Take Baby Steps

Set a Timer for 15 Minutes

Spend just 900 seconds each day clearing stuff out. “It will give you confidence in your ability to shed and strengthen your decision-making muscles,” Caldwell says. The more often you make the call to toss or donate something, the easier it will get. Promise.

Pick 5 Things a Day

Every day, look around your house and move five items to the donate pile or the trash. At the end of the month, that’ll be 150 things! If you don’t have a ton to declutter, make it one item per day; you’ll still get rid of 30-ish items a month. 

Focus on a Single Spot

Target one tiny area you can finish in one little chunk of time. Tokos suggests something like a kitchen drawer. You might be inspired by the momentum and move on to tackle a second (and third!) small area. 

Put a Number on It

How many is too many pairs of earrings? Count out your collection to gain perspective. Let’s say you have more than 150 pairs of earrings—that means you could go almost half the year before rewearing a pair. And like all of us, you probably wear your favorites again and again. So if you donated 10% of your collection, you likely wouldn’t even feel it! 

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Ways to Appreciate the Natural World

  1. Slow your steps. Take your pace down to Peter Good speed. Think saunter or strolling for pleasure, not getting to a destination in a hurry. Slow down and enjoy.
  2. Savor through your senses. Tune in using your whole body: the warm air on your face, the sound of birds, the fragrances of flowers and earthy smell of soil, the texture of leaves. Feel each sensation.
  3. Notice tiny details. Author Jane Anne Staw wrote Small after she had an epiphany about concentrating too much on the big picture and missing the small one. One day she noticed a single dried leaf on the sidewalk, and focused all her attention on that leaf. “Suddenly I felt awareness course through me…my whole body hummed with pleasure….”
  4. Change your point of view. Poet Mary Oliver said that she could walk the same path every day and always see something new. Vary your gaze: Look up, look down, sweep your eyes from left to right. And use more than just your vision. Listen to the crunch of your feet as you walk.
  5. Go lightly. When you are out in nature, nothing is required but your presence. Put away your need to do anything and completely mute your cell phone. Unlike electronics, plants don’t demand us to click on anything; they signal subtly, so look for their clues.
  6. Stay awhile. Biologist David  Haskell spent a year observing one square meter of earth in order to write The Forest Unseen: A Year’s Watch in Nature. Pick your spot, get comfortable, and resist the urge to move on. The garden will reward you and so will the rest of life.

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Free Spirit

Greedy glutton? No. Self-absorbed free spirit? No doubt. You leave a spoonful of banana pudding in the bowl and a swig of orange juice in the bottle because you’re too busy with your own life to think about anyone else’s. You’re fun as hell to be around because you live for the moment, but, when faced with the unfortunate consequences of your actions, you claim, “It’s not my problem,” when in fact you, my friend, are everybody’s problem.

Positively Purging-I welcome your feedbacks in the comments and your likes and passing the real life wisdom on to others as I embark on this new venture of “positively purging“, as I know each of these pieces represents something…

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Non-Negotiable

I have a non-negotiable desire to create spaces that feel timeless, beautiful, and livable, but that doesn’t always need to come from a place of extravagance. 

Positively Purging-I welcome your feedbacks in the comments and your likes and passing the real life wisdom on to others as I embark on this new venture of “positively purging“, as I know each of these pieces represents something…

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Sense of Community

The desire to be a part of something bigger than ourselves runs deep in all of us. We find meaning in finding people who share your values and desires. This can show up in your neighborhood, nonprofit with a cause you care about, or with fellow soccer team parents who want the kids to have a great soccer season. But connecting in community can also look like small everyday moments offering a bottle of water to your postal carrier on a hot day. A firm hug. A genuine smile at the checkout. There are so many ways to say, “I see you.” The invitation is to lift our gaze and notice those opportunities for eyes to meet. In the bustle of the day to do day, pause and ask yourself: What do I see in front of me right now? How can I help? What do I have to give at this moment?

Positively Purging-I welcome your feedbacks in the comments and your likes and passing the real life wisdom on to others as I embark on this new venture of “positively purging“, as I know each of these pieces represents something…

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