Joshua Becker's Blog, page 41

Things That Matter Coming Soon!

Here’s my new book: Things That Matter: Overcoming Distraction to Pursue a More Meaningful Life. Available everywhere April 19, 2022.

I have spent the last three years writing the book—conducting research, identifying distractions, interviewing people, and providing practical steps you can take today to live a life focused on things that matter.

In many ways, Things That Matter is a different book than I have ever written. In other ways, it aligns with everything I’ve written over the last 13 years.

Things That Matter is about overcoming the distractions that keep us from living out our true purpose. There is a chapter on possessions, but the book goes much deeper, addressing other cultural distractions such as money, fame, fear, technology, our past, and the opinions of others.

I’ve never worked harder on a book in my entire life and I can’t wait to share the entire thing with you.

But for today, I get to show you the cover. Yay!

Available for pre-order now, wherever books are sold.

One Question You Can Ask to Declutter Faster

There are any number of questions we can ask about our possessions as we seek to minimize them.

Some have offered questions such as:

Does it spark joy?
Does it add value?
Does it serve my purpose?

I personally recommend two questions:

1. Do I need this?
2. Why do I have it?

You will find both incredibly helpful in your decluttering journey (especially if you include the added step of touching every physical item in your home).

But I have come to recognize a third question that is helpful to many. And once people ask it, the decluttering process seems to go faster as more and more items are identified as unnecessary.

Ask yourself, with every item in your home:

What would I use if I didn’t have it?

If the question can be answered quickly, it is not an item that you need to keep.

I first discovered this question when I minimized the things in my kitchen and stood face to face with countless tools and gadgets.

Mark Bittman in his article A No Frill’s Kitchen Still Cooks lists the only 30 items you need in your kitchen and I used his list as a template to declutter my own.

I had collected WAY more than 30 items, including countless gadgets and tools I thought necessary to cook dinner for my family.

As I stared at a stainless-steel egg-separator that had lived in my drawer for years, I thought to myself, “Surely I need to keep this. How else would I separate the yolk from an egg?”

Until I asked myself the question above, “What would I use if I didn’t have it?”

Within seconds I discovered that you can separate eggs with a simple spoon or even no spoon at all.

I thought I needed an egg separator cluttering up my kitchen drawer, but in reality, I didn’t need it at all. There is more than one way to solve a problem and I already owned everything I needed to separate eggs. (Incidentally, I got rid of the egg separator that day and haven’t missed it at all).

When we ask ourselves the question, “What would I use if I didn’t have it?” and quickly discover an answer, it becomes easier to let go—even if the item is one we use.

Another time I saw this question help someone declutter was helping a friend of mine minimize her kitchen. Over the years, she had collected decades and decades of items.

We began the process asking the questions, “Do you need it?” “Do you use it?” “Why do you have it?”

We weren’t making very fast progress. At one point, I pulled a red Santa tray from a cluttered cabinet and asked if she needed it.

“Oh yes,” she responded, “I put cookies on that tray every Christmas Eve.”

I asked a follow-up question, “Well, what would you use if you didn’t have it?”

She didn’t have to think long before her reply, “Oh, I’d probably just use one of the other red serving trays that I have in that cabinet.”

And in that moment, as she was working hard to own less and free up space in her home and life, she discovered something important: Just because you use an item doesn’t mean you need to keep it.

Especially when there are numerous things in your home that serve the same purpose.

The question, “What would I use if I didn’t have it?” allows us to see our possessions in a new way.

It forces us to recognize the number of duplicate items in our home.

The average American home has 300,000 items inside of it. And most of them are simply duplicates.

You can make quick progress decluttering your home by removing the duplicate items that you own. The question above helps us recognize them.

And it allows us to find new solutions to the problems we face.

There is almost always more than one way to solve a problem. You can offload many of the possessions you think you need by simply reminding yourself that you already own a solution to that problem elsewhere.

Do I need it? Why do I have it? What would I use if I didn’t have it?

Ask yourself these questions and declutter faster.

Own less, live more. You’ll love it.

The Purpose of Living Simple

Note: This is a guest post from Melissa of Melissa Camara Wilkins.

When we set out on a journey toward living a simple life, most of us start off inspired. We have big plans. We’re going to set ourselves free from stuff—free from the cycle of working too many hours to buy things we don’t need.

We plan to remember what’s important. We plan to focus on that. We decide to stop comparing ourselves, to follow our own path, to live our own lives.

Then we start noticing things.

Maybe you start noticing that one friend who always has the latest cool gadgets, while you’re still carrying around your old phone. Maybe you notice that other friend who has a whole new wardrobe for every season, while you’re staring into a very functional but not-brand-new capsule wardrobe closet.

Or maybe you’ve been trying to simplify your schedule, but you notice that being busy feels like being important. Being busy looks like being popular. It’s easy to forget why you were trying to forgo busyness in the first place.

The truth is, there’s always more to buy, more to do, more to chase, if you head down that path. The road to having it all isn’t a highway, it’s a treadmill—but how do we remember to stay off?

Creating a simple life means you’re going to be out of step with the culture around you. Sometimes being out of step feels awkward. Sometimes choosing less feels like being deprived. Sometimes the best choices take more effort than we had hoped.

“Simple” doesn’t always mean “easy,” but designing a simple life can fill your days with meaning.

Try these five practices to remind yourself of the purpose behind living simple.

1. Remember that you define “enough.”

Having it all looks exciting, but in reality, having too much of anything—too much clutter, to many projects, too many choices—is a distraction. The goal is to focus on the right things for you.

2. Look for community.

Find people in your life who share your simple living values, and remind each other of what matters. If you don’t have in-person community, get inspired by checking in with your favorite simple living blogs and books.

3. Give back.

You are creating margin in your life for a purpose. When you calm your schedule and clear your space, you find more room to give, to help, or to serve. You have more time to be present.

Find a way to give away some of what you’ve gained: donate your stuff; volunteer your free time; give away money you would have otherwise spent on extras.

4. Focus on what you gain, not on what you’re doing without.

You may have chosen less in some areas: less stuff, less activity, less to do. But you’re choosing less to make room for more: more relationship, more connection, more replenishment, more wellness, more wholeness. More of what matters to you.

When you’re seeing the “less,” count the “more.”

5. Think longer.

Imagine the long-term outcome of whatever choices you’re faced with today. What will bring most joy, most peace, most satisfaction? What will you want to remember, when you look back on this? What will make a difference?

Making a difference in your life and your world sometimes means that you have to make a different choice than the people around you. But making your own best choices now means you benefit in the days to come.

***

Melissa Camara Wilkins writes a beautiful blog about giving yourself permission to be who you were made to be. You can also follow her on Facebook.

Encouraging Simplicity. Weekend Reads.

Never underestimate the importance of removing stuff you don’t need.

Encouragement provides us with motivation to persevere. It invites us to dream dreams of significance for our lives. And it begs us to work diligently with optimism and promise.

Overcoming the pull of consumerism is a difficult challenge regardless of our stage in life. Simplicity requires encouragement. To that end, I hope you will find motivation in these articles below.

Each post was intentionally chosen to inspire simplicity in your life. For maximum effect, find a quiet moment this weekend and enjoy them with a fresh cup of coffee or tea.

We Need to Stop Buying Stuff – and I Know Just the People to Persuade Us | The Guardian by Adrian Chiles. Our ridiculous addiction to acquiring more possessions is stuffing up the planet, so it’s time to call in the experts.

Create a Place For Everything That Matters | Zen Habits by Leo Babauta. So when we declutter, it’s not just about getting rid of things we don’t want — it’s also about finding a home for everything we do want. A place for everything.

Understanding the Diderot Effect To Overcome Overspending | Forbes* by Joshua Becker. Arriving at a healthy understanding of why we buy what we do is a worthy pursuit.

*Forbes allows a number of free articles each month. If you have reached your limit, this article may require a subscription.

Pandemic Life Encourages People to Live with Less | Korean JoongAng Dailey by Haley Yang. Overall, 55.7 percent of respondents said that they developed a heightened interest in minimalist living since the pandemic started.

5 Questions to Ask Yourself When Decluttering | Verily by Patty Breen. Tidying expert Marie Kondo famously shared the tip to ask yourself if an item you pick up brings you a spark of joy, and if not, to say farewell to that object. Here are some other questions I’ve found helpful to ask myself when decluttering, to keep up the pace and reach my tidying goals.

Minimalism: 7 Reasons that Keep People From Getting Started | Joshua Becker on YouTube. The idea of minimalism may sound attractive, but sometimes, the first step seems very difficult. And, too often, is never taken.

The Importance of Finding Beauty in Ordinary Things

Last night I attended an event at my daughter’s high school. She was receiving an award for academic success.

The awards ceremony took place in the school gymnasium.

There were two folding tables on one end of the gym for the principal and guidance counselors who read off the names and explained the significance of the award.

In the middle of the gym floor were two simple folding chairs set up to mark where the students were to walk.

The parents sat on bleachers on one side of the gym.

Before the ceremony, we ate a dinner of ground turkey tacos. On our way home, we got some ice cream. Nothing fancy, just a small treat to celebrate.

After returning home, I watched a few innings of the World Series before going to bed at 10pm (which is about all the later I can seem to stay up these days).

In almost every imagineable way, there was nothing extravagant about the night.

It seems to me there are three approaches I could have taken during the evening:

1. I could entirely unappreciate the night, begrudgingly attend the school event, and complain about the whole thing.

I could have been upset that I HAD to go out another night of the week.

I could have thought about how tired I was from work, how many things needed to be completed around the house, or how I just didn’t want to attend another thing.

Rare is the parent who would choose option #1 and begrudgingly complain about attending the night (although they do exist).

2. I could appreciate the beauty and meaning of the night for what it was.

The night was simple, but meaningful and beautiful.

There is a lot of beauty to be found in ordinary things.

3. I could daydream about how much better the night could have been with a few upgrades.

We could have gone out to eat for a steak dinner before the ceremony… that would have made the night even better.

They could have hired a professional speaker, local media personality, or special music for the event. They could have had a fancier queue line for the students… that would have been better.

We could have sat on more comfortable chairs than bleachers… that would have been better.

We could have chosen a fancier dessert, driven a newer car, or returned home to a bigger screen television. Certainly, any of those upgrades would have made the evening even more luxurious and enjoyable, right?

I could have spent the entire night looking for all the ways it could be better.

But what benefit does it give my life to do that?

How does it increase my happiness or joy in life to constantly think my life would be better if I just had x?

None, whatsoever. Nor would more comfortable chairs, a newer car, or fancier meal have changed the accomplishment and meaning of the evening.

Too often we miss the beauty of ordinary things by wishing for something better.

It is a gift to yourself to see the beauty of ordinary things. To not constantly look around you and your circumstances and dwell on all the ways your life would improve if it were upgraded.

Our world encourages discontent at every turn and our minds too often embrace it. Even though it seems unwise to discount the beauty right in front of us, we do it all the time.

We wish the house was bigger, the restaurant was fancier, the vacation was more exotic, or the television was larger.

We wish the furniture was fancier, the clothes were more fashionable, the phone was upgraded, or the mode of transportation was more luxurious.

We wish the boss was more understanding, the weather was warmer, the stomach was flatter, or the bank account had more zeroes.

But when we live life constantly desiring more and better, we miss the beauty of the ordinary right in front of us.

It is one thing to work to improve your lot in life. It is something completely different to miss the beauty and blessings of the life you are currently experiencing.

Wise is the man or woman who chooses to see them.

Ten Unexpected Areas of Life Impacted by Minimalism

Thirteen years ago, I was introduced to minimalism during a short conversation with my neighbor.

The realization that excess possessions were distracting us from greater pursuits immediately changed how we viewed our home and the items inside it.

Within nine months, we had removed 60-70% of the things from our home and have never regretted discovering the freedom we found because of it.

But minimalism impacted more areas of life than our physical possessions.

Here are ten areas of life that were unexpectedly impacted by our decision to own fewer possessions:

1. Bank Account

For our entire married lives, my wife and I had “just gotten by’ financially. We hadn’t taken on considerable amounts of consumer debt, but we certainly weren’t getting ahead financially—despite several pay increases.

The more we made, the more we spent.

But minimalism changed that. We put some money in our pocket during the decluttering phase, but more significantly, we stopped wasting our money on unnecessary purchases. It was surprising how quickly our finances were positively affected by the decision to intentionally own less.

2. Physical Fitness

The change may seem like a coincidence, but I am convinced it was not.  

In May, after being introduced to minimalism, we began the process of removing unneeded possessions. Seven months later, in December, I celebrated by birthday.

Not wanting to buy a physical item, I requested a gym membership at the local Planet Fitness that had just opened in my town. And thus began, for the first time in my life, a regular practice of physical exercise.

Minimalism unexpectedly affected my physical health.

3. Diet

In my mid-thirties at the time, I had a pretty unhealthy diet. Lots of eating out, snack foods, fried foods, and not nearly enough good stuff.

Well, it doesn’t take too many weeks of visiting the gym to begin wondering why you are drinking soda and eating potato chips every evening. And thus, I began researching healthier foods to eat before/after working out. And my entire diet began to change.  

*I am reminded often of Courtney Carver’s story of finding minimalism. For her, intentionality in her diet brought about greater intentionality in her possessions (minimalism). For me, it was the other way around.

4. Habits

A new lifestyle was emerging. I had begun changing my habits: spending, fitness, diet. Other habits began to change in my life as well.

I developed the habit of writing, rising early, and watching less television.

Minimalism became about more than physical possessions. Minimalism is about identifying what is most important in life and working hard to remove the distractions that keep us from it—including unhealthy habits.

5. Stress

Randy Alcorn says it this way, “Every increased possession adds increased anxiety onto our lives.”

The less I owned, the less stress I felt in my life.

Just think of all the ways physical possessions burden us with stress.

They require our constant care and attention: cleaning, organizing, maintaining, managing, repairing, replacing… And that’s not even to speak of how much stress we feel trying to keep up with the Joneses or the anxiety that surrounds our desire to make more money just so we can buy more stuff.

Minimalism meant not only did I have fewer possessions taking up physical space in my home and mental space in my mind, but it also meant I could remove myself from the trappings of comparison and consumerism.

It is difficult to understand the mental burden of excess physical possessions until we begin to remove them.

6. Faith

Minimalism impacted my faith in ways I never dreamt.

I go more in-depth into my Christian faith in my book, The More of Less, than I typically do on this blog. But I have to mention that minimalism both freed up my life to focus more on faith and even changed my understanding of it in many regards.

My personal faith has much to say about money and possessions and where to find true abundance. Minimalism helped me see that much more clearly than ever before.

7. Social Media           

I use social media every day to spread the message of minimalism, but I can also see how quickly it becomes just another distraction from things that matter when it is not used intentionally.

I don’t get it right every day, but embracing the benefit of fewer possessions has also helped me see the benefit of less time on social media.

8. Relationships

When we first discovered minimalism, we were regularly hosting three different small groups of people in our home—almost every week.

Showing hospitality was important to us then, and it is important to us today. Some may confuse a minimalist home with being cold and lifeless, but we found the opposite to be true. We find it easier to entertain and host drop-by guests now that there is less clutter to shove into closets before they arrive.

I should also mention that freeing up time and money and focus because of minimalism has also allowed us to be more present and available in our relationships than ever before.

9. Work

In our society, work has become the thing that we do 9-5, Monday through Friday, in order to earn the paycheck so that we can buy the stuff, take the vacation, or retire early. But minimalism forced me to rethink work.

If I’m not going to work so that I just spend more money on stuff, why am I going to work? I began seeing it as something different altogether.

As I have written previously, work is the thing we do with our lives to improve society and life for others. It’s our way of using our talents and education and experience to serve others. In this way, it brings new meaning and fulfillment each day—and becomes far more enjoyable than merely slogging through another day until pay day.

Not everyone sees work this way, unfortunately. And I didn’t either—before minimalism. But I am grateful how my views have changed. Work is just another unexpected area of my life impacted by minimalism.

10. Parenting

We all want to be intentional parents raising good kids who contribute positively to society. And many succeed in that effort without discovering minimalism.

But for me, personally, I found minimalism impacted my worldview in so many positive ways, it can’t help but come out in how I parent. I don’t force my children to embrace a minimalist lifestyle (they will make their own decisions when they are out of the house), but I do model for them a life lived for more important pursuits than material possessions.

And minimalism freed up time at home to accomplish that.

Minimalism was introduced to me in one short conversation. And what began as simply a journey to own less stuff has begun positively influencing almost every area of my life. You’ll find it has the same impact on yours.

If You Need Encouragement Today, Read This:

“Life is a journey, not a destination,” the old adage goes.

And the adage is correct. Life is a journey.

For one thing, we never know for sure where or when the end is going to arrive. But even more, if we viewed life’s destination as the ultimate goal, we’d only have a very brief moment at the end to finally appreciate it.

Life is a journey to be enjoyed—with all its ups and downs and winding roads.

However, it would be incorrect to assume that there are no destinations in life to be celebrated. In fact, often times, the greatest prize is to be found at the end of a journey.

A runner knows the greatest prize is experienced at the end of the race.

A hiker knows the greatest prize is experienced at the top of the mountain.

A writer knows the greatest prize is experienced when the book is completed.

A chef knows the greatest prize is experienced when the meal is served.

A doctor knows the greatest prize is experienced when the patient returns to full health.

And a parent knows the greatest prize is experienced when the child has grown to maturity and responsibility.

The journey may be difficult, but the prize at the end is worth the effort.

In the middle of the journey, there is often discouragement and hard times and difficult steps that need to be taken. We may be weary, tired, frustrated, or heavy-hearted. But sometimes we just need to be reminded:

The greatest prize is discovered at the end of the journey and taking another step, even just one more, will bring you closer to it.   

To those of you who are fighting a difficult battle today and to those of you who just need to hear this, keep going. Keep moving. There is a prize to be experienced at the end of this difficult road.

Maybe you are battling cancer today, keep fighting.

Maybe you are struggling to quit smoking, stay disciplined.

Maybe you are working to get out of debt, keep making progress.

Maybe you are trying to create a clutterfree home for yourself or family, keep decluttering.

Maybe you are working through professional counseling, keep at it.

Maybe you are trying your best to keep your marriage together, keep working.

Maybe you are worn out as a single parent, stay focused and intentional.

Maybe you are in school studying a field you are passionate about, keep studying.

Maybe you don’t even know if you want to get out of bed tomorrow, do it.

Whatever the trial may be that you are facing today, keep moving.

Each step forward may be difficult, but it is worth the effort because the greatest prize will be discovered when your pursuit is complete. And each step will bring you closer to it.

No matter how great the battle you are going through today, keep fighting.

9 Ways to Avoid Spending on Fads

Consumer fads and trends come and go—this will never change.

What can change is how we interact with them.

A fad, as defined by industry, is “a style, activity, or interest that is very popular for a short period of time.” Think: fidget spinners, rainbow looms, Beanie Babies, or those women’s shirts with the shoulders cut out.

A trend, on the other hand, is “a general development or change in a situation or in the way that people are behaving.” Trends are not inherently negative—they may be positive or negative. They just last longer than fads. Americans deciding to eat healthier could be considered a trend. Likewise, so is the increase in energy drink consumption.

Contrary to a positive trend, buying into a fad has virtually no long-term benefit. Fads steal our money and time and attention (I can remember as a child hearing about adults driving all over town to find the last Cabbage Patch kid to buy for Christmas).

At the end of the day (which is sometimes how long they last), fads result in clutter and guilt. We’ve got junk in our closet that nobody wants anymore, and we just wasted a portion of our life and resources to get it.

We thought it would be worth money in the future, that it would result in the most perfect Christmas memory, or that it would immediately elevate our image among our friends and neighbors, but fads offer none of that in the long run. The store took our money, and we’re left holding the bag.

Fads come and go in all areas of life: toys, fashion, accessories, technology, home décor, holiday gifts, even cars, websites, and games.

And the more we learn to reject fads and senseless trends, the more life we retain for things that matter.

But how? Especially given their prevalence and cyclical nature.

Nine ways to avoid spending on fads:

1. Know who starts them.

I remember exactly where I was sitting when I first discovered the Pantone Fashion Color Trend Report. A report dedicated entirely to telling us what colors of clothing we need to be buying for the next season.

A report, created by the fashion industry, designed to convince us to buy more and different clothes, every season, than all the clothing already hanging in our closet.

Fads (and most trends) are created by manufacturers, retailers, marketers, and distributors for the sole purpose of getting you to spend money on their stuff. Remember who starts fads… and that they rarely have your best interest in mind.

2. Recount where you first heard about the fad.

One helpful way to avoid wasting money on fads is to trace back where you first heard about the new style, trend, or fad. Did you see it on your local news? Read about it on a pop culture website? Notice it on Tik-Tok? Or see it on the front shelves at Target?

If you can trace back to the beginning where you were first introduced to the newest phenomenon that everyone is trying to be a part of, you’ll be in a better position to discern if it’s a passing fad or something timeless.

Was it a source that is typically swayed by the cultural obsession of the day? Or was it a source that has provided wise and stable wisdom over the years?

3. Stay out of stores.

As mentioned above, it’s important to remember that retail stores seek to profit off of fads. It doesn’t matter to them how helpful an item is to you and your family in the long run. If there is money to be made in pet rocks, they are going to stock pet rocks on their shelves.

Remove the temptation to waste money on passing fads by spending less time in stores designed to get you to buy. Equally important, remove yourself from email newsletters and special sales days (Prime Day) created to hype fads, trends, and things you don’t need.

4. Learn from past mistakes.

It’s hard to admit mistakes so it can be easy to make excuses why buying into unnecessary fad products was actually a good idea at the time. We rationalize away our reckless purchase by reminding ourselves that everyone was buying that same style of shirt or how every parent was trying to get their hands on Princess Unicorn for their daughter.

It’s easy to think we don’t have a problem of overconsumerism… until we stare at a home full of possessions that need to be decluttered and removed. Then we feel guilt.

Learn from your past mistakes instead. If you have fallen prey to fads in the past (clothing, toys, technology, etc.), notice what motivation prompted that purchase. And then work to overcome it so you don’t repeat your mistake in the future.

5. Commit to owning and buying less.

The most effective way to overcome the pull of trendy consumerism, in every capacity, is to own less.

When you own fewer possessions, you discover more money, time, and energy for things that matter. You shift the focus of your life from the pursuit of material possessions toward a more intentional life instead.

So one important way to overcome fads is to experiment with owning less.

If you want to stop buying into fashion fads, try a Project 333 Experiment.

If you want to stop buying into toy fads, research how owning fewer toys benefits your child.

If you want to stop buying into tech fads, master the tools you already have.

If you want to stop buying into home decor fads, be more grateful for what you have.

6. Embrace a waiting period.

Fads come and go pretty quick… sometimes within a matter of weeks. If you’re really on the fence about a purchase and can’t quite decide if it’s a useful purchase or simply a passing fad, give yourself two weeks before buying anything.

Two weeks won’t ruin you. But it might be long enough for the fad to begin clearly running its course.

7. Be confident with your style.

Fads and trends play on our insecurities. They subtly claim that our current lives are not enough to thrive in society and that we need to buy what everyone else is buying in order to keep up with the changing times.

Those who are confident with their life choices and trajectory of their lives will be less likely to take the bait. Be sure of the life you are living. Find confidence in where you are spending your money, time, energy, and efforts.

If you’ve spent your life swayed to and fro by the whims of culture, you’ll find no confidence there. Find a firmer foundation and a more valuable pursuit with your one life.

8. Rethink the value of money.

Your money is only as valuable as what you choose to spend it on. Your dollars, after providing for your needs, can be spent on consumerist and selfish pursuits. Or it can be used to help others and solve problems in the world.

The more we begin to see the potential of our money, the less likely we are to use it on passing fads.

9. Choose your own life.

Nobody gets to decide what life you live and the attitudes you bring into this world. Nobody gets to decide what you spend your money on. Those are your choices.

Just because the news, billboards, websites, and magazines are telling you that everyone is now wearing x, buying y, or watching z, doesn’t mean you have to as well. There is only one person who decides what enters your life—you. Take that responsibility seriously.

Fads will always come and go. One just ended… and another is just starting. But fads never provide long-term benefit to those who partake in them. Live differently.

Inspiring Simplicity. Weekend Reads.

Fill your life with stories to tell, not stuff to show.

The simplicity/minimalism movement is a beautiful community. And I enjoy any opportunity to promote writing that encourages people to live more by owning less.

I invite you to fix yourself a nice warm cup of coffee or tea. Find a quiet moment this weekend. And enjoy some encouraging words to inspire more simplicity in your life today.

Through 8 Years of Minimalism, I Created a Meaningful Life | Medium by Alice Crady. The process of letting go, saying “no,” and knowing when to say “yes,” gave me the foundation to take on bigger, meaningful challenges.

Pandemic Decluttering | The New York Times* by Joanne Kaufman. Suddenly, home was no longer simply haven and shelter. It was also an office (sometimes multiple offices), a school, perhaps even a gym, requiring extra equipment and furniture — requiring a rethinking and reapportioning of space.

*Depending where you live, The New York Times allows a number of free articles each month. If you have reached your limit, this article may require a subscription.

9 Types of Minimalists: Which One Are You? | The Plain Simple Life by Vourneen. There are various ways that people practice minimalism, depending on how they choose to live life. This post explores 9 types of minimalists.

How To Declutter Your Digital Life When It Seems Unmanageable | Society19 by Hanna Bredvik. The number of realms that our life seems to exist on the internet these days can get out of hand quite quickly, and after a certain point, you realize that you’re feeling really overwhelmed by the digital expanse that sits before you.

Living in Alignment | No Sidebar by Julia Ubbenga. But as we journey through life, something happens. We’re fed messages (directly and indirectly) from the media, our peers, our family members, and our environment that all tell us one thing—how we are is different than how we “should” be.

Why Saying You Want Change is Not Enough | Joshua Becker on YouTube. To be human is to fail. We know this to be true from personal experience.

Your Biggest Dreams Do Not Include a House Full of Stuff

We’ve never met. But I’m going to make an assumption:

Your greatest dream in life is not to own a house full of stuff you don’t use.

Nobody, sitting across the table from you drinking a cup of coffee, would ever say that their greatest goal in life is to own a house full of boxes crammed into closets and cabinets.

We all dream bigger dreams for our lives than material possessions.

When we dig deep into our heart and soul, we want to live a life that mattered.

We speak of family, faith, relationships, or making a difference in the world. These are the motivations that inspire us.

But somewhere along the way, the world hijacks our passions and directs it toward things that don’t matter.

We slowly and subtly begin to waste the one life we’ve been given. We spend our money on things we don’t need. We spend our time cleaning and organizing things we don’t use. And we direct our focus on acquiring more and more of the “latest and greatest.”

Marketers and advertisers promise their newest trinket will lead to a better life. But for the most part, we regret the purchase in the long run. The things we buy may provide a short hit of happiness, but that happiness fades quickly.

It’s not long until we look around our homes filled to the brim with unused possessions, or open the next credit card statement, and regret the purchases that we made.

But rather than breaking free, we too often repeat the cycle, only adding to the clutter in our home.

It is time to break free.

It is time to return to the bigger dreams for your life.

It is time to stop wasting your life pursuing and accumulating material possessions. You were designed for greater pursuits.

It is time to become more intentional with the items you allow into your home and life.

It is time to take back control.

It is time to remember that your biggest dream does not include a house full of stuff.

But how?

1. We get clear on what we want to accomplish and who we want to become.

Find time alone, away from the noise of this world and make a list of the three most important things you want to accomplish with your life. For me, my list consists of growing in faith, excelling in my relationships, and making a difference in the world.

Your list will look different. But I can virtually guarantee, “owning a house full of stuff I don’t use” won’t be on that list.

Write your list. And get clear on the plan you wish to design for your life.

2 Remind yourself that you have a choice in how you live.

Nobody can take away your right to make decisions for yourself. You can give it away or you can forget that you have agency, but you always have a choice. That may not mean you get to control every aspect, but you can still decide what pursuits are going to be important to you.

You have control and you have a choice. You don’t have to live exactly the same as everyone around you. You can choose to live for those pursuits that mean the most to you.

3. We remove distractions.

Minimalism is the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of anything that distracts us from it. It forces us to get clear on our priorities and then reorient our life around those pursuits.

Minimalism can be applied in countless ways: possessions, commitments, habits, relationships, even the work that we do. Removing the distractions may not be easy in a world that constantly clamors and screams for our attention and resources, but it is required to live an intentional life focused on the things that matter.

You can do it.

Mark Twain once said, “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” I like to add a third, “The day you remove everything that distracts you from that purpose.”

Your greatest dream in life is not to own a house full of stuff. Live for something greater.