Jonat’s article got me thinking: What can I let go of that doesn’t serve me? What are the things I do or stress about just because I think that’s the way things are supposed to be done? How do I actually want to spend my time?
For me, the biggest thing to let go of is house perfectionism. My house is never going to be “just so”; that’s not me, and that’s okay. I want my house to be pretty, and I want to enjoy the process of making it so, but it’s always going to look lived in, and there’s always going to be something to fix. I’d much rather spend my Saturday morning going for a run than touching up the paint in the kitchen for the 15th time, and that’s okay.
Another thing new parents are often told they should do is go out on regular, kid-free dates. I’m fairly certain the person who came up with that advice never lived in a beach town during the summer, or through COVID-19, or lived 90 minutes away from most of their family. Something my husband, Dave, and I really enjoy is just hanging out in our family room, catching up and having good conversation over a beer or two after our daughter has been put down for the night.
Like most things, practicing minimalism in our daily lives is easier said than done, but I encourage you to give it a try. Also, think about letting go of those “shoulds” in favor of saying no and making decisions based on how you value spending your time.