Reflections on Essentialism

 “Remember that if you don’t prioritize your life someone else will.” -Greg McKeown

This world we live in moves fast, and it feels like it’s gaining speed everyday. It’s also a world full of information and nearly unlimited options. We can find ourselves chasing the next new thing, the next big game or series released on our favorite streaming service. Are we up to date with the latest technology, vehicle, social media platform, the next big talent star? Are we doing enough to save the planet, educate ourselves, improve our life in some meaningful way? Again, it is never ending…unless we choose to stop chasing. 

In January, I read the book Essentialism, The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown. The book does reference those in the work place, and in leadership positions. In the workplace and in our homes we are more effective if we focus on what is essential. If we are not focused, running in multiple directions or taking on to many activities we are not productive at any of it. What can we accomplish with focus and attention on what is essential? 

Our whole lives are made of up of habits and activities that we choose to participate in. Some we chose without realizing, some we participate in because others or society expect us to. For example, some chose to spend time getting their yard nicely mowed and green each week to keep up with the neighbors expectations and some rarely water or fertilize their lawn. We all have choice with how we spend the minutes and hours of our lives. Are we choosing the ones we personally want and have meaning to us? 

I’m feeling the pull to get clear on what is essential to me for this time of my life. This isn’t entirely new for me. I have always been on a path to find simplification, peace and what is essential. It’s time to reevaluate once again where and how I want to spend my time and attention. I recently wrote about my experiment to step away from social media more. That experiment is part of determining what is essential. 

Part of my journey this year is to touch everything in our home and determine if it is essential. If it’s being used regularly it is essential. If it has beauty and I love it, it is essential. If it is sentimental it might be considered essential, but possibly not. I tend to be more minimal than most Americans, but we all accumulate things that stop being important or used. We all accumulate clutter. This time around, I’m looking at the items from the essentialism lens. 

Simplification and essentialism is not just about our things. It can impact our choices.

Here’s an example from our own life. About 18 months ago our beloved cat, named Liberty, died of kidney failure. She was our pet for 16 precious years. We have zero regrets on being her caretaker. Many would head out to the nearest humane society and pick a new pet to fill the void. After some grieving time we decided that we like sleeping without interruption of a pet, or having to find a pet sitter when we travel. If I want a simpler life, a life without a pet contributes to that at this stage of our lives. A pet is not essential to me right now. It may be later, but not now. 

One of my original introductions to a simple life came from the book Simplify Your Life by Elaine St James. It was a list of 100 ways to simplify life. I remember one was ‘Drink Only Water’. This means not buying coffee and tea to make at home. It means that one won’t pick up cans of soda, gallons of milk or a bottle of juice at the store. The option is water. Simple and essential. Personally, I did stop soda quite awhile ago, I also don’t drink juice or milk. But yes, I have a coffee habit along with the occasional tea. I have not yet simplified down to only water. 

Literally everything we do, think, consume mentally or physically is up for consideration under the lens of essentialism. We sure could help the environment by buying less or no drinks that come in a package. Could we be healthier by choosing whole foods over processed convenience foods? I actually lost weight last year, by making this choice much more often. Many of us know that having less in our homes makes cleaning a breeze and there is less inventory to manage and take our time. Have you been in a small grocery store where your options are limited? Those stores can result in less time inside shopping with quicker decisions and maybe less money spent because of fewer impulse temptations. 

I think the essentialism view is the perfect perspective for me this year. My 2023 theme is Relax and Breathe. The essentialism lens should help me get clarity on multiple aspects of my life…allowing more space to breath and relax. I will make the choices on what is essential and make those my focus. I will let the unessential things fall away. Some may be forever, some for a season. 

I have found when I made changes in the past, part of the process was noticing how something was. One of these from the past, was realizing one day that I didn’t even know how often I was washing the sheets on our bed!! Was I even washing them monthly? It definitely wasn’t weekly, but I actually didn’t know. I made the decision to wash twice per month. My cue was my husband’s pay day, which happen to be on the first and 15th of the month. That’s been my habit, plus or minus a few days, for many years now. 

Awareness is the first step to making a change. This was actually noted in the Essentialism book. Those that are considered essentialists, spend a lot of time thinking! We have to think before we act. We have to observe first to know we want to change or make different decisions. So the truth is I don’t have my entire life whittled down to the essential…because I am in a process of thinking, observing and noticing. 

I was tempted list ways to simplify, to inspire essentialism ideas like the ‘Drink Only Water’ example above. While those ideas can be found many places, the best person to decide what and how to simplify or cut life down to the essentials is you! We are each the best judge of what is essential for the life we are creating.

Stay tuned, I’m currently deciding if my four high school yearbooks are essential!