Day 24: A Day Late

I didn’t even make it to my computer yesterday. I was off running first thing in the morning with my husband and then by the time we got home it was time to get ready for Family Night and enjoy the evening. It was a GREAT day!

Minimalism in my Life: I was so excited for this one and yet late. Weird how that works.

Since I discovered “minimalism” things have changed in my life. The first person I came across was Joshua Becker at Becoming Minimalist. I was getting his emails and read his book The More of Less. I forget if it is through Joshua Becker that I heard of The Minimalists. That would be Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus. You will have to go to their website to hear their stories. They are worth checking out. There is so much great information on their website. It is there I learned of The Minimalist Game. You are basically getting rid of things every day of the month based on the date. I played it for two months: February and March and got rid of 929 things. It was so freeing. I was so ready to do this. It was time. Not because I had tons of stuff but because I wanted to minimize my whole life and this seemed to be the way to start it. It worked GREAT! In a physical way, how it has affected me most is in the way I shop. I was never a big shopper but sometimes there are things I just want, just because I have the money to buy it or else it is a great deal. I have learned to distinguish between what I need and want and I am learning to bring those two terms together and in some

In a physical way, how it has affected me most is in the way I shop. I was never a big shopper but sometimes there are things I just want, just because I have the money to buy it or else it is a great deal or it’s just plain cool. I have learned to distinguish between what I need and want and I am learning to bring those two terms together and in some cases, they are the same. I am happy about that. It has also caused me to research more what I am shopping for so that I get not only a good price, but it’s a good item that will last me. For example, I am on the outlook for an electric roaster to also use as a crock pot. I want to buy something that I know I will use lots. I am taking my time because I already have a crock pot I can use. Another example is my wardrobe. I am still in the process of getting rid of things and adding things. I am on the outlook for tee shirts that I am happy with and so far haven’t found any. I do have a gift card at a store in the city that I think will have what I want. I just haven’t taken the time to go there. My goal is to have a small wardrobe that I wear everything and I love everything. These are the biggest changes I notice in me about minimalism.

On a different level, it has and is helping me with discipline. Playing The Game two months in a row every day had me doing something every day and I actually did it. I’m not that great at finishing what I start so this so was encouraging for me so I decided to do something this month as well, on a daily basis. That is where this 30 Day Challenge came from. Today is the first day I have been late but I refuse to beat myself up over it. In fact, if I could give myself a pat on my back, I would! You Go Self!!!

Spiritually, minimalism has taught me about meditation and prayer in a different way. I have already been going through a paradigm switch with my faith, but add minimalism and hearing some of Josh and Ryan’s thoughts on stress and anxiety and how to handle them has been invaluable. Going into this I already had an open mind to hear new ideas and I am so thankful that that. Since Christ is in me, He is on this journey with me and for the first time in my whole entire life, I have moments of peace. Better yet, I am understanding that peace is not something you achieve, it is a state of mind. It is Christ in Me.

Oh friends, if you decide to check this out, let me know. I do not call myself a Minimalist but I love many of their ways and they have made their way into my life. I am so grateful, so so very grateful!

Have a super duper blessed day friends! You are so amazing if you have come to the end of this blog. It’s the longest one I have done. 🙂 I loves you!

Why I Quit Facebook

My first week without facebook was the weirdest. I thought for sure I would go through withdrawals and a few friends figured I would as well. It was so nice! Luckily I was also distracted by playing the Minimalism game. I found out I can use Messenger so I can stay in touch with some of my friends. As time went on I himed and hawed about whether I was going to go back to it but then decided that I would make that choice when the time came. For now I would enjoy this time and figure out what in the world life outside facebook was all about and who I was. I spent a lot of time on it. Way too much! Addiction would be a good word and honestly, quite truthful. I became obsessed with what other people thought and then I would become angry about it. It isn’t facebook that caused that, but me. I know that and I accept full responsibility for it. Some people can be on facebook and have no issues but I believe most people have issue with it, whatever it may be. Some of the emotions I had experienced were: anger, envy, arrogance, sadness, dread, hopelessness and I’m sure quite a few more. These emotions would trigger my depression and anxiety.

I found a lot of good on it too. I made some super great friends and it was so nice to be connected to family I haven’t seen for years. Just as I was leaving Steve McVey was making a private group that I would kill to be part of ( ok, not quite lol) and I was tempted to stay just for that but I knew the time had come for me to leave and I knew it was God telling me. Steve even suggested that I could stay away from the places that were toxic to me. I was flattered that he thought I could be part of his group and I will admit, I was tempted again. I didn’t though. I knew what I had to do.

I don’t know what my future on facebook will be but for now, after 6 weeks, I am content without it. I am writing, I am minimizing my life and I am learning who I am in Christ and how to live it. I am reading some great books and I am listening to some great messages. I am trying to get to know me and who I am. Facebook was my social life, now I have none but I am getting smarter for it and I have a feeling this Spring and Summer will bring some new beginnings in this area.

God is good. I Loves you!