Mindful Purchases: List of Life Enhancers

I am fully aware that this post is not groundbreaking or mind-blowing, but I thought I’d share this simple tool I’ve adopted to help me purchase mindfully. And so enters, my “List of Life Enhancements”.

I have to say, I’ve done a great job since living in my new home not purchasing unnecessary, (or even necessary,) objects that I can live without. So much so that I am still living in a fairly empty space. And on the flip side of buying too much, in the name of simplicity, I think I’ve actually become scared to make any purchases at all.

A lover for to-do lists, I’ve started making my “List of Life-Enhancers”. Wording it this way has helped me stay in the mindset of simplicity, while mindfully making purchases that add value to my life. As a former over-buyer I used to get distracted from items that would add value to my life and instead opt for the first shiny thing that caught my eye.

A few things on my life enhancement list right now…

Cloth napkins, made from scrap linen
Seagrass tote to keep by the door for recyclables
In search of a couch, this is a big one… but if not on the list, I probably wouldn’t be saving for it
A nightstand to replace the yoga mat-block combo currently hosting my phone at night
A real alarm clock so that I can ditch the phone next to my bed

To me, this list a small set of manifestations, little (and some big) things that I know will bring use to my household and a smile to my face.

Happy listing!

Holly

Challenge: Read that Book

I was goofing around with some yoga moves a few days ago and landed awkwardly on my bed, upside down, staring directly at my book shelf. I love this book shelf! It is sprinkled with little intentions I write, candles and oils, and most importantly some of my most treasured reads. Along with my favorite books though, are books that at one time I bought with motivation but have since let go to the wind, unread and unlearned from the magic that could be.

This weekend my challenge to you is this: read that book. I know I am not the only one who has a book or three on her shelf that is waiting to be read. Put away the computer… just for a few hours, (maybe even a day,) pretend like you are on a beach vacation and curl up to the wonders that are unknown in the pages that long to be told.

Photo: unsplash.com

Aligning your Diet with the Season

Holly had such a beautiful post yesterday about tuning into the natural rhythms of the season by taking a step back to acknowledge the transitions we’re all experiencing. Adding to this, our diet is another way to tune into the natural cycles occurring around us. Eating foods aligned with the seasons, can help give us what our bodies need most. Cool, light meals in the summer and, now, warming dishes that provide us a bit of extra nourishment and comfort.

Monday Mantra: Empowerment

Last week’s mantra was about taking your power back. This week I’d like to talk about empowerment on a smaller scale.

My definition of empowerment: to be fully aware in a situation and stand for what you believe in at that moment. This can be as simple as having ice cream for breakfast because despite what you “know” about a good breakfast, what you know about yourself in that moment is that bowl of ice cream will feed your soul, which in that moment is more important.