My new book hit stands today! Chicken Soup For The Soul – The Joy Of Less.
It’s an inspirational collection of 101 stories for anyone wanting to learn to say NO to the things that don’t matter so they can YES to the things that do. It’s about having MORE by simplifying our lives. Don’t let the title mislead you….having less is not necessarily about material possessions, but about learning how to give up the things that are cluttering our lives. Recently a judgmental instagrammer challenged my involvement by sharing his confusion as to how I could publish such a concept. “Your posts are full of fabulous material possessions, what do you know about having less?” I welcomed his thoughts and it gave me the opportunity to share my philosophy.
The joy of less is about figuring out what you really need to live a life of fulfillment. Happiness means something different to all of us. I have just what I need in my life. I enjoy and appreciate what I have and I know how to get rid of what I no longer need. I find joy in sharing & donating – not only possessions, but also time and philanthropic efforts. I have learned over the years how to say no to what I don’t need. I have found freedom in the “Power-Of-No”. Being able to politely say NO to extra social obligations to lessen overly scheduled days means that I have more time to do the things I enjoy most. As a young woman I allowed myself to be pulled in too many directions, attending every event, accepting too many invitations for fear of disappointing a host, and quite honestly moving so fast that I didn’t even know I needed to slow down. “Manic” was the word a friend once used to describe my style and all I could say was, “who me? Not at all! I’m quite comfortable at this speed.” Boy, if I only knew what I didn’t know then. In my 40’s I have learned how to prioritize my time and my needs to best serve my life.
This book is about decluttering your life on many levels, to make room for more joy. I apply this to my calendar, my closet, my social circle, and my business decisions. There are stories shared in this book about cleaning out clutter, getting rid of negative energy, giving up superficial addictions, loving what you have, saying goodbye, and so many more. There are extreme cases, and subtle life changing moments. Personally I love to clean and organize because I understand the value of an orderly space. If I didn’t have a way of managing my family’s “things’ I would quickly drown in our chaos. My story “Controlled Chaos” is about a recent family game we played called Gift, Give, Garbage and the value & benefits of letting go, sharing and giving away. Giving can feel better than receiving as we found in our family effort. I also apply decluttering to my fashion world and I know that an organized closet lends more room to see what you have and be creatively stylish.
A quote that I love and believe, reads…
Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful. – William Morris
xo- BB
