Lara wrote:
Lara
The sale of Nordstrom was an epic annual event in my childhood. My mother and I would wait expectantly outside the massive store, 07 to await the opening of the doors. It really was fun, but after the high initial acquisition of the wardrobe cleared, I was still smack in the middle of a teenage bad divorce and emotional pain. I actually understand now, this is how my mother tried to make happier things in our House. She felt better after having invested in a new outfit that makes him feel special, why it should not even do for his daughter? I like it to do what it could to relieve pain swirling for us two, still to this day shopping makes me a little melancholic. It reminds me of the gaping hole that was never filled despite picking up shiny, new shoes real estate in my stuffed closet.
At 43, I'm a MOM of teens obsessed with clothes and wife to a wonderful man who loves his toys. I start the rather inconvenient process of simplification. As in the simplification of the goodwill associated with piles of bags in the garage and a ruthless stripping of our planned activities . I go to this matter quietly, of course, because I believe that this process is not something that you can go to someone else. I've had a few wins with preaching by example. These bags in the garage? They are mostly filled with clothes that my daughters did not want to part. We even eased the extra-curricular to number of sane, easy to manage.
As I let go of consumerism (feels so good!), I find immense satisfaction in many things. Relations with my children, my teaching career, the adoption of a regime of & current program, dates with my husband, travel family and friendships with women that I love. These are all things that have become the fabric of my life and it is really very exciting. Sometimes, I aspire to regain the years that I spent pursuing the wrong things. If I could start over, I would travel like crazy with minimal luggage and children in tow. I do not believe that show your offspring worldwide is one of the best things you can do for their own pursuit of happiness.
I'm clear on the fact that this process will take time, but one of the most wonderful things on the simplification is that it starts where you are. It is your own unique journey into the life that you have created so far. It is also an ongoing process which changes at each stage of life. In fact, I feel cleansed and physically lighter with each step that I take the road Less is More . I hope that retreat we will find an area smaller (with large windows!) and I'll be able to show my girls (and possibly their children someday) that a happy life is defined by whom you choose to share your life, what you decide to do for a living, and how much you give to others.
I am simplifying our travel Chronicle on my http://theExtraOrdinarySimpleLife.comblog. I'd love to hear what others are doing in their own quest.
Real minimalist life: Lara
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Minimalist
