Crafting the life you want may seem like a foreign concept when we live in a culture where success is equated to money and hard work and burnout are the only paths to success. More stuff is never the answer. You may not know it now, but the life you want consists of less of what isn’t working and more of what does.
Minimalism Your Way
When we think of minimalism we often think of Joshua Becker or Marie Kondo’s way where we have emptier rooms that hold only what we need. This brings about a vision of a room with an empty chair in mind and I’m sorry, but some of us thrive in environments with a little more. I don’t mean hoarder style, but I do mean finding a way to live the life you want with the stuff that has meaning, value, or purpose.
Everything else that lacks meaning, value, or purpose to you is questionable in living your best life. Sometimes we hold on to actual things and heavier things like emotions when they no longer serve us and that’s not ok. The concept to live the life we want is to get rid of the clutter, both mental and physical so we can make space for what we want. Maybe this is throwing away the suits for the laptop entrepreneur life or going to therapy to rid yourself of the trauma you experienced 20 years ago.
Relationships
Another facet to living the life you want is all about who you surround yourself with. The relationships that lift you, support you, and bring a certain life into your space are the ones you want to keep. The relationships that you find bring on anxiety, trigger negative emotions or bring you down are the ones to get rid of. There’s a saying that if you find yourself in drama it’s because you create it, invite it or hang with people who bring it.
Maybe you aren’t ready to rid yourself of all relationships, especially if they provide some purpose or value to your life at certain times. However, you can create better boundaries in those relationships so that you can live the life you want on your terms. So instead of answering drama-filled text messages in the middle of the night, put on the do not disturb so you can get a decent night’s sleep.
Mental Declutter
What’s taking up space in your brain that isn’t needed? Anxiety? To-do lists? Guilt? Whatever it is, get rid of what you need to. Mental decluttering is real and it’s personal. Write down what’s in your brain and then decide if it’s meant to be there or if you can let it go. We think of 160ish thoughts per minute and that’s a lot. No wonder we are stressed!
When we can free space up in our minds with good stuff-positive memories, affirmations, dreams, goals, etc. we give ourselves a chance to live how we want. No one wakes up and wants to live with a constant barrage of anxious thoughts or playing out stressful what-if scenarios. It’s hard work to get rid of mental clutter, but the nectar is sweet on the other side with a new perspective on life and your personal well-being.
Craft Your Life
You can totally find peace by getting rid of everything that’s not working. When we throw out the trash, we make space. Space gives us the ability to think clearly, to see what we already have and a path ahead of us. 
Sometimes, getting rid of things are big changes like getting married, starting a family, changing careers later in life. Big transitions bring about fear and when there’s the fear we self-sabotage our true future. Don’t get in your own way. Quitting your old life of holding onto any of what was mentioned in this post gives you the opportunity for a new beginning.
Find peace as you purge what you need and open yourself up to the life you want.
