Sunday Expansion No. 3
Expansion is a series sharing the beautiful, the thought provoking, the inspirational and
the need-to-know discoveries of the week.
Living
Minimalism has instilled such a powerful mentality in my life over the last few years, and many will say the same. The impact recent influences like the "Becoming Minimalist" blog and the Netflix hit Tidying Up with Marie Kondo have hit the ground running for individuals around the globe, while donation centers scramble to sort through the influx of discarded belongings. But if you thought this minimalism kick was a new trend, think again. This TreeHugger article shows that the act of minimalist thinking and living alike have been around for ages and in fact, started with some of the most influential figures from the history books.
Mind
In our current fast-paced and short-attention-span way of living, we find ourselves increasingly drawn to do more. To buy more. To become more. But what about actually investing in the choices we have made? Setting aside the time to honor the hobbies we have picked up, the belongings we once found value in? What would life look like if we chose a path that carved way for exploring further into our being and our lifestyle choices as opposed to constantly striving to cover more territory? This thoughtful Raptitude article, Go Deeper, Not Wider, addresses the benefits we might find if we take a step back and appreciate what we have already started.
Earth
Another great Tree Hugger article has me feeling more sure than ever that our lives, literally revolve around the sun. The great controversy continues between protecting our skin on the daily from UV rays, naturally conditioning our bodies to accept and thrive off sun exposure, and the toxic tendencies of a lightly regulated sunscreen industry. But experts are seeing that you may be putting yourself and your family more at risk in this present day by over protecting than getting a healthy dose of that good ol' sunshine. There's a reason we are happier in those long summer days. Read more over at Tree Hugger.
Creative
These days, the words side hustle and entrepreneur are basically one and the same as the terms "find your passion" and career path. It's the age of being your own boss and creatively finding solutions to keep up with the Joneses. But something we as a society have lost site of is the joy that comes from perhaps engaging in a hobby or free-time activity that wasn't intended to get you to the top or radically transform your bank statements. The lost art of enjoying something you might not even have a knack for, because it simply lights you up or winds you down. This Man Repeller article argues the point that we all deserve some interests that don't need their own branding package.
Listen
If you're the kind that's always looking for that next grain of wisdom to latch onto and reroute your entire life around...just kidding. But really, we all could use a little encouragement and direction here. And there are just so many people out there that have the experience and stories to back it up. That's why podcasts like "Hurry Slowly" have such an amazing stand point to connect people like you and me to the one's with the answers. Or at the very least, the ideas and real world perspective that could ignite your own. Listen if you dare to find a spark for growth and motivation in your life. If you're looking for somewhere to start, I am keen on the sit down with designer of our time, Paula Sher.
