Fear of regret is a barrier to entry when trying to live a mindful and intentional life. During downsizing and organizing projects, hypothetical what-if scenarios create an obstacle between practical reflection and movement forward.

After almost five years writing this blog, my seemingly most popular post … included my suggestion to not own couches and nightstands. Most people haven’t questioned these items and were baffled by the idea of rejecting them from their homes.

Have you heard of planned obsolescence? It’s when a product is planned or designed with an artificially useful life. In this way, it becomes obsolete either from a purely superficial standpoint or from a functional one.

It feels exhilarating to organize your closet and donate six bags of clothing, shoes, and accessories. After that big moment, your day-to-day will be improved: you’ll find items more easily with less stuff to rummage through, deciding what to wear will take less time, you’ll feel more peaceful each moment you peer into your closet, and you’ll get that tax deduction.

The last time I wrote about my brother, I reflected upon a handmade gift he gave me decades ago, and many of his most special qualities. Though close, we certainly have different lifestyles and different relationships to purchasing and keeping stuff.

Possible post-breakup thoughts: Where did I go wrong? I know it’s the right thing to do, but I miss them! or I can’t believe we stayed together this long! After a bit of time passes, you may think: Was it really that bad?

My mindset changed the moment I realized that everything is a tool. 

I’ve been thinking a lot about silence. Both being at home alone in silence and just “being” with others, to allow a sort of deepening in to the present moment, undistracted by someone else’s ideas and words.

Family is so … familiar, and our creature comforts extend to the family traditions that we hold dear to our hearts. By the very nature of them being traditions, they may seem exempt from analysis. I would posit, instead, that there is no intrinsic value in and necessity to retain traditions despite cherishing many myself.

Not all reasons are created equal. 

I am a very particular person. I don’t like different foods to touch on my plate, and I know exactly which brand of chocolate is best. I tuck in the corners of my bed sheets every day. I have routines and systems for most things, all based on clear and detailed preferences.

Have you heard the news? Life is not about finding balance. It’s about finding steadiness in the throes of imbalance, always keeping close eye on your center.

I love to host. I love to brew tea to pour in small tea cups, coupled with sweet treats. I like to cook meals and create a gathering place, with a peaceful ambiance. I never call it a night if the chatting is rich, or a good cry needs to be consoled.

I’ve been lifting weights recently. It’s reminded me of the saying: No pain, no gain. Have you ever lifted heavy weights during a workout, barbell in hand, beginning to curl and burn through the resistance?

There are many creations of modern society that I find curious, sometimes frustrating, usually wasteful, and occasionally mind boggling. These objects promote excess, disorganization, and, laziness.

You’ve heard the saying, “Let’s make memories!” Whenever those words arise, I cringe a bit. I don’t want to make the past, even if it’s something sweet to reflect upon. I want to make now’s.

Ecology may have been the most mindset-changing classes I took in college. An offshoot of biology, ecology teaches us how organisms interact with each other and their physical environment. Basically, how life works outside of our bodies. One of the most inspiring ecological concepts, I found, is succession.

There is no such thing as later. It’s just an idea, flagrant hypothesis, and deceitful invitation. It’s an excuse and the sultry allure of fantasy. The future does not exist. 

Time and management are two words that, when put together, cause cringing. Time is a river, management sounds like a dam. Time is freedom and opportunity, management is Dilbert vocabulary.

I've been nudging my parents to let go of unnecessary objects my whole adult life. They usually don’t listen to me, but sometimes they do, like when I redid my Dad’s home office or lent a hand as they downsized from my childhood home to a condo in a retirement community. In this community, my Mom now serves as the Board President of their 200-unit building.