Category: Minimalist

“Never underestimate the power you have to take your life in a new direction.” —Germany Kent Every morning, including this one, brings with it new potential and a chance for change. This is an amazing opportunity for those who need it—and a stark reminder for those who don’t. Think about it: whether we wake up feeling stuck in a free-fall or genuinely satisfied with where we are, every sunrise emerges with new opportunity and new responsibility. And it is up …

“A comfortable home is a great source of happiness. It ranks immediately after health and a good conscience.” —Sydney Smith, 1843 It is difficult to overstate the importance we humans place on “home.” I once heard a commentator speaking about the movie The Wizard of Oz. His opinion on why it has become such an iconic film was “because Dorothy’s journey is ultimately one where her entire goal is simply to return home. And that longing is true for each …

Note: This is a guest post from Myquillyn Smith of The Nesting Place and author of House Rules. What comes to mind when you think of minimalist home decorating? I used to think minimalism was a style of its own—a harsh, colorless contemporary style that worked for twentysomething bachelors with leather sofas and no drapes. To me that wasn’t pretty, but I had to admit it did sound freeing. My apologies to twentysomething bachelors and actual minimalists. I was wrong. …

Maybe one of the most underrated skills in our world today is the ability to distinguish between wants and needs. Think about it: When was the last time you sat down to actually distinguish between the two? I’m not even sure most of us could accomplish it if we tried. Learning to be content living with just the things we need is even more difficult, but I’m not even talking about that. I’m just talking about even being able to …

Whether you want to live a more minimalist life or you aspire to help others achieve that goal, I want to help. This month, I am launching two online courses. Uncluttered will help you declutter your home, while my Professional Training (Becker Method Certification) is designed to help those of you who want to get better at helping others own less. Both are important and starting later this month—though they are designed to help different people. Uncluttered: Your Step Towards …

I’ve noticed an interesting fact about simplifying advice on the Internet: the amount of material online about simple living can itself become overwhelming. It’s an irony not lost on me. I’ve been writing in this space for over 15 years. And during that time, I have seen countless other blogs and YouTube channels and social media accounts and podcasts and books and courses come and go. To be fair, I think it’s wonderful. The more people writing about simplicity the …

Our relationship with money, undoubtedly, serves as one of the most defining relationships of our lives. Whether we hoard it, overspend it, worry about it, chase it, save it, or give it all away, the way we interact and think about money affects countless aspects of our lives. Some consider money as merely a tool. And that is true, money is a tool. But it is also much more than that. One must only look at the fact that 77% …

“To live long is almost everyone’s wish, but to live well is the ambition of a few.” —John Hughes Think for a moment about the people who’ve left a positive, lasting impact on you. Some may have lived long lives, others short. But without a doubt, almost all of them lived well. Chances are, their lives were marked with characteristics you desire for your own. They were probably loving, selfless, warm, and a joy to be around. Maybe they were …

Benjamin Franklin wrote in his autobiography, “It is more difficult for a man in want to act always honestly.” All those who desire to live an honest life should consider the weight of those words. In fact, read them again if you skipped over them quickly. In its original context, Franklin was exhorting his readers to work industrially and live frugally. Because as he explained, it is “more difficult for a man in want to act always honestly.” It is …

Happy April 1st. It is true, there are a lot of really good reasons to minimize our possessions. For example, when we own less, we are able to focus more of our life on things that matter. Minimalism saves money, time, focus, and energy. Owning less means less stress and more freedom. And those are definitely wonderful things that everybody would benefit from! But that’s not to say that there aren’t also reasons to keep all the stuff we don’t …