Tag: #minimalistpodcast

6 Tips for Making Mindful Purchases

Posted on by Katie Coughran

 Listen to the podcast episode below, or stroll down to read my post that briefly goes over my six tips.

Every day, I see ads, spot things in stores, or see images and video of people using products that make me pause and wonder whether I, too, would like to own that item. As a minimalist, I’m constantly trying to avoid this kind of temptation, and I turn down 99.9% of the things I see.

The thing is, even with all of my constant efforts to say, “no,” there are still items that wear out, tools I need, and others in my family that would like to own things that I’m not interested in. Purchases are inevitable, even if that means buying a fresh pair of undies on occasion.

Knowing this, here are six tips that will help you — and me — to stay on track when it comes to deciding whether or not you’ll be bringing something new into the home.

  1. First off, it’s OK to LOVE your stuff. Some may think this means you’ll end up purchasing more because there are lots of things to love out there. What I’ve found since becoming more and more of an extreme minimalist is that the vetting process now has such a high standard, I am rarely tempted to buy anything because I know I won’t love it. The things in our home are things we are adore and if they aren’t, they’re in consideration for being let go of. Knowing I HAVE to love it for it to come in means more “NOs” than ever. 
  2. Don’t purchase things in search of false security. A long time ago, I used to shop in search of happiness and security. I never found it. Knowing that I need a tool for my life and then going and searching for that tool is my new gig and actually brings useful items into my life without all the excess. Knowing what I need to buy is very different from going to the store to search for something to buy.
  3. Take your time before buying. I’m gaining a little patience and contentedness the older I get. Most things aren’t items I need RIGHT NOW. I’m much better at waiting for the excitement of spontaneity to wear off in order to have a clear mind to go through the positive vs negative value of an item. Usually, once I wait for the potential thrill of a purchase to go away, I don’t actually want the item anymore and I’m glad I didn’t buy it.
  4. Research for quality and whether it will serve its purpose. A lot of times, when I know I want to allow something into our home, I’m tempted by the first option I come across. Waiting and researching, thinking about how the item will be used, and what I actually need will often better ensure that I bring the RIGHT item into our home.
  5. Budget and save while you’re researching. I don’t know about you, but putting stuff on credit doesn’t feel good to me. Saving up while I’m researching DOES, and I love knowing I can pay with cash and afford what I’m buying. I know this can be difficult and sometimes impossible, but it’s always an effort I make so I have total peace about my purchase.
  6. Ask yourself if there’s an experience or necessity you’d rather spend your money on. Asking myself this has often instantly removed the temptation to buy and it’s probably the first question I ask myself.

There are so many different ways to make mindful purchases, but I hope one or more of these tips helps you to create a home you love and feel comfortable in.

Your support of the show is so very appreciated! Ratings, reviews, and Patreon patronage all sustain this show. Don’t forget that Patrons now get bonus episodes! Thanks so much!

Here’s the video I talked about on the show — Simple Happy Zen’s 25 Things I Only Own 1 Of

Instagram @howtobeaminimalist

My latest videos on YouTube:
Vegan Cheesy Fry Sauce
How to Make Cashew Yogurt
Sushi Bowl Salad

My book, How to be a Minimalist with Kids: Finding YOUR Kind of Minimalism

Want to leave a tip in my virtual tip jar? You can Venmo me @HowtobeaMinimalist Thank you so much for your support!

Minimalism and the Power of Positive Thinking — Ep. 34

Posted on by Katie Coughran

There is so much power in positivity, I’ve made one of my life’s focuses attempting to surround myself with as much of it as possible. I’m happier, I get more done, and I personally feel I have more positive impact on others when I’m positive. Minimalism and positivity go hand in hand — removing negativity means making free spaces in our minds and homes so we can live our best lives.

Listen to the full episode by hitting the play button, or read a shortened snippet below:

There are so many tools out there to support embracing positivity. We’re all different, though, and what works for one person won’t work for another. While I’ve tried a lot of different positivity practices, these are just a few of my favorites.

Vision Boards

I’ve been using some form of vision boards since I was a kid. My brother was the first person to teach this to me, though he didn’t call it a vision board or even have a traditional one — he had posters of those that inspired him on his wall. This left a great impression on me and I used the same technique growing up until I discovered more traditional vision boards.

Journalling

I’ve also used journals to focus on my goals since I was kid. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was also able to remove negativity by expressing myself. I now have two different types of journals — one strictly for emotions I’m processing that I’ll toss someday, and another for posterity. Journalling is inspiring to look back on and helps to give a beautiful vision of how far we’ve come. Or where we can improve.

Ideal Live Vision

I’ve used this idea (see link below) in the past, though I’ve never taken the official course, so I’m really not certain about whether I’m doing it “right” or not. However, I HAVE felt the positive effects of writing out and recording my goals and dreams as if they’ve already happened and listening to it daily. It’s been a beautiful way of assisting progress.

Remove Negativity From Your Life 

This one is tricky. I absolutely don’t mean to be selfish, brush problems under the rug, or ignore feelings. However, after validating my and others’ issues and feelings, dealing with problems with a positive outlook has been really helpful to me and I feel I’ve been more supportive to others by doing my best to be uplifting.

Thoughts Become Things … Choose the Good Ones — Mike Dooley

I’ve got to say, Mike Dooley is my favorite Law of Attraction-type guru. I can relate so well to his main idea of “do your best with what you’ve got right now.” It’s so easy for me to get on board with this idea that being positive and doing your best will get you to your main destination more quickly and happily. My favorite book from his is linked below.

It’s not always easy to practice being positive. Sometimes life sucks — there, I said it! But having a few tools to help me out of emotional ditches has vastly improved my life. I hope you’ll find some of these ideas helpful to you, too.

Mike Dooley’s Infinite Possibilities

Ideal Life Vision

Instagram @howtobeaminimalist

My latest videos on YouTube:
Vegan Cheesy Fry Sauce
How to Make Cashew Yogurt
Sushi Bowl Salad

My book, How to be a Minimalist with Kids: Finding YOUR Kind of Minimalism

Your support of the show is so very appreciated! Ratings, reviews, and Patreon patronage all sustain this show. Don’t forget that Patrons now get bonus episodes! Thanks so much!

Want to leave a tip in my virtual tip jar? You can Venmo me @HowtobeaMinimalist Thank you so much for your support!

How to Start Practicing Minimalism — Ep. 32

Posted on by Katie Coughran

If you’ve been enjoying the How to be a Minimalist podcast or are new to it but haven’t quite figured out where to start with minimalism, this is the podcast episode for you. I offer four steps I wish I would have started with when I first began practicing minimalism and I hope they help you on your minimalist journey. Listen to the podcast by clicking the play button below or read about the four steps below.

Step 1. Stop accumulating STUFF

This is important for two reasons — first off, this gives us time to evaluate what we have and what we actually need, which makes the process of getting rid of things easier. It’s also helpful to building better habits.

Secondly, this allows the “wear and tear” process to begin and ensures that we actually use up what we have. There’s nothing wrong with getting something new! You might consider if it’s the best choice to buy now, or wear out the thing you want to replace, first.

It’s worthwhile to note here that you should be mindful about what you bring in. Even thought it’s tempting to buy the first thing you see when you’re ready to replace an item, taking your time to purchase something that you both love and find perfectly useful will serve you well in the end.

Step 2. Write down your WHYS

We all need motivators. Understanding why you’re practicing minimalism is like creating a reward for yourself when you ditch an item, and also cements in why you’re practicing living this lifestyle.

When we finally decided to sell our home and purchase an RV to live in full time, I began getting rid of even more stuff than I ever had before. I would look at an item, tell myself, “I want to live in an RV,” then decide if I should keep that item or not. I can’t tell you how many things I got rid of just from saying that little mantra over and over.

Times will get tough. You’ll wonder why you are living simply. Saying something like, “I want to spend more time with my family and less time cleaning up my stuff,” or “I want a healthy budget” can help you to overcome those moments when you want to make a spontaneous purchase or don’t understand why you’re trying to donate your old prom dress.

Step 3. Ditch, Donate, and Declutter

I understand wanting the downsizing process to happen quickly, but many people that try to rush this step pass up developing good habits. Snapping our fingers and having everything we don’t want disappear would be amazing, yet it wouldn’t give us the same opportunities for growth. Making consistent efforts to work through your things until you’ve achieved your ideal minimalist home will most likely go better than one ditching session over a weekend.

On top of that, going through your things just once isn’t really enough. I’m constantly evaluating our possessions, determining what is still useful and wanted. Taking the time to do this has made me a much more mindful minimalist.

Step 4. Don’t forget minimalist practices on your calendar

Practice saying “no.” Look carefully at your activities and obligations — are they adding meaning and value to your life or are they simply running out the clock? In the podcast episode today, I talk about wanting my life to mean something. Ditching activities that weren’t getting me and my family to that end goal has been an important part of living minimalism to its fullest.

Good luck with finding YOUR kind of minimalism and remember, it’s all about the experiences, not the stuff.

Here’s the article from Beautiful Minimal Millennial and her Instagram

Instagram @howtobeaminimalist

My latest videos on YouTube:
How to Make Cashew Yogurt
Sushi Bowl Salad

My book, How to be a Minimalist with Kids: Finding YOUR Kind of Minimalism

Your support of the show is so very appreciated! Ratings, reviews, and Patreon patronage all sustain this show. Don’t forget that Patrons now get bonus episodes! Thanks so much!

Want to leave a tip in my virtual tip jar? You can Venmo me @HowtobeaMinimalist Thank you so much for your support!

Five Ways Minimalism Can Save You Money: Ep. 24

Posted on by Katie Coughran

Minimalism affects so many different aspects of our lives, including our budget. Here are some ways we’ve saved money by practicing minimalism. Hit the Play Button below to have a listen:

My latest videos on YouTube:
How to Make Cashew Yogurt
Sushi Bowl Salad

My book, How to be a Minimalist with Kids: Finding YOUR Kind of Minimalism

Instagram @howtobeaminimalist— Josiah’s Instagram

Brightside.me article: 10 Tips to Help you Recognize Quality Items

The Darwin Awards Podcast — Josiah’s Podcast

The How to be a Minimalist YouTube Channel — Please subscribe!

Your support of the show is so very appreciated! Ratings, reviews, and Patreon patronage all sustain this show. Don’t forget that Patrons now get bonus episodes! Thanks so much!

Want to leave a tip in my virtual tip jar? You can Venmo me @HowtobeaMinimalist Thank you so much for your support!