It has been a while! In December of 2020 I published my first course, Create Authentic Style with A Small Wardrobe. Things got very busy, and in all the commotion, I forgot to update my blog. For 10 months.
Here is the thing. I like writing, so I will attempt to update this blog a little more often.
As you can imagine, things have changed over the last year. While I still live in Fremantle, and I still make a living from my YouTube channel A Small Wardrobe, it is safe to say my understanding of life has evolved. As a result, my attitude towards minimalism has evolved.
When I think about it, I can divide my minimalist journey into three distinct ‘epochs’.
2016 - 2017
I was a high school teacher living a pretty average life in the Northern suburbs of Perth. My minimalist journey started when I bought my first apartment and realised I owned a lot of stuff. At this time, minimalism was about simplifying my cluttered life. In this phase I explored my attitude towards my material belongings. I questioned what I owned, why I owned it, and started decluttering. I was very focused on exploring my identity and my values, and as a result, I pondered my whole life. It became evident that I felt trapped and uninspired. I started this blog in an effort to create some new energy in my life.
2018 - 2019
During this time, I questioned the status quo. While I was not sure it was possible, I set a goal for starting a new life. I decided I wanted to move to the South West, something that had once seemed like an abstract fantasy. I also wanted to fulfil my lifelong dream of making a living from my creativity. Minimalism became about steering my life towards these goals. At this time I saw material things as a burden. I wanted to feel free, so I decided to get rid of as many things as possible.
2020 - 2021
I accomplished both my goals of monetising my creativity and moving to Margaret River. Then the pandemic happened. During that time I started to explore my values more deeply. I realised that I had prioritised work for a long time, and I decided it was time to start focusing on my experiences. Building relationships became imperative. Let’s face it, dating is not great in the country, so I decided to move to the small port city of Fremantle. I started to see material things differently yet again, this time as a way to enhance my experience.
Today I am pretty happy about where I am in my life. Everyday I am working on creating a high quality lifestyle based on my values.
While my way of looking at material things has changed over the years, there is one thing that remains the same. My material things are an expression of where I am in my life. My material things represent my goals and aspirations, but can just as easily represent my restrictions and limitations.
If you are feeling stuck in life, examine your relationship with your material things. You never know where that exploration might take you.
If you enjoyed this post, watch my video 7 Ways Less is More.
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