Simplifying My Life

I have definitely taken a set back on my minimalism journey. Since my return to work, my OCD symptoms, anxiety, and depression have skyrocketed. I had to make going back to therapy a priority, even if it means missing an hour of work every other week. I also see my primary again in two weeks since I'm on a seven month waiting list to see a psychiatrist (Seven more months of this? No thanks.) Though I wasn't able to participate as much as I wanted to on each week's lesson, I think the Uncluttered Course  is definitely worth joining. Each lesson is unlocked week by week, but I think it's better to do it that way so you have to focus on one step at a time, especially if you have hoarding tendencies or have anxiety about the act of getting rid of your stuff. Everyone is on the same lesson and you're not doing it alone. The lesson may seem a little pricey, but there is a 20% discount code that's usually posted on Facebook right before the sign up deadline. I was v...

I can't speak for everyone, but for me, it's my heart pounding so hard in my chest that I think it's going to explode. It's hyperventilating, trying to slow my breathing down. It's feeling confused with thoughts fleeing in panic to every single crevice of my brain, looking for solution or escape. Just trying to calm down, wishing my heart would just... STOP. I cannot bear the shaking of it.

So through this simplifying journey I'm on, I am trying to make proactive choices in making life more simple in every way that I can. For me that also includes trying to use less plastic. I have been bringing my Norwex grocery shopping bags with me when I shop so I won't have to hold on to the plastic ones, collecting them and forgetting to take them to be recycled so they take over my pantry. My daughter and I switched from using disposable shavers to safety razors.  We use a reusable coffee filter in our coffee maker, decline the use of straws when we remember, and recycle as much as we can. I know there are many little ways to avoid using plastic, so I decided to try a shampoo bar soap to eliminate the shampoo bottles I usually use. Normally I use Aveeda shampoo and Head & Shoulders. I wash my hair twice a week and switch between the two. I have really thick hair that is wavy. I straighten it twice a week after I wash it. If I didn't straighten it, my hair woul...

We were supposed to pay off our second credit card during the month of the last time I wrote about it, but a car issue came up 😥We had to pull money from our emergency fund and then add money back to it so it would be full again. Having an emergency fund is so important! Without it, we would have probably just charged the amount that was needed to fix the car. Though it was delayed, it is nice to finally say that we have paid off credit card #2! Yayayayayay! That leaves us with one card left, the car payment, my loan for service (will be paid off as long as I finish the school year off), and the mortgage of course. I know I should be proud of how far we've come, but I feel a bit defeated whenever I look at the numbers of the amount left. I have to go back and add the extra interest fees that were paid along the way, but based solely on the numbers we started out with on our debt snowball paperwork, we are $8,202.57 down since May, and with three of those months we were on...