Month: May 2024

Minimalism isn’t just about decluttering; it’s a mindset shift toward intentional living. Over the years, we accumulate possessions that hold memories and sentimental value. However, these belongings can become overwhelming, weighing us down both physically and emotionally.

Joshua Becker’s insight into minimalism, as shared in The More of Less, resonates deeply: it’s about creating space for what truly matters in life. By letting go of excess, we invite more meaningful experiences and connections into our lives.

Minimalism Across Life’s Stages

Early Adulthood

In our youth, societal pressures often drive us to pursue material wealth and possessions. But as we mature, we realize that true happiness lies in experiences and relationships, not in material goods. Minimalism encourages young women to prioritize experiences, travel, and personal growth over accumulating possessions.

Middle Age

The middle years bring a unique set of challenges, balancing career demands with family responsibilities. Minimalism offers a way to simplify and streamline our lives amidst the chaos. It’s about prioritizing our time and energy on what truly matters, whether it’s nurturing relationships, pursuing passions, or finding moments of solitude and self-care.

Golden Years

Retirement marks a significant transition, often accompanied by downsizing and decluttering. But beyond just physical possessions, minimalism in our golden years is about embracing a simpler, more intentional way of living. It’s an opportunity to focus on experiences, relationships, and personal growth, unencumbered by the weight of unnecessary belongings.

Practical Tips for Embracing Minimalism

Assess Your Belongings

Take a thoughtful inventory of your possessions, reflecting on their significance and utility in your life. Consider Marie Kondo’s approach of keeping only what sparks joy, letting go of items that no longer serve you.

Start Small

Minimalism is a gradual process. Begin by decluttering one area of your home or one category of belongings at a time. Whether it’s clothing, books, or kitchen gadgets, approach decluttering with mindfulness and intentionality.

Embrace Quality Over Quantity

Invest in items of high quality that align with your values and lifestyle. Instead of accumulating numerous possessions, focus on owning fewer, but well-loved, items that bring joy and functionality into your life.

Practice Mindfulness

Cultivate a mindful approach to consumption and decision-making. Before making a purchase, pause and consider whether the item aligns with your values and contributes positively to your life. Mindfulness extends beyond material possessions, encompassing how we spend our time and energy as well.

The Benefits of Minimalism: Backed by Research

Research supports the myriad benefits of minimalism for overall well-being. Studies have shown that decluttering and simplifying our physical spaces can reduce stress, increase productivity, and enhance mental clarity. By letting go of excess, we create room for growth, creativity, and meaningful experiences in our lives. Minimalism isn’t just about having less; it’s about living more intentionally and authentically.

Embracing a Life of Simplicity and Purpose

In a world inundated with consumerism and excess, minimalism offers a refreshing alternative – a path to simplicity, fulfillment, and freedom. For women over 60, embracing minimalism can be a transformative journey toward greater clarity, purpose, and joy.

As we navigate life’s transitions and milestones, let us remember that the true measure of wealth lies not in what we possess, but in the richness of our experiences and relationships. Embrace minimalism as a guiding philosophy – a way to live more fully and authentically with each passing day.

The Role of a Life Coach in Embracing Minimalism

As a life coach, I’ve witnessed firsthand the transformative power of minimalism in the lives of my clients. Navigating the journey toward simplicity and intentionality can be daunting, but with guidance and support, it becomes an empowering and liberating experience.

Clarifying Values and Goals

My role as a life coach is to help my clients clarify their values and goals, guiding them to understand what truly matters in life. Together, we explore their deepest desires and aspirations, aligning their actions with their values as they embark on their minimalist journey.

Accountability and Support

Embracing minimalism requires commitment and consistency. I provide my clients with accountability and support, helping them stay focused on their decluttering goals and encouraging them to overcome any obstacles or resistance they may encounter along the way.

Mindset Shift

Minimalism is as much about mindset as it is about decluttering physical spaces. I help my clients shift their mindset from one of scarcity and accumulation to one of abundance and intentionality. Together, we explore the beliefs and attitudes that may be holding them back, reframing their relationship with possessions to cultivate gratitude and contentment.

Creating Action Plans

Minimalism is a journey, and each individual’s path will be unique. I collaborate with my clients to create personalized action plans, breaking down the process of decluttering into manageable steps and celebrating progress along the way.

Building Resilience

Letting go of possessions can be emotionally challenging, especially when they hold sentimental value. I help my clients build resilience and navigate the emotional ups and downs of decluttering, fostering a sense of empowerment and liberation as they release the weight of unnecessary belongings.

Sustaining Momentum

Minimalism is not a one-time event but an ongoing practice. I support my clients in sustaining momentum beyond decluttering, helping them integrate minimalist principles into all areas of their lives and cultivate a lasting sense of simplicity and purpose.

In my work as a life coach, I’ve seen how embracing minimalism can lead to profound transformations, allowing my clients to live more authentically, intentionally, and joyfully. Together, we navigate the challenges and celebrate the victories, creating a life that is rich in meaning, connection, and fulfillment.

As a dedicated life coach, I’d like to offer you a 20% discount on my Life Coaching services. Just enter the code SIXTYANDME when purchasing a session or package by June 1 to receive this exclusive community discount.

You can also download my FREE Life Coaching eBook to help you navigate through life’s many transitions with resilience, strength, and grace.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

Are you on a minimalist journey? Were you a minimalist when you were younger or is this a recent development? If you haven’t embraced the minimalist lifestyle, what’s stopping you?

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Photo: @camwimberly1

Originally posted at: Cameran Eubanks’ Pink and Orange Printed Midi Dress

One morning while enjoying an aromatic brew under the shade trees of our local coffee shop, my 80-year-old friend, an Asian history cognoscente and a master at nailing the one-liner, summed up his philosophy of life for me in five words:

Have fun ‘til you’re done!

I had to laugh (because we were having fun!), but at the same time it made me think about how radical this view is in a culture that venerates getting ahead, being productive (nose to the grindstone!), and constantly becoming the next best version of yourself, all of which can keep a person overcommitted and pushed to the point of exhaustion. No fun!

Not Alone in This

My friend has good company in his thinking:

This is the real secret of life –

to be completely engaged with what you are doing

in the here and now. And instead of calling it work,

realize it is play.

—Alan Watts

At first, this may seem like a hedonistic approach, but the meaning is entirely different. It’s not so much what you’re doing – it’s the vibe (to use a descriptive hippie term) you’re on while you’re doing it.

When you’re alone, focusing on something you love doing – working on a project, playing the piano, creating art, writing, etc., – you temporarily suspend burdens from the past and worries about the future. And then, when you eventually finish what you’ve been up to, you may be surprised at how time has flown and how good you feel, having had a reprieve from the self-imposed seriousness of your normal day to day.

Joy in Everything

Now, take that contented joy you just experienced and envision infusing it into everything you do. Why not make each task a pleasant endeavor? If you catch yourself with a furrowed brow, gently release the tension and change the image. Deliberately adopt a playful, even humorous attitude – lighten the mood! We all like to be around people who make us laugh. In the burst of laughter, we forget everything else that may be weighing heavily upon us.

We can do this for ourselves, too, and young children can show us how. They have a knack for turning ordinary tasks into games. Watch them transform chores or cooking, gardening, or running errands from routine obligations into playful shared adventures. They’re “all in” – whatever may be happening.

Find Levity in the Present

The key is to find levity in the present, as we often have found it in the past. We’ve probably all chuckled to ourselves looking back at some exasperating personal predicament.

When I was living in Southern California in my 20s, I remember the night the car trolls decided to play a wicked trick on me. It was pouring rain and very dark along Highway 1. There I was, elegantly dressed for a dinner date, pulled over by the side of the road with a flat tire, keys mockingly locked inside, getting drenched. No cell phone in those days.

Each rumble of thunder grumbled like a jötunn’s stomach after a big meal (I was so hungry!). My fearful what-ifs convinced me that no one would stop; that I’d have to hoof it, high heels and all, to the next gas station, miles away.

Fast forward to today, reminiscing with friends over lunch. We found ourselves laughing out loud as we re-envisioned the entire scenario resembling a scene out of a B-movie. The tow truck driver, who had arrived on cue like a wish granted by my fairy godmother, had even steered my tale to a happy ending.

Change of Perspective

So why do we find that same event amusing now, when before we were so caught up in its emotional whirlwind?

Two reasons: (1) While it was taking place, we were seriously identified in it. (2) With the passage of time, we change our perspective and see it in context.

Back then, I felt like I was treading water in a fast-moving current. Now, with the luxury of reflection, I can see the situation for what it really was: just a flat tire, a minor inconvenience in the grand scheme. The humor isn’t in the happening itself, but in how I let my emotions run wild and how doggone serious I was about the whole thing!

So, back to having fun; it’s about moving through life with a playful attitude, something we actually do have agency over, and taking ourselves less seriously. Which reminds me of a G.K. Chesterton quote:

Angels can fly because they can take themselves lightly.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

How do you have fun these days? Do you laugh at past mishaps? Is there a friend in your crowd who likes to share fun times with you?

Lindsay Hubbard’s Tan Knit Cover Up Skirt / Summer House Season 8 Episode 12 Fashion

Thankfully summer is just around the corner and Summer House is tonight giving us alllll the fashion inspo. Like Lindsay Hubbard’s tan knit cover up that she wears out on the boat. This is a solid staple piece because it can be worn as a cover up at the beach/pool, or if you’re feeling brave, as a skirt out and about on the town. Either way it’s something that you definitely need to be ship to your house asap.

Sincerely Stylish,

Jess

Originally posted at: Lindsay Hubbard’s Tan Knit Cover Up Skirt

Paige DeSorbo’s Black Floral Applique Strapless Bikini Top / Summer House Season 8 Episode 12 Fashion

Paige DeSorbo is being a solid friend to Ciara Miller when it comes the the West Conrad situation. And she’s also being a solid friend to us by giving us our next bikini purchase inspo. Because she wears the most adorable black floral applique strapless bikini on tonight’s Summer House. So don’t you dare sleep with other girls on the chance to get one similar before its too late!

Sincerely Stylish,

Jess

Originally posted at: Paige DeSorbo’s Black Floral Applique Strapless Bikini Top