We live in such a fast forward world, it’s easy to get caught up in accumulating. Now I’m not speaking specifically about cool collections. I know baseball cards, knives, stilettos and handbags can be quite fulfilling to collect. I’m talking about stuff that you think you need, or want, that serves no legitimate purpose.
If it’s pretty to look at, calms you or brings you joy then it’s probably not a bad investment. If it actually does something, and makes your life easier then it’s likely a good buy. But if it’s is going to sit around, take up space or require additional cleaning, I’m learning to say ‘no.’
It’s a process, I still get suckered in by a good deal every now and then. But I do go through the mental checklist before making purchases these days. I am a shopper. It is a habit and hobby. Nature has shown that there are hunters and there are gatherers. I am a gatherer, a frugal gatherer. When a squirrels’ stockpile starts overflowing, I’m sure there’s a chubby-cheeked chipmunk nagging about excess.
We’ve been in the process of streamlining life. I wish that someone had told me how much of a relief purging can be. The process of ridding your life of excess baggage can be simple. Whether it be physical items, ‘someday clothes,’ the spare gifts for the occasions that I might not have time to run to the store, the craft projects that I never quite begin or things from activities past that I still cling to just in case.
What is this doing? Absolutely nothing, taking up physical and mental space. It’s like adding extra gravity to your world. I know this probably seems like common sense to most everyone, but I have a feeling that there are a few others out there in this military world like me that get bogged down by things, people and tasks.
Is your friend list particularly negative? Are your phone calls and texts about issues and problems, rather than sharing joy and positivity? We get to choose what we allow to take up space in our lives. We get to re-evaluate each day whether we’re going to allow others to drag us down. Are we rooted to our homes because of our possessions? I know I have been. But, I’m actively trying to live more simply.
You are in charge of what you allow into your time and space. You hold far more power in your experience than you probably ever realized. I know that I never imagined that letting go of little things, and not adding more than I need into my life could have such a far reaching impact. But, I finally realize that it’s true when people say “less is more.”
