Mary Hopper

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Lighten up your stuff

This is one of those seasons in our home that if you're not careful, you might get donated or thrown away. 

I am doing a major purge, moving the spaces and energies in our home around, and trying to create spaces that support the habits and life we want to live. How you set up your environment makes a big difference. Living in clutter feels chaotic, and purging the excess can free up space for something new in your life. 

It is not coincidence that this is happening at the same time that I started working on my book again. I decided to take a break from a few other things in August; I didn’t blog or send regular emails for the entire month, which opened up the creative space for me to write and edit my book.

The more I work on my book, the more excited I get about it. It’s been a long process, in fact I started it in 2015, and I’ve been working with an editor since May…. we are only half done editing. I know there is a lot more work to be done before releasing it in to the world, but this is the closest to publishing I’ve felt, and the book is organized—it actually makes sense!

Since I’ve been fully immersed in editing what I’ve written about Lightening Up, I have been motivated and inspired (I did that to myself! ha!) to purge our home. The first 2 chapters of my book are all about letting go of excess stuff in your life to free up space in your day and save you money.

Excerpt from Lightening Up:

“We live in a time where more is just more. We’re constantly looking for the next great thing to make our lives easier, healthier, more fulfilling. So often, we think possessions will fill that need in our hearts. We buy the latest kitchen gadget to cook our meals. We buy new exercise equipment to give us the body we’ve been seeking since high school. We acquire all sorts of THINGS, and yet continue to feel more and more overwhelmed and unfulfilled. It’s a vicious cycle, leaving us unhappy, frazzled, and drowning in “stuff.” Stuff we go into debt over, stuff that causes arguments at home, and sadly, the stuff that can break up a family.

In truth, what we are really craving is connection. We think that if we just had those skinny jeans – and looked amazing in them - then we would have more friends. More friends mean greater connection, right? Believe me, I’ve been there. Done that. I’ve learned first-hand that the perfect body, the nicest things, even a successful career isn’t enough to fill our need for connection.”

Does this resonate with you?

If so, read more in the book, Lighten Up Your LIfe.