Clarity through minimalism

I'm on a never ending journey to find myself and what makes me happy. In this stage of my life, I have been completely obsessed with the idea of simplicity and minimalism. I want to rid my life of clutter; mind, body, and personal belongings. 

We are CONSTANTLY presented with convenient opportunities to buy more than we need. (I lose my marbles over phrases like, "BOGO", "free shipping", "half off", etc.) There are times when convenience is absolutely worth the price. I could even make a pretty great argument that our entire system based on the division of labor was shaped by and for convenience. With my schedule and lifestyle, it is much easier for me to pay somebody to grow my food, make my my clothing, and build my home than for me to do just do it all by myself. 

Time to be honest with myself. I need stop trying to impress others with the things that I own and start trying to inspire them by the life that I live. Lately I have been incorporating this new mindset into my daily life on just about any decision I have to make. I ask myself, "does this (fill in the blank) add value to my life? How? Am I mindlessly following the newest trend or am I consciously making decisions that will help me reach my goals? Are my passions being shaped by social media, advertisements, insatiable needs, and insecurities, or are they controlled by reason that is good for mine and my family's well being? It hasn't been easy. It's been really eye opening and has shown me a lot about myself. 

I think that with this chaotic schedule I have and being a mom but also a young professional in a corporate environment, it puts a lot of pressure on me to prove to everyone that I am serious about being professional but also being put together as a mom/wife. I want to look the part, play the part, and just be all of it without falling apart. How have I not caved into all the pressure? It is just constantly reminding myself that I don't have to do what everyone else is doing, and I don't have to live up to unobtainable expectations that always put on myself.

 I know that there's a chance I will not have time for everything I want in life, so I need to make choices. Choices including my family, finances, career, and the people I allow in my life. That last one is important. Who you surround yourself with is so important. Some are there to bring out the you the best in you and make you the best version of yourself, and some, no matter how bad you want them in your life, they may be toxic. Toxic relationships will always bring you down and are the hardest ones to cut loose. 

At the end of the day, I just really want and hope I can make choices that come from a deep sense of who I am, who I want to be, and who I will be for my family. I want clarity.