How to become a minimalist 30 days

One day it dawned on me: my life will never be the elegant, easy and relaxed. While I only dream wardrobe future, which will hang only bespoke items muted colors, shirts and sweaters natural shades ivory and stone, and I will order on sale in the jumper online store with painted donuts and buy a necklace in the form of a skeleton dinosaur.

I abandoned the idea to reduce your wardrobe to the base, but it has decided to find ways to live in a minimalist style. I'm constantly distracted by your phone, write something on the Internet, interested in what is for me to say. And lose the ability to hold a conversation like a normal person.

I stumbled upon Into Mind, A blog about a simple and regular life with the least amount of things. Blog leads Anushka (Anuschka), elegant and happy woman, who looks as if he knew everything in the world.

I decided to learn from it and rummaged through the entire site until she found the plan "How to become a minimalist 30 days"- it is just what I needed. I offer to walk this path with me. Who knows, maybe you too will start to buy luxury loose shirts?

Day 1. Spend the day Offline

Oh no. I assumed that the path to excellence begins with something like that. But a complete rejection of the Internet did not even guess.

I live and work in the Internet, so the whole week could not take action. We had to wait for the Sabbath, so as not to go mad at the thought of missing messages from editors or users angry.

I disabled all notifications in social networks, and went for a walk with her husband, enjoying nature, not taking photos for Instagram. I still made a couple of shots, because the space around were excellent. But these were photos of nature, not selfie! It is already worth something.

Since I did not make a report on his every step, and could just enjoy the trees and streams, it never even stumbled on a stone. But when we returned home, I began to worry. The imagination drew derisive comments from hostile anonymous on Twitter.

What if right now on the internet someone attacks me, and I can not even defend themselves and to understand the situation?

The next morning I checked out all of your accounts, and found that nothing significant has happened. And I felt very stupid.

Day 2. Meditate 15 minutes

I meditated twice in my life. Once on yoga classes (I did not even know that it was a meditation), other times using a special application for meditation. I was going to download another attachmentBut instead I found the WikiHow answer to the question of how to meditate. I wanted to start meditation looking at the crystal, but no crystals I have, so I stopped at that just sat down and concentrate on your breathing.

Outside the window was rain, so that the sound was excellent, but it was difficult to meditate. My head is spinning a song, but by the middle of meditation, I was able to achieve a result. Sounds that are usually brought me to a white heat, for example, when a dog eats something or skrebotsya more does not bother me. I wanted to sleep.

I can not say I noticed major changes, but I became a little calmer. Even if I was "terribly busy", you can always find 15 minutes and devote them for himself. And nothing bad will happen.

Day 3. Organize your digital life

I used this assignment as an opportunity to unsubscribe from multiple mailing lists. Then he tried to reduce the number of unread messages to zero. Just I try, because somewhere it is still lying around two unread emails that I could not find by looking at the entire inbox.

Because of these letters I was terribly upset, but the two incoming messages concerned still less than 1723, with which I began.

Day 4. Spend a day with no complaints

I not sure you can handle this task. I do not know what is the difference between "definitely expressed dissatisfaction" and simply "observation nonoptimality anything." I prefer to speak only in a positive way, and negative statements allowed herself only in situations when, without this it was impossible to do. For example, when my legs are on fire.

Everything was fine, until a friend sent a message with a warning that someone is abusing me on the internet! I told my husband, and then I remembered that it may be regarded as a complaint. Then I was limited to paraphrase the key moments in history with a minimum of emotion, then decided that there was nothing to be done about it, and was able to speak calmly.

I do not know why it became easier, but I was not able to repeat her husband the same thing a million times, for that, I'm sure he is very grateful.

Day 5. Highlight three to six major tasks

It was complicated. I did not know for how long to determine priorities for the day, for a month, for life, or you need to identify current problems. Then I was three lists: The current target (between now and three years ahead) goals for the near future (for the period from three to ten years) and the purpose of all life. According to the results identified five major challenges over which would like to work:

• my book;
• fitness - I want to run a half marathon in the next year;
• finance;
• Marriage - need remain good partners to each other;
• family - devote more time to his parents, brothers and sisters, in time to have or adopt a child.

Day 6. Each morning starts with a ritual

When I started to work at home imagination painted a beautiful picture: early lifting, yoga, healthy breakfast. But I rarely eat breakfast, and doing yoga even more rarely.

Anushka recommends starting the day with a relaxing ritual and charging energy, and not rush to check the number of incoming messages (and where she only knows?).

Morning exercise does not suit me to write something before I perform the work too hard. My morning ritual is very simple: I was hugging and talking with your dog before getting out of bed. Maybe it is not very similar to the ritual, but it is relaxing and uplifting.

Day 7. Organize lists reading

At first I thought that Anushka says about the books and it's senseless. But it meant everything that I read on the Internet. It was necessary to refuse subscriptions and delete bookmarks. Since I signed only two blogs that I like, all the attention went to bookmarks, which were in disarray. I create a separate folder for bookmarks, "old", "Current", "Other Projects", all graded and enjoyed neat and tidy result.

Day 8. Learn to love solitude

Done. I'm already like loneliness.

Day 9. Discard the excess of beauticians

Instructions on this day looked scary, and at first I did not want to carry her, "Make a list of all the tools that you use all the time, since the hair care. Everything else should be thrown away. "

But then I discovered a loophole in the instructions, and I made a list of the most uncertain, writing a "lipstick", "probes". Since this was not entirely honest course, I threw away all the makeup, which is never used, spoiled lipstick and chemical peels, the whole effect of which is to face flushed.

Day 10. Do not check e-mail and social networks before lunch

I step back a little from the guidelines and check mail because she was waiting for an important letter. But the social network did not go. It helped that I cut off the alarm as early as the first day.

That morning I had time to do much. I begin to suspect that my father was right when he said that social networks are a distraction from affairs.

Day 11. Evaluate your commitments

I will not describe the details, but I agreed to carry out the project for which it was not necessary to undertake. I did not receive any remuneration for their time, and although it was nice to know that I provide a service, the lack of compensation began to affect my work. When there are so many tasks for which performance pay, to do something for free is becoming increasingly difficult.

Day 12. Set a goal for the year ahead

It's simple. This year I would like to receive a fee for publication, to complete the project of his book and learn how to carve the meat and poultry.

Day 13. Clean your closet

Relatively recently, I was unpacking, preparing for a trip across the country. But this does not change the fact that the cabinet was in disarray. When the pile of garbage from the far corner went in the trash, the free space could put laundry basket. I immediately felt better.

Day 14. Begin to learn a new skill

As the 12th day showed my goal - to learn how to carve meat. Husband gave me a book devoted to this issue, so I took the next step and opened it.

Day 15. Examine your daily habits

My habits - sleep after nine in the morning and sit hunched at the computer and forget to drink water. I learned these habits and I doubt that they can be significantly changed. But you can try to sit straighter and drink more water.

Recently I had the good habit, if not daily. I started runAnd I like it.

Day 16. Do not buy anything for 24 hours

It was impossible, because I have to buy the ingredients to write for a food blog. So the task of the day remained unfulfilled, but it does not upset me.

Day 17. In the same business at the same time

Usually I have 10 tabs open, I always check the social networks and to look into the inbox, while writing articles. I closed all the extra windows and to address only one problem. When nothing to distract me, words were faster.

But I feel psychological discomfort because they do not know how things are going in my mail.

Day 18. Exit from friends and followers on social networks

I refused to hundreds of subscriptions on Twitter. It is true great.

Day 19. Go for a walk and be aware of current

Technically, I did not go for a walk. According to the schedule I was jogging, and I decided to practice mindfulness on the run. It turns out, it helps to run. I set myself the task to run 6.5 kilometers (more than that, and so most recently at kilometer) and ran 8 kilometers.

Awareness - careful attention to your body and others things - let me check with them every second, change your posture and the step width, regulate muscle.

Honestly, this has helped to run more than usual.

Day 20. Reading instead of watching TV

Forgetting to warn of home that you can not turn on the TV because of my decision to become a minimalist, peripheral vision, I watched the news in the kitchen, but took the afternoon to hand the book and went to read. I learned a lot of interesting things.

Day 21. Keep a diary for 20 minutes

This job I was upset because I wrote down what for all the bad things that happened to me, and made this day the least productive. So I do not keep a diary. It always ends up that I'm writing about something bad, and fixed on the paper anxiety become more real. And I will not rest until I will tear all the pages and launched them into the toilet. Maybe I was wrong to keep a diary.

Day 22. Think of a relaxing bedtime ritual

At the moment, my evening ritual is: watch TV shows, until the eyelids do not begin to stick together, hastily wash my face and brush my teeth. Not very relaxing.

I decided to change your ritual before going to bed and indulge yourself. I frequently wash my hands, and they are not yet accustomed to the dry climate. I have a lot of unused tubes of hand cream, and one of them took up residence next to the sink. So the evening skin care has become a ritual. Moreover, times have changed hygienic procedures. When I used to run to the bathroom after several episodes of the series, now wash before they turn on the TV. It helps not to eat before going to bed.

Day 23. Do not apply makeup

Done. Nobody screamed and ran away from me in terror, so that everything is in order. In addition, it was not necessary to wash off makeup before jogging. (Traces of badly eroded eyeliner because not considered makeup?)

Day 24. thank

I was a big list of things for which grateful. In it there were serious items such as "healthy body" and "support for a loved one," and lots of little things like bombochek bath and daffodils.

Day 25. Do not plan day

It embarrassing happened, but in the evening I made a to-do-list. I decided to forget about it, but do not adhere strictly to the plans, allowing events to occur. The day I finished did not go as planned, but nothing much happened.

Day 26. Identify stressors

Here are the top factors that makes me nervous:

• the letter, which did not have an answer (whether they were written to me or me);
• mess in the house;
• non-ideal situation in life;
• reading my old texts (and suddenly I find a bug?);
• irregular income, which is inevitable for a freelancer;
• mess in the fridge, clogged suspicious products that no one eats.

Most of the stress can be avoided, such as time to answer letters and get out on the shelves the refrigeratorBut to address the financial issue and change situations have to do much.

Maybe if I bring order to the little things, it helps to cope with higher levels of stress?

Day 27. Clean box for trifles

Special storage space for small things I do not, but I panic every time I open a cupboard or refrigerator. Therefore was there for cleaning. Frankly, nothing calms me better than the order in the kitchen.

Day 28. Let go of goals

Many years ago when I realized that I do not want to be a veterinarian, I have changed the goal to "become a doctor of science." Obviously, this goal was not achieved, although I kept returning to the idea to continue their education. Interests ranged from the scientific approach to products to communications.

Now I can give up this goal. I never do that, because I do not want to return to their studies.

Day 29. Turn off notifications

This was done as early as the first day! One action gave me so much freedom! I'm not wasting my time, considering the phone's Tweets and huskies have no more distracting.

Day 30. Rate five of its last purchases

My last purchase was not necessary, and the result is as follows:

1. "Running River" by Joan Didion ($ 9.99) - I very liked the novel, and I'm never disappointed when buying books.
2. A bottle of sparkling wine, which my friends and I discovered, looking at a documentary about champagne ($ 20). The wine had a strange flavor with hints of blue cheese. Sounds strange, but I liked it.
3. Lunch in a restaurant on the shares ($ 30) - an unfortunate waste. I do not know if they have a menu something decent, but do not want to check.
4. New desktop ($ 93) - a great acquisition, I was tired of working at the kitchen table.
5. Swimsuit with a picture of the chemical formula ($ 85) - a complete disaster. I returned it and got the money back.

It can be concluded that I need to eat less in cafes and restaurants, often sitting at home, reading and drinking wine. Not the most horrible plan that exactly make my life easier.

I did it!

Not every day you could change something in my life, but I learned about yourself something new:

• my face looks good without makeup, he did not need me for daily activities;
• order in the refrigerator works wonders with my mental health;
• jogging gives better effect than meditation for me is the only way to listen to your body.

Most of the time I do not need to be online, on the Internet there is nothing that could not wait.

In general, I began to pay more attention to things that are worth it, and I hope that new habits will stay with me. in many respects the plan worked, although I put on is still a teenager.

Have you ever participated in a similar marathon? Do you want to live more simply? Do you dream to wear loose shirts natural shades?