Minimalism has fascinated me for years. This lifestyle is incredibly challenging as it calls us to rid ourselves of people, items, and commitments that occupy too much space. Easing in to new things can largely help eliminate overwhelming emotions. To begin cultivating a “less is more” mindset, start your journey with this 3 week challenge! I further organized each challenge into three categories: reflecting, cleaning, and doing. You can either follow this plan directly, or pick and choose components from each category. Print this out so you can mark off what you complete each day!
- Reflecting
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1. Meditate right after you wake up. Your first thoughts and actions upon waking up set the tone for your entire day. Induce confident energy and encourage a state of peace through meditation. Find a quiet space where you can still your mind. Inhale and exhale deeply. Select one Bible verse and recite its truth over and over.
2. Journal for 30 minutes. Journaling is a great activity to help clear headspace. Leave all your negative thoughts and mental stressors on the page. Journaling also enhances creativity and propels you to achieve your goals. You can write about anything: just look up a list of prompts and get scribbling!
3. Make a list of things you’re grateful for. It’s easy to lose sight of the beauty surrounding us, especially in the middle of a global pandemic and brewing civil war over justice. Write down one blessing for each year of life you have lived. For example: if you’re 21, write down 21 things that you’re grateful for.
4. Look at your bank statement and evaluate your most recent purchases. Review what you’ve purchased this month and reflect on those financial decisions. Did you really need to go to Dunkin 3 times last week? Have you even worn the new outfit that you bought online? Carefully think on these things and allow them to influence your spending throughout the remainder of this month.
5. Re-evaluate your to-do list and get all your errands done. Does anyone else enjoy crossing things off their list? This day is for you! Don’t just write down easy tasks to accomplish; sit down and thoughtfully create an agenda for yourself. Make a plan of action and get ‘er done!
6. Go spend 2 hours outside. This is all weather dependent, so confirm a good time with the radar. Go to your favorite place outdoors (or even discover a new gem!) and walk around for a few hours. It’s easy to remain cooped up indoors right now, but venturing into creation will benefit your physical, mental, and emotional health. Feel free to invite your friends, or listen to music so you have some company!
7. Eliminate one toxic relationship. Negative people are bound to walk in and out of our lives. Sometimes it’s worth keeping them around; other times, we need to say goodbye. Identify one individual in your life that you should cut ties with. Determine whether this should be a break or complete end. Host a brief concluding conversation with them. If it’s a break, establish boundaries. If this is the end, know that they may push back. In both situations, be strong and choose to do what you know is best. Surround yourself with healthy and positive individuals afterwards.
- Cleaning
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1. Clean your purse. Dig through every pocket and clear it out! Dump your bag over a trash can to let those tiny particles of dirt fall out. Throw away food and dirty tissues. Empty your wallet while you’re at it! You don’t need all those old receipts from Starbucks and TJ Maxx. As you put things back where they belong, only keep the essentials: sunglasses, keys, wallet, hand sanitizer, lotion, mask, etc.
2. Clean out your kitchen. Double check EVERYTHING: the refrigerator, the freezer, the pantry, and the hidden snack stash under your bed. It’s okay, I have one too. Throw out all expired food items. Consider donating good food that you won’t eat to local food pantries as Thanksgiving rapidly approaches.
3. Purge your wardrobe. Go through all of your clothes in your closet AND drawers. Don’t hold anything back! Feel free to try everything on to makesure things fit and make you feel confident! If you find something you haven’t worn in the past 3 months, it’s time to part ways. Don’t forget to throw out those old socks, too.
4. Declutter your desk. Take everything off and sanitize the surface. As you start to put things back, ask yourself if you really need that stack of papers or old mechanical pencil with no eraser. Clean up all your bookshelves and desk drawers, as well. Determine which textbooks will actually serve you in the future. Sell what you can, then donate the rest.
5. Empty that junk drawer. I know you have one somewhere. Some have theirs in the kitchen, while others keep it hidden in their bedrooms. Wherever it sits, now’s the time to empty it all out and start over! Create three piles: keep, toss, and donate. Spend a few minutes deciding what you truly need, then dispose of things accordingly.
6. Wipe down all the surfaces in your house. Gather all your cleaning supplies into one space and knock this task out one by one! Wipe down all handles and commonly touched surfaces in the kitchen, bedroom, living room, and bathroom. Remove streaks from your mirrors and residue from your windows. Finish it out with a spritz of Febreze!
7. Clean your car. Start by cleaning up all the trash from the floor. Vacuum the carpet and get all the dog hair out of the crevices of your passenger seat. Don’t forget to wipe down your door handles, steering wheel, and clutch! Then wash the exterior of your vehicle with soap and water. Use a hose if you have one – this saves an immense amount of time.
- Doing
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1. Take a digital detox day. This one is especially challenging considering the times in which we live. Take a random Saturday or weekday over winter break and spend the entirety of those 24 hours away from screens. No phone, no TV, no computer, no Xbox. No emails, no texts, no social media. Be with people you love and do things that you typically neglect when you’re glued to technology.
2. Go one day without wearing makeup. Try going a whole day barefaced. While you’re at it, go through your makeup collection and throw out any old or over-used products. Remember that a normal shelf life for mascara is only 3 months…
3. Spend one hour of un-distracted time with a loved one. While this isn’t everyone’s specific love language, no one can deny that spending quality time with people you care about makes you happy. Set the phones down, turn the TV off, and hang out. Talk about life, play board games, listen to (or create) music, share a delicious meal, or paint a portrait of one another.
4. Go one day without spending a dollar. After reviewing your recent purchases, attempt to go an entire day without spending money. This is a serious challenge, but I believe in you! Make all 3 meals at home, use your Keurig for once (you can survive without a latte for a day), and don’t even open your Amazon app. Your mental health and wallet will thank you!
5. Go one day without complaining. Let’s all admit that we do this too much. Spend an entire day telling the world about your joys rather than your problems. Ask a friend or family member to keep you accountable if they hear you start to complain about something!
6. Turn off all notifications for a day. Shut it all off! Go into your settings and turn off notifications. While you’re undisturbed, clean up your phone and delete apps you no longer use. It also never hurts to part with old pictures, videos, and notes you don’t need!
7. Leave an entire day unplanned. Clear your schedule, ladies! No to-do lists allowed for 24 hours. Enjoy one whole free day! Learn a new skill or master something you already know. Pursue some retail therapy or grab brunch with your mom. Revel in the liberty of an unrestrained schedule.