Guest Post: my little loves.

Hello Lovelies!

Can I tell you how flattered I was to be asked to do a guest post here?!

Oh man! Beyond words! :D

Let me start by introducing myself...

My name is Bekah; my blog is "my little loves."

I am a feminist, a mother, an environmentally concerned and passionate woman, a free-spirit, a lover, and fierce defender of what I believe in.
I love to blog about boho fashion, raw food recipes, d.i.y body care, coconut oil and my family.

I am in love with a beautiful man with whom I have one daughter

and another(!!!) arriving in August 2011.

I had no idea what to write about...I have so many things I am passionate about that it's really hard to choose: I feel as though I want to squeeze a little of everything into one post!

Finally, I decided to share what I feel is most on my mind these days-

Minimalism.

I am not sure what connotations you might have with that word, some people think rigid rules about how many things or gadgets you can own.

Others think it must be such a boring life.

Some feel a tinge of excitement wondering what changing their life in this way could do for them.

I want to make you feel that way.

I first read about minimalism on a blog I found through stumble-upon.

I literally had my mind changed in one reading.

I have always been a neat freak, and having my daughter made me realize how much of a challenge it would be to keep my house clean from now on. The idea of owning less was appealing-- it meant less to clean, less to keep hidden from little hands, less to worry about, less to repair, and, with siblings, less to fight over!

My head was nodding by this point. I went on a rampage through my house, bagging up clothing that hadn't been worn in months, collecting dishes, silverware, and appliances that were not needed and were taking up space, sorted through books, makeup, hair care, toys, magazines, dvds, cds, everything!

We sold a lot to a local consignment and donated the rest. It felt amazing!

The house was much tidier and easier to maintain.

I fell in love and became committed to keeping junk out of my house.

We shopped less, spent more time together at home, went walking, took ourselves outdoors, and began to refocus on one another.

This is when the true benefits of minimalism dawned on me.

I started noticing that in my drive to buy less, what I was actually doing was pushing myself to buy consciously. I stopped buying red-sticker items from Target just because they were clearance,

I stopped going shopping when I was bored which stopped me from making rash purchases that got pushed to the back of my closet. I started thinking in advance of what I needed/wanted and started thinking about WHO my money was supporting. I started shopping at local grocers and shops to get all of my knick-knacks and food. I started valuing the fact that my home only has wooden toys since I got rid of all the plastic ones in my quest for less to clean. I stopped trying to "keep up with the Joneses."

I started making conscious, thoughtful decisions about where my money was going.

I believe that the simplicity of minimalism is what will save our planet.

When you start valuing minimalism, a mindset slowly develops along with it.

You start realizing that all the plastic junk that corporations are developing is not only terrible for our earth, it is emotionally bad for us too!

We are told we NEED this stuff, that we WANT this stuff, that we will be happy with it.

The reality is what we need-- what really makes us happy-- is family and friends, financial security, simplicity, getting out of the rat race, relaxation, a feeling of connection with nature.

Minimalism brings all of this to the surface. Slowly, you begin to realize how little you need in order to be happy, you start to kill that desire to consume, and instead begin to think "Do I really need this?" "Is this supporting someone else's good life or going straight into a billionaires pocket?".

You begin to ponder whether you really do need two cars or two cell phones, you start to walk and bike more, you start loving your life as it is, and stop rushing to tomorrows.

You start loving those around you more, you make time for simple things in life that are more important.

You spend money on family vacations rather than a new TV.

You take more time to eat quality meals at home instead of eating out.

You start feeling better and healthier. You become content.

To get started on your path to simplicity...

First, read the book "Voluntary Simplicity" by Duane Elgin.

(I'm going to give it away on my blog soon ;)

It is the most beautiful, inspiring book I have ever read.

I cried and laughed and felt a deep connection with people while reading it.

Second, read this blog on mnmlist.com for practical steps to take to move towards a simpler life.

I hope you are feeling inspired and motivated!
If so, come visit me at my blog!

I hope to see you all soon!

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I just found Bekah's blog recently and I knew I'd love to have her guest post for me. I would definitely call her a kindred spirit. I'm so glad to have her share her insight on sizing down, especially since I share the same viewpoint, as me and the hubs got rid of our fluff [TV, cable, extra toys, couches, bed set, etc] last year to live in a little house. Go follow her blog, she's an amazing woman with a beautiful daughter! Thank you so much Bekah!