avoid a never-ending cycle of needing more space, time, and money to manage possessions.
Carver suggests listing reasons for living simply, writing down all reasons, such as being sick of debt collectors, upset about lack of time with kids, or too stressed to sleep. Donating items to those in need, she believes, is a form of simplicity.
In conclusion, Carver and Michaud's approach to simplicity is about focusing on what truly matters and cultivating a life that is free from unnecessary distractions and commitments. By adopting a simpler lifestyle, one can gain more time, space, and energy to focus on what truly matters – meaning, purpose, and connection.
