My Discovery of Minimalism

On my search for happiness and purpose I have discovered Minimalism.  Minimalism is about living with what is most valuable to a person, and removing what is not.  This does not mean just physical belongings, but anything in your life that takes away from what you really want to be doing.  This can mean anything from an event you really don't care to attend,  a thought consuming your mind, or simply that ugly vase that aunt Gerdie left you.  There is not a certain number of items you must own to be considered minimal.  There are no rules. It is about recognizing your true priorities and letting go of everything else.  For me, having memories and experiences is much more valuable than "stuff".   Stuff gets in the way of me being able to make memories and go on adventures.  I am done with the things I own actually owning me.  I will no longer allow things to control my life or put a damper on it.  I want to be free, and live my life as simply as possible.  I choose to live with very few possessions. I choose to put my time and energy where It matters the most, for me. 

 I had all these items stuffed in closets, pushed under beds, and in cabinets.  It was like every door I opened something fell out.  I was miserable.  The items I owned were taking over my life.  It was like I was living to just care for the items.  It was a daily struggle just to get the house picked up.  Most days I just couldn't deal with it.  I found that I would organize, then it never stayed that way.  I wanted to be able to get out of the house and do something fun.  I never could find the time to do much.  I was very depressed.  My life felt hopeless.  It may sound silly to some, however when you are living with an anxiety disorder and depression its nothing to laugh about.  Each day was getting more and more difficult to get out of the bed.  Then, a day came where my sister called and told me to look up minimalism and so I did.  That was the day I began to change in every aspect of myself.  I watched a documentary called The Minimalists. You can check out their website here.   http://www.theminimalists.com/  This is where I started.  It was my gateway into this new lifestyle.   After watching that documentary I was hooked, and began immediately going through my belongings.  I started in the easiest place for me which was clothes. That first evening I went through my closet and removed two bags of clothes, and a few pair of shoes I never wore.  I dropped them off at a donation center and never looked back.  It empowered me to be able to let go of stuff.  Everyday I would awake and find a place to begin, maybe it was just a closet or drawer for that day, and I went through it.  It wasn't always easy to part with my belongings, but I pressed on.  My outlook was that the more stuff I got rid of, the less time I would spend cleaning. Instead I could have time to find myself. The days went on and I did a little each day.

When parting with my physical items it brought back all sorts of emotions. There were several things I took pictures of to help this process for me.  I felt like I was throwing memories away.  All these items brought back an important moment or time in my life and here I was throwing them in the trash.   So when I placed them in the trash (or donation bag) I asked myself  "do you still have the memories?"  The answer was yes!  Memories cannot be discarded.  They are logged in our mind, and if we do need that physical reminder of one of our old possessions a picture is almost just as good. It also takes up a lot less space, especially if you digitize them.

When it comes to obligations and responsibilities many of us bite off much more than we can chew.  There's the kids sports, church activities, family outings, reunions, weddings, birthday party's, etc.  The list could go on and on.  I had all kinds of stuff that was taking up my time.  The worst part though, I didn't even want to be where I was.  Then why was I wasting my time at an event or activity that I didn't care about.  I was letting others tell me what I should be doing.  The pressure of responsibilities that another person put on me, that I voluntarily accepted.  It made zero sense.  I since have eliminated all  obligations that do not add value to my life and I am a much happier person for it.

When a person is minimal that means that they have evaluated their lives and omitted whatever is not important.  Whether it be an object, obligation or any aspect of their life that needed cleaned out.   The entire point is that what is important to someone is getting the time it deserves, and everything else is forgotten.  The importance for me was that I needed to be less stressed and I needed my spare time to use for me.  Minimalism has helped me eliminate the unnecessary objects from my life.  I can now prioritize what is important to me.  I am a happier person and  I have the time I need to focus on the things that matter to me.  I have let go of material items, and now  I collect memories and experiences, not possessions.

Using Experiences to Find Happiness

In my last blog post, I mentioned that I had been spending my time doing various activities.  Now, you may be thinking I took control of my life and went skydiving, started a charity or opened my own business. Well, I haven't done any of those things yet.  Instead, I have found a more creative approach to branching out.  When it comes to resources I have available, money is not one of them.  I am challenged to begin a new hobby or lifestyle change that cost little to no money.  I focus on what I  do have the resources for.  Then, I think about what sort of things I am interested in, and which resources line up to make this possible.  Volunteering was right up my alley. It gave me a chance to give back, it was new, and it didn't cost any money.  I also took up extreme couponing, that actually felt like more of a job than a hobby.  I changed my diet and became vegan for a short while.  Each one of these brought about life changes in me.  It may not sound like much looking from the outside; however when you start to do these types of things it changes you within.



I volunteered at a local free clothing closet while my son was at preschool.  I helped to organize the closet whenever I could for several weeks.  I folded and hung clothes, and assisted shoppers in finding clothing items they were in need of.  I donated an air conditioner, several bags of clothes, and clothing rack as well. Helping others brought happiness to myself.  It gave me something to look forward to each week, and at that time I was in desperate need to have something to do that made a difference.  The closet taught me that something very small can make a huge impact in another person's life.

I became a couponer!  I needed a way to feel like I was earning money.  Since I was unable to get a job, I came up with the idea that I would save money instead.  I talked with my mother and my sister in law, who were both experienced when it came to extreme couponing.  The first rule of couponing is to buy it on sale and use a coupon. I did just that.  I began to pay attention to how much things actually cost.  I began to plan meals based on what was on sale that week.  I was more flexible on the items I would use.  The brands of products I began using broadened.  If it was on sale and I could get it for a great price, I was willing to give it a whirl!  I discovered I liked a lot of these brands that I had never tried before.  I was able to stretch my dollar.  I even made it a game.  Each time I walked in a store.  I had my list in one hand and my coupons in the other.  It was me against the register and I was in it to win it.  I took shopping seriously and still do now.  I would gaze upon the full price of ketchup and keep my basket rolling.  Besides, it was bound to be on sale next week for half that, and I have a coupon that will make it even cheaper. I felt unstoppable. Once, I even bought seventy-five boxes of hamburger helper for twelve dollars and some change.  It was unreal to me that this had existed and I never took advantage of it before.  I started a stock pile. It consisted of shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, deodorant, female hygienic products, razors, and much more. Since then, I have took up minimalism which I will discuss later in a blog post.  I no longer keep a stock pile. I have given away and used up most of what I had in my stockpile.  It was a personal choice.  I still use coupons and I continue to get products for less than they retail for; however I only get what I need and can use for the time being.  Couponing is still a big part of my life.  I use this lifestyle tool weekly.  

Another time, I decided to go vegan after watching a documentary about our food supply in America. I learned about how our food is genetically altered, and how we don't really know the long term effects that it has in our bodies.  I saw videos of how animals were treated, and came to know that animals who are raised for food have almost no rights to being treated humane.  What I saw was a disgrace, and I couldn't bear the thought of it all.  I wanted it to change, and I knew that the change started with me.  I went vegan for about a month and a half. What I knew was so little, but I read and watched videos and learned what I could about it all.  I actually lost eleven pounds going vegan and have since gained it all back.  I didn't stay vegan.  I found it difficult to learn how to prepare food differently than I was used to.  I felt sick because my body was releasing toxins from my previous diet.  My husband was not a fan at all, but he was supportive of me.  The kinds of foods I needed to eat were foreign to me.  It was also costly.  The truth about it all, I wasn't ready to implement this lifestyle change.  I will say that I do not eat near the amount of meat I once did.  I also make better choices about what goes into my body.  It was an interesting experiment for me.  My goal is to eventually become a non meat eater.  I think it is something you really have to be prepared for and next time I will be.

I may not have excelled at everything new I have brought into my life.   The entire point is that I got out of bed.  I did something that I had not done before.  I learned about something new.  It deepened my value of life.  I added to my knowledge.  I gained an experience. I went out there and did something.  I didn't become an expert on any of the subjects mentioned above.  I'm stepping out from what I have always known and it feels amazing.  I wake up ready to see another day.  I'm understanding myself that much more.  With optimism I will continue to move forward on the search for reason.

Finding my Everyday Reason by Just Trying

Hello and welcome to my blog! My name is TSandra.  I am a wife and a mother of a 5 year old boy.  I am on an adventure of self discovery.  My hopes for this blog is to inspire others, while finding my everyday reason. For those who choose to take this journey with me, keep in mind that I'm new to the blogging community and I am excited to become a part of it.

Two years ago I quit my job to move back to my hometown.  This was something my husband desperately needed in his life and he doesn't ask for much so I agreed.  For the first few months we stayed with my grandparents while we waited for an apartment to become available.  I had been a daycare teacher for the past three years.  This allowed me to bring my child to work with me for free and I earned a paycheck.

That very first morning I woke up without a job I felt sad, useless. and the list could go on.   My husband already had his job lined up, so he was good to go.  I struggled to find routine.  I could have went out and found a job, however the type of job I would have been qualified for would have went to daycare cost.  I basically would have been filling up my day and missing time with my son for little financial gain.  Depression was creeping up fast and I seen the storm coming.

That first morning was a struggle.  I lay there and felt no reason to get up.  I could tell my mood was affecting my son.  I reached out to friends and family.  They were very supportive and ready to give their help.  They listened to me and tried to help, but my depression was still pulling me under.

Christmas was right around the corner, and that didn't help matters. I knew it was up to me to pull myself out of this rut.  I needed a plan.  I went out and bought a Christmas Tree. A big one! My sister suggested a small tree since the house was small.  I listened to her advice, and ignored it. Arriving home carrying my very large tree and various Christmas supplies, my grandparents definitely noticed.  They had several questions for me and I simply told them the truth.  I told them I was sad and trying to cheer myself up and that my son needed a tree at Christmas.  They understood and I put it up.  Everyday after that my son and I would make a paper ornament and hang it on the tree.

 One morning I woke up to find that my grandmother had made some ornaments.  She was so proud and smiling.  That is when I realized she had been sad too. That everyone in  the house had been a little blue.  I made it my mission to bring the Christmas spirit back into our family home.  I surprised them by decorating their porch with Christmas lights.  Then they surprised me with wanting to add more.  It was like a chain reaction. My small decision to keep myself busy caused something to spread, and I think it was cheer.  I was inspired. I felt like I had found the key to happiness by simply trying. 

Since that simple Christmas, I have been branching out and trying new things.  All kinds of new things!  I am 28 years old and unsure of where I want to be and what I want to do with my life. I am on a quest for happiness you could say.  I am trying to find what I am good at and what I love doing. I am searching for my purpose.  That is what this blog is about.  This is where I will document my progress.  I want to share my story along the way.  I hope to inspire others to get out of bed and try something different.  I want others to see the value of simply trying.  I have many plans for this blog some of which include, interviewing others about their life, experiences, and trials. I know this blog may not change the World, however I hope it broadens mine.