Lint Brush
I don’t brush my teeth at the same time every morning.
I clean them eventually, but some mornings I’m not feeling it right away. There are days I make the bed first thing or slipper-shuffle to the kitchen for breakfast. It depends on my mood.
I recently read an article about minimalism. I think it was five or seven habits of people that live a minimalist life.
I know. I’m not supposed to read rules and lists, but I can’t help it. I have the optimism of a toddler that someday, the right hint will change my world. That I will find a secret to endless energy, mental organization, and two-glasses-of-wine bliss forever.
Number one on the minimalist life list? Create a morning routine. A ritual that can be performed with such ease that it will enable both focus and calm. Doesn’t that sound amazing? According to the article giving myself steps in the morning frees my mind to focus on more important things.
I made a mental list in preparation for my morning routine. And while I was at it, I came up with an evening routine too. That led to a workday routine and a getting-into-the car routine. Things I do every time I get in the car, in order. Every time.
With the help of my new routines, I was moisturized and rested. I had fresh breath and knew where my wallet was, my keys. It was what the list promised. Orderly and flowy like a favorite skirt on a sunny day. For a whole day, my desk was clear, and I felt an order to my life that was. . . stifling.
Holy hell. How does anyone live like that?
Now, it could be said that I took on too much. I am excellent at making a mountain out of a handful of sand. I should have made a small change.
It would have been best to start with only the morning routine. Valid point. But I don’t think it matters. I would have sabotaged any venture into self-improvement because deep down, way deep, I’m a rebel.
I think I want to be better, fall in line, but the truth is I enjoy the crazy chaos of choices that greet me every morning, and evening, and when I get in my car.
I’m a rebel. A teeth-washing-by-the-seat-of-my-pants crazy woman. All along, I had a feeling that I was a closet renegade, born to swim against the tide. And now that I’ve tried to be a minimalist for a day, I know for sure.
My thoughts from the laundry room. All-nighter.
acceptance choices crazy life learning organization systems thoughts humor life self expression thoughts whatever
to be fair, that’s not what minimalism is about. People take it and run with all the wrong points of it. Minimalism is about not having unnecessary things in your life. So if the bookcase stuffed with paperbacks and the collection of teapots brings you joy, then there’s no need to get rid of them. It’s really not about scheduling how you wake up!
I’m with you. I can’t read Real Simple because I will never own a label maker, plan my meals and outfits for a month, or keep a file on packing tips for the whole family. Stifling is a good way to describe it!
Awesome, empowering realization! I am very similar – wish I had a regimen in every aspect of my life and stress to the point of anxiety because I don’t. But why must we all be the same? I have close friends who fall to such a life naturally, and I envy them their paired socks, pristine fridges and well-ironed children. Mine is a beautiful, wrinkled, exuberant life. Thank you for your blog post. Today, I will stop stressing and just be me!
This is so me, too. Haha. Good read! <3
Love the rebel line! I’m such a routine person, I should follow your advice and mix things up a bit!
First thing is always tooth brushing, but after that I am into chaos, Tracy. ~nan
You’re not looking after my grandkids, I say go whatever feeds your wonder. I decided my grandkids are avoiding me because I (might) embarrass them–In my day no one worried about anything like THAT and I’m doing it MY way. Ha ha. o_O
“I’m a rebel. A teeth-washing-by-the-seat-of-my-pants crazy woman. ”
You’re my kinda gal! Love this!!
I totally here you, sister! Try to live by to-do lists, shopping lists, menus, systems of organization…always think if I was just more organized, my house would be spotless, my husband and five children would eat only healthy, home-cooked food, and our lives would run like clockwork. But that’s just not me. Too boring.