Minimalist Mondays are dedicated to finding love, adventure, and joy in everyday living through the pursuit of a more simplistic lifestyle. By allowing only what is useful and meaningful into our lives and letting go of that which ties us down, we are better able to live a life of purpose, both for ourselves and for others.

Happy Monday everybody!

If you have been reading my Single Living posts, I apologize for not having one last week. I was feeling under the weather but I am doing better now and plan to have a post ready for next Thursday.

Also, for those of you who followed my home as a sanctuary series, I did host a get together this weekend for some long time friends I have known since childhood. It was an honest effort to fill my kitchen sanctuary with people I care about. I had a great time and I think my friends did as well. I may become a frequent hostess yet!  🙂 I also have been much better about setting the mood for dining with some light jazz music for my kitchen sanctuary. How about you? I hope your home is developing into the sanctuary you deserve.

March is here and spring is just around the corner. It is a good time for spring cleaning and reviewing our lives over the 1st quarter of 2014 to evaluate how we are doing in an effort to live a  rich, meaningful, and fulfilling life. I am ready for some emotional spring cleaning and minimizing the clutter in my mind. So, on to the topic for the week:

Letting Go And Taking On

There is a universal theme that self-help and spiritual directors alike seem to agree upon: To improve the quality of a person’s life, it is beneficial to let go of emotions, habits, and objects, that keep us from meaningful interactions with others and time developing our true nature and replacing these things with activities and disciplines that will enrich our relationships and help us to develop a better understanding of ourselves and the world around us. It is often the case that when we have too much clutter in our lives the root of the clutter is in our emotional and spiritual state of being and that clutter is manifesting into physical clutter in our lives. My challenge for myself, and for you, this spring is to let go of three habits or emotions that are not beneficial and replace them with three habits or emotions that are beneficial. Th Here are some ideas to get you started.

Things To Let Go:

• Busyness: Busyness is not a virtue. It wears us down and busy people never seem to have anything to show for their busyness.
• Worry. Worrying about things doesn’t make any situation better. .I am slowly learning this lesson.
• The past. Live for all you have in the present moment. Now is the only time we ever have.
• Fast food. Your heart will thank you.
• Too much technology .Unplug after a certain amount of time or better yet, have a day or time of day when you are tech free.
• Music, movies, books, etc. which are not respectful to the human condition or good for your soul. Just because Hollywood or the New York Times says you must fill your mind with certain thoughts, images, ideas, or music doesn’t mean it is a good idea.
• Pop culture and pop icons as an inspiration for how to live your life. The vast majority of famous people we see in interviews or in the tabloids  are a dysfunctional mess. Their promoters get paid lots of money to convince you their clients are  gods of talent, fashion, and lifestyle.
• Too much of anything. Moderation is the key whether it is food, drink, exercise, work, or leisure.
• Any object you have no use for.
• People who are toxic. Let go of anyone who makes you feel unloved, undervalued, and less than who you truly are.

Things to Take On:

• Time management. Learn to just say no. Pick activities that bring you enjoyment and not a sense of obligation.
• Peace of mind. Just remember ” This too shall pass.”
• Focus on the here and now. When your mind wanders to the past of future begin training yourself to bring yourself back to the present moment.
• Prepare meals at home. Make it the expectation that dinner is a time to relax and connect with your family. If you are single it is still a time to relax and nourish your body. Pamper yourself.
• Use technology as a tool to enhance your life. Become aware of when you start mindlessly texting, playing games, or surfing the web to pass your time.
• Choose entertainment media that uplifts, entertains, and is respectful to you and all people. We all have a moral code written on our hearts; follow it.
• Become a role model. Be the change you want to see in the world and lead by example. Be your own person! Think for yourself!
• Enjoy the pleasures life has to offer while having the self discipline to say  no the second piece of cake, or the third glass of beer.
• Invite kind, loving, and interesting people into your life and enjoy their company. You can help each other grow.
• Try taking on a spiritual discipline such as meditation, prayer time, or spiritual books and programs. You can do this according to your faith’s guidelines or do a more secularized practice if you are not of a religious nature.

Good luck with your spring cleaning, both mental and physical. What are some things you would like to let go of in your life? What are you wanting to bring in? I would love to hear from you!

Until next time,

Laura

Minimalist Monday: Your Home As A Sanctuary-The Kitchen And Dining Area