We're on a roll here talking about all the STUFF we have. A lot of us have storage units with stuff in them we don't even remember. More of us have stuff stuffed into nooks and crannies in our houses - closets, basements, attics. And what about that garage we can't park in? When it comes down to it, we just have too much stuff! If we start to think more critically about what we have and really examine the "why" of the stuff, we can begin to pare it down, little by little, until we have a more peaceful life with less.

As you know, I am on a mission to downsize all the stuff accumulated by me and also by my parents. There is something to be said for paying homage to the past. After all, it is what shaped us and brought us to where we are today! But keeping everything isn't possible and tossing everything without any emotion might make you a psycho. So maybe there is a place in between the two that will give us the peace of having less and the joy of looking back.

We have all heard about the scarcity mindset, but why does it come about? Many times, it has to do with our upbringing and what we learned as young people. But regardless of why, it creates in us a fear of not having enough. Last week, I was without power at my house and it made me feel a bit of scarcity for myself. It gave me some insight into why folks who have "way too much stuff" have way too much stuff. They likely have lived without the things they needed and now live in the fear of scarcity. It is good to be prepared but not to the point of creating the very thing we fear for ourselves.

I was in my now-almost-famous $30 a month storage unit last weekend and I realized something. Going through my stuff was a LOT harder than going through 55 years' worth of stuff at my dad's house. His house wasn't full of my stuff and a lot of it was garbage or donatable. But I noticed that this was not the case with my own stuff. My stuff reminds me of my past. It reminds me of my little kids in those little clothes and the high school days I can't get back. It reminds me of my biggest regrets... hence the wedding dress still boxed up. It makes me reminisce about how great I looked in that sexy Halloween costume once upon a time. Good times... good times. This kind of stepping into the past is emotional. It's hard and heavy and we just don't want to do it. But we need to. Let yourself feel all those feelings, the highs and lows. Take yourself down memory lane. Because the reason we avoid doing it is the reason we need to.

Many of you who know me well know that I am a big fan of boundaries with social media. I have permissions set on my accounts because I am not obligated to allow anyone full access to my online life. There are a lot of ways to manage access, and I encourage you to think about setting some for yourself. The truth is, none of us are going to get to the end of our lives and wish we had just spent a little more time scrolling. Social media is not real relationship. It is just entertainment. Let's start treating it as such!

I have been reading a book called, "The Minimalist Home" by Joshua Becker. It got me thinking about my own journey with decluttering my dad's house and how I struggle with having a lot of "stuff" because I don't function well in a mess or surrounded by a lot of clutter. I have always been drawn to a lifestyle with less stuff, but I wouldn't call myself a minimalist. The past months of my life have been filled with deciding what to do with all the belongings in my childhood home. This book makes me think more deeply about how life can be simpler, more restful and even more productive with less stuff.

Don't let a big mistake, a failed job, a failed relationship define who you are. Those things are outside of you and they are just lessons. Some of them are really big lessons and some are smaller but still meaningful. I was reminded of my biggest mistake the other day and it caught me off guard. Then I was reminded that I just need to forgive myself for that mistake because it does not define me. A friend of mine recently confided that he doesn't like his job and listening to him made me realize that he is letting this experience define him as an employee. But it does not define him! I know who I am as a person and so does he. But we're both letting the opinions of others sink in and define who we are. Instead of letting these things define us, let's let them be lessons.

As I sit in my dad's house, all the stuff of the previous generations surrounds me. The beautiful, gold-edged china, the leaded crystal, and the thousands of other things that make up the history of my family. But without the memories and stories attached to these things, they are just "stuff". I am a bit fired up today about my advice to use the good sh*t. Why do we keep the good stuff locked away in cupboards and drawers? Why don't we use it right now? Starting today, my dog is drinking water from a crystal bowl and I am eating meals on gold-edged china! Why am I saving it? For some occasion that may never happen? NO! Let's use the good stuff now. We are worth it and the generations who came before us would say, "It's just stuff... so enjoy it!"

Merry Christmas to you, my wonderful listeners! I wanted to hop on here today and talk about outdoor illumination. How I LOVE Christmas lights! They make me smile while reminding me to slow down and enjoy the little things. I hope you have a blessed holiday season and are able to smile at the memories as well as make new ones!

Ever been around someone who gives you a bad feeling? You're not sure why, but something just feels off. I am here to tell you today to listen to that voice. Don't ignore it. That intuition (or creep vibe) is there for a reason and could serve in keeping you safer than you would be if you ignore it. When my kids were young, I told them if they ever had a bad feeling about someone, they could let me know and they'd never have to be around that person again. Why don't we give ourselves that same permission? Let's treat ourselves with the same respect we would give our children. If you get the vibe, you don't have to be around that person ever again! And your peace of mind will thank you!