Greetings Friends & Family,

Welcome to another thought-provoking issue of Natural Awakenings’ Gulf Coast magazine. I’m excited about this issue’s theme: “Less stuff, more joy.” From the articles beckoning you to slow down and live a simpler, more sustainable life, to our advertisers offering ways to do just that, I applaud everyone contributing to the less-is-more mindset.

You’ve probably heard “less is more” all your life, but let’s truly consider what it could mean for you. Back in 2004, I did. We had to evacuate before hurricane Ivan hit Fairhope. Because we weren’t sure what we would come back to, we took everything we held precious. I had about 60 minutes to decide what to take (that would fit in the very back of our SUV behind dogs and kids) and what to leave. I had to decide what I could live without and what represented me in the grand scheme of things. I was content with my decisions when we left.

When you have less clutter, this includes stuff as well as thoughts, you can breathe easier, see better and live lighter. There is a saying: “Whatever you own, owns you.” This is in one of the upcoming articles…so true! It’s one reason that even though my family loves water sports and everything in, under, over and around the water, we don’t have a boat nor a pool. We’d rather seek out water experiences without the added expense of owning the boat or pool. In all honesty, Okay, we live in Fairhope, so we do have a golf cart. Don’t judge! But just so you know, I’ve been thinking about selling my car and riding everywhere in the golf cart.

Seriously though, it feels good to purge. At least once a year, if not once every quarter, my husband and I make time to clean out the closets, give away clothes, shoes and gear and throw away things that no longer serve a purpose. The less stuff I have, the less I must keep track of, pay insurance for or make decisions about. Think about it, if you lived in a smaller house, you would be forced to have less stuff and you would be paying less money to live there. And because you made a conscious decision to downsize, you may also decide to use less water and plastic, waste less food or be less busy. Seems to me these things lead right to MORE… more savings, more peace of mind, more joy. Hmmm, now we’re back where we started. Less stuff, more joy!

God bless you and keep you until we meet,

 

 

Michelle Smith, Publisher