Minimalism Guide #1 | 30 Days Of No Shopping

In my last blog I said I would upload Sundays, Wednesday, and Fridays. Today is Thursday. Oops. In all seriousness, I thought today was Wednesday. Oh well!

I haven't wrote about minimalism in a while. Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not the type of minimalist where I can fit all of my belongings in a backpack. But that does not mean that I'm not a minimalist.

I do, however, have a lot less stuff than what I use to have. I sell and donate things I don't use on a regular basis and I spend a lot less time shopping.

Speaking of shopping, I'm going to tell you what really helped me have less stuff in my home.

I was organizing and getting rid of some stuff in my closet about a year ago. I remember getting really overwhelmed by the amount of things I had that I didn't use. Several garbage bags full to be exact. After I was done, I had some new clothing items to put away. It's not possible to reduce the amount of things you have if you're going to buy more. I told myself that I wasn't going to shop for the next month.

Well, a month flew by and my 30 days of no shopping was a success. And 30 days turned into 60 and then 90. Now, I rarely shop and it has really made a difference in the amount of things in my home. It's awesome.

So let's do the 30 days of no shopping together. This is great for people who are interested in becoming minimalists but don't want to part with their things. This is also useful for people who don't particularly care about minimalism but want to shop less for whatever the reason.

Here are some guidelines to follow:

1. It's OK to buy things you need such as groceries, toiletries, etc. It's also OK to buy something that breaks that you use such as your washer, phone, etc.

2. I do not recommend you go shopping with the expectation of not buying anything. It's really hard to resist temptations when you're around all this new stuff with discounted prices everywhere. If your friend asks you to go shopping, you can politely decline, tell them about your no shopping experiment, and suggest you do something else.

That's all!

What will you gain by doing this challenge? More space, more money, and more time to do whatever you want.

I know the 20th of July is a weird time to start this challenge but I don't believe you need the 1st of a month to make a fresh start.

I will check back with you August 20th with another minimalism guide.

Good luck!

Ang

I wrote a blog on tips to help you shop less. It may help you on this challenge:
https://confessionsofanawakenedyouth.blogspot.ca/2017/05/tips-that-i-use-to-shop-less.html

Here is another article about Minimalism if you're interested in learning more:
https://confessionsofanawakenedyouth.blogspot.ca/2017/04/minimalism-unplugged.html

And check out my previous blog here:
https://confessionsofanawakenedyouth.blogspot.ca/2017/07/does-your-job-give-you-anxiety-dont.html

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How To Stay Motivated: Quick Fix Entry #1

You get really inspired. You start that new hobby or diet or whatever it may be. It lasts a couple weeks. Then you fall off the wagon. Hard. You choose couch time over your hobby or popcorn and chocolate instead of the healthy snacks you recently purchased.

If this is you I can assure you that you are not alone. I'm like it as well. I stop eating healthy, meditating, doing yoga, or drawing. It could be anything at any point in time.

So then why does most everyone "fall of the wagon" at some point.

I think there are an infinite amount of reasons for this. It all depends on the circumstance, the individual, and a whole host of other variables.

I have been paying attention to when I fall off the wagon and what motivates me to start again. Actually, I'm just now getting motivated for the first time in a couple a weeks. And what prompted this sudden motivation? Watching new (to me) YouTube videos about some of my favorite topics which gave me new insight and even new recipes.

That gave me a realization.

I'm willing to bet that a contributing factor to lack of motivation for many is boredom.

Let's just say your relatively new healthy morning routine looks like this: You wake up at 9 a.m. and you drink lemon water. Then you get a shower and do some yoga. After yoga, you make a smoothie and you drink it while responding to emails. You done this every morning for the past 2 weeks. Same yoga routine and all. After a couple of weeks, you find yourself sleeping in, grabbing some quick to eat, and passing the morning on Facebook or Instagram.

If something like this has ever happened to you and you are struggling to get back on the wagon, there could be an easy fix to it.

Simply change your routine. Incorporate a walk into your morning; try a different yoga routine; drink tea or coffee instead of or in addition to water.

Feeling bored can lead to loss of motivation. Add something novel to your routine to spice it up again and get motivated.

I hope this helps.

Let me know what you do to stay motivated!

Ang

I'm thinking of adding a series in blogs like this one that are quick fixes to common problems. I have a couple of more in mind for motivation but I plan to expand and make them about anything. :)

I have a good reason for you to stay motivated! Check out my blog on 6 things that happen to you when you live your life purpose:

https://confessionsofanawakenedyouth.blogspot.ca/2017/06/6-things-that-happen-when-you-live-your.html

Check out my previous blog if you struggle with feeling beautiful:

https://confessionsofanawakenedyouth.blogspot.ca/2017/07/read-this-if-you-struggle-with-feeling.html