BZEN

"Not all of us need to shine". I read that somewhere in one of the many articles I've read on the internet, and like most articles I didn't think to save it. It took a few days for the meaning of this simple sentence to sink in, and when I went back to look for the article to read it again I couldn't find it anywhere. Throughout my journey towards finding happiness, I used to think 'when I have *insert shiny object* , then I will be happy', but the problem with wanting more is that it will never be enough.  And so, minimalism - the idea of pursuing less 'more', and finding contentment and joy in all the little moments of magic that surround us. For me, minimalism has cleared the fog I was unaware I was walking around in, and I feel like I can breath easy again. Things that didn't matter before, suddenly do, and things I thought were really important in my life no longer are. Not all of us need to shine. Some of us just wan...

Let's talk about thrifting and borrowing. Whatever happened to them? Why did we stop knocking on our neighbours doors to borrow a bowl of sugar? And why is it 'gross' to buy clothes second hand? One of the many things I've learnt on my minimalism journey is the beauty of sharing, and the beauty of items pre-loved. Borrowing let's me... - Own less - Connect with my neighbours - Lend to them in return - Build relationships through trust and helping - Spend less money (if any!) - Pool resources creating a sense of community Thrifting let's me... - Spend far less than I would at a big box store - Recycle items that are still in great condition which is great for the environment - Not contribute to sweat shop and low wage conditions - Not contribute to industries that use items made from animal skin/fur - Find items or styles I would never find in today's stores - Find 'one off'' items Seriously. ...

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 f...

"Happiness is a habit - just like brushing your teeth before you go to bed" - Me.  Yes I just quoted myself. Yes I know that is kind of ridiculous, but happiness is a habit just like brushing your teeth! There are two kinds of happiness - long term and short term. Long term happiness while it requires more effort and patience to obtain, it also offers great and longer lasting rewards. Short term happiness on the other hand is much easier and quicker to obtain, but often times only offers immediate gratification, and its power is only temporary. Short term happiness can even bring about unhappiness. For example if you go to Tim Horton's and buy 3 iced coffee's a day you might be happy in the moment you are buying them (because they are freaking delicious), but by the end of the week when you realize how much money you have spent on those iced coffee's you might be left feeling worse than you did at the beginning of the week.  People often times think that...

"Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, maybe you should set up a life you don't need to escape from" - Seth Godin Everyone needs a break once in a while; A break from chores, from bills, from responsibilities... but that doesn't mean we need to escape our day to day lives. What if we instead stayed exactly where we were and simply eliminated the chores, bills and  responsibilities  for a few days? A staycation offers a far less expensive way for us to enjoy what we already have with minimal stress. Why do you want to travel? I used to sit for hours browsing Pinterest travel boards wishing I could jump into the pictures I saw, and often feeling jealous and frustrated that I wasn't traveling the world. After not understanding why I felt this way I decided to ask myself a simple question that had a huge impact on my perspective - why do I want to travel? Why I want to travel is simple: I want to spend time with my husband  away from the respon...

To become a minimalist you need to start somewhere , and sometimes starting is the toughest part! For me it was important to define what minimalism meant, and then to further define what it meant for me . Looking up the official dictionary definition won't be of any help. Don't believe me? See for yourself . The best definition I found was on The Minimalists blog where they share their elevator pitch on minimalism. Something that stood out to me was: " a 20-year-old single guy’s minimalist lifestyle looks different from a 45-year-old mother’s minimalist lifestyle" - The Minimalists. ...meaning minimalism is different for everyone, and there is no wrong way to do it. For me it means living with enough - not too much, not too little - and consciously considering the way I consume; Do I need this? Will I use it? What value will it bring to me or my life? What am I willing to give up in order to have this? It is important to define your minimalism. Step 1:...

Welcome to Merriment & Mirth!  I have recently discovered minimalism. I've always known what minimalism was, but I never knew what it could be... Minimalism found it's way into my life when I began to feel overwhelmed with day to day tasks. There has got to be a better way I often found myself thinking, and sure enough there was. I stumbled across Joshua Becker's Becoming Minimalist blog one day, and after reading his personal story I felt motivated to start taking a few baby steps towards minimalism by getting rid of the unnecessary and the unused. A little over 6 months into this journey of simplifying and mindfulness, and I feel like I can finally start sharing where it has taken me so far. It has had it's ups and downs, surprises and unexpected turns along the way but all good journeys do. The one thing I never expected to find along the way was meaning and purpose, merriment and mirth... but I'm not complaining. ...