Skip to main content

Minimalism: Struggling to Find Balance





As with everything, balance is key. Not too much, not too little, just enough. Right? But balance can be extremely hard to find, and that has been my struggle with minimalism. There are days when I want to give in and just keep everything. There are other days where I feel really motivated and want to get rid of a ton. But these extremes don't usually work out well, or feel all that good. A balance of having enough but not too much is what I am looking for but finding that balance can be hard. For example something I love is decorating my house for different seasons. Autumn and winter are my favorite seasons to decorate for because I want to make my home feel like a nest where it's all warm and cozy and to do so I like to buy bits and pieces that fit the season - a pillow here, a candle there, maybe a wreath or an ornament or two. But as soon as I purchase anything no matter how big or small, and no matter how many things I may have gotten rid of the week prior, I still feel instant guilt and remorse. I feel like I've failed at minimalism. One day while I was out at a local store I mentioned this to my little sister, and as little sisters often do, she taught me something: "You don't need to have it be all or nothing. You can buy a few items to make your house feel nice and cozy as long as you don't buy too much and as long as you make sure you like the things enough to use them for years to come". She had a point! I can be minimalistic while still allowing myself a few decorations to make my home feel like my safe, warm and cozy sanctuary. I decided to pick out a few pieces of Fall decor - some items I knew I would love and use year after year. I picked up a leaf garland ($13), a table runner ($2.99),  a few faux flowers ($20), and a pillow ($30). Paired with some candles I already had on hand and some string lights I already had, my place is feeling all decked out and ready for the Fall. I'm going to make sure I keep balance at the forefront of my mind as I continue my minimalism journey.

What have your struggles been with minimalism?

M&M

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The End of Slow, The Beginning of Surrender

My third slow experiment is trotting along nicely, and I have come to the realization that these slow experiments are not really doing what I thought they would do. I thought these experiments would lead me to a deeper sense of peace and calm, a more present focus on the moment, a way to really embrace the simplicity of things, but instead I just feel restless and a knowing sense that the year of slow although only three months in is already coming to an end. Instead of being disappointed with this outcome, I'm choosing to be grateful. I'm grateful because everything happens for a reason and the three experiments I have done so far have led me to the realize that this may be the end of slow, but the beginning of something else: Surrender. I have been journaling a lot lately and I find myself often writing 'surrender, surrender, surrender'. Writing those words feels a whole lot like inhaling calm and peace and exhaling anxiety and stress. It is easy to think of ...
2 comments
Read more

Getting Back Into Alignment

Alignment. That is the word my mind had been searching for, for weeks. Something had felt off, something didn't sit quite right, something felt a little out of place, something felt out of ... alignment . It is amazing how sometimes all it takes is for our minds to think of a single word and suddenly and all at once it allows us to see the truth of a situation. As soon as I found the word alignment something clicked into place; I had a light-bulb moment, and knew exactly why I had been feeling like I was in a funk of sorts: I was out of alignment with myself. For me being in alignment means having my thoughts and beliefs match up with my actions and how I live my life on a day to day basis, and somehow as if it crept up on me out of nowhere I was no longer in alignment with myself. As I began to think of all the ways my thoughts and beliefs didn't match up with what I was doing I understood why I had been carrying around this irritable and weird feeling in the pit of m...
3 comments
Read more

21 Things You Can Do In Just 5 Minutes to Savor The 'Slow'

"I don't have enough time" "I wish each day had 48 hours instead of only 24" "I'm too busy" "I'm exhausted" We've all heard and probably used the above excuses for not getting more things done. Time is a commodity and there never seems to be enough of it. However truth be told time is usually not the issue but our inability to prioritize what is important that causes us stress and seemingly 'not enough time'. I have been a slow living enthusiast for a little over a year now. Slow living, to me, means having enough time to still stop and smell the roses. Enough time to appreciate the little things, and take part in the little things. Enough time to make my priorities a priority. Enough time to enjoy life instead of rushing through it. Enough time to savour the sweetness. But despite wanting to live a slower paced life, slow can sometimes still feel busy as Krista from A Life In Progress talks about in her pos...
2 comments
Read more

Followers