The road to more might just be less

How often have you heard: It's not about the destination but instead about the journey? 

I think most of us now recognize what's important—our time, relationships, and experience on this earthly plane. It's less about stuff—how much you have or what you have, for the most part. 

That doesn't mean we don't like stuff. But maybe an intangible we acquired along the way is more discernment, or at least the recognition that material things don't innately equal happiness. Among those born in the late 1900s or early 2000s, living with less may even be trendy—whether by choice or by necessity depends on your research.  


We live differently than previous generations

Lifestyles change over time. That said, I'm finding some irony here. 

The main floor of my house is just over 900 square feet, and I have a partial basement that's unfinished, used mostly for laundry and storing tools and seasonal stuff, like lawn chairs. It's less about the size, but I complain regularly about the function. I have pea-sized closets, minimal kitchen cupboards, and no designated household cabinets—perfectly adequate for previous generations. But my lifestyle is different, and even as I move toward less, I have greater storage needs. More closet space is my idea of heaven.  

C'est la vie... 

So why is less more important now? Time. That's a key reason. But let's expand the definition of less. 

Our toxic load

For me, having fewer clothing items means less energy spent deciding what to wear, and more space for things that matter, like an inflatable bed for guests, and the right-size linens. It means fewer items to collect dust, which I'm allergic to. 

However, it also means fewer toxins in my cosmetics, fewer pesticides and chemicals in my food, less environmentally unfriendly and unhealthy plastic in my kitchen and bathroom, and more space for people and projects, and ultimately and ideally, fewer contributions to the landfill, and fewer of my plastic bags washing up on a beach or ingested by the fish I eat. All of this leads to better health, a safer environment, and greater freedom. 

Freedom? 

You bet. Freedom to choose how I want to spend my time and money. Freedom to create more experiences. Freedom to let go of attachments.  

When you're ready...

I've been on the road to living with fewer toxins, chemicals, and plastics for years, but I couldn't let go of my attachments to stuff, particularly clothes. The more I read about plastic in fleece, chemicals in our clothing, and the waste involved in processing, the more I wanted to stop propping up my self-worth with something new to wear. But it was hard. It was a habit. And it made me feel better—what every product marketer aims for.  

At the beginning of 2018, I read Cait Flander's The Year of Less, followed immediately by Courtney Carver's Be More With Less (I wrote about these, and a full reset, here). These books were instrumental in my shift to both living with and attaching sentiment to fewer things, and along with a few other tools, replacing the habit and ego-boost with healthier options.  

You know what to do...

You know you should exercise, right? But do you? You know you should drink less soda. But do you? Are you like me and know you have some weight to lose, but are you willing to do what it takes? If your answer is no, you know what I mean. 

We do things when we're ready. Sometimes we get a big fat wake-up call, a proverbial two-by-four across the side of the head. Sometimes, we just get it, and we start. No conscious rationale.  

More of what you really want

Ultimately, don't we all want more time, optimal wellness, satisfying relationships? I do. That's where the road to less leads—to more. 

Hats from my collection that
I gave away. One trick to letting go of
sentimental things: take pictures.
Then say thank you and goodbye. 

Don't get me wrong; I still like stuff. I have a penchant for vintage, and I'm still pretty sentimental. I'll be hard-pressed to off-load what's left of my vintage hat collection, or my books. But having less stuff makes life easier, healthier, and better. 

This path has also caused me to look at my attachments—to beliefs, to people, to ideas, and assessing what fits and what doesn't. The result? Less stress, more fulfillment, greater appreciation, (getting closer to) optimal wellness, and even a stronger sense of self. 

Decide what matters

As I assess my winter wardrobe—what to put away until next year, what to set aside for the swap, or what to send to the thrift store, I'm attempting my own version of Marie Kondo, having never actually read her book nor watched her on Netflix. What adds value? What takes or gives energy? What triggers frustration or adds satisfaction? These are all good questions to ask, and can lead you down a road to more. 

If you like this post, or this blog resonates with you in any way, please feel free to share it, comment below, or send me a message. I'm also available for one-on-one coaching—you can find out more here.