Wow. As a Christian, hearing you talk about, and get choked up when talking about how minimalism has allowed more room for Jesus was awesome to hear. My wife and I have said the same thing in our home! Thanks for the vulnerability and prayers that that continues!
Thank you 🙏🏻 I read this shortly after you posted it and immediately tears. I was anxious to post this video but your comment felt like a little message of encouragement from God ☺️
Great video. As an overachiever, I am always thinking whatever task I’m doing I could do it better. I became a stay at home wife two years ago at the age of 57. I do more at home every day than I ever did working as an administrative assistant for high level partner attorneys. When I left my job I was asked what I was going to do all day and when I said be a homemaker, garden, bake bread, cook from scratch, etc. I got some odd looks. All of that to say I bring more “value” to our home now than I did when I was getting paid a generous salary. I do need to work on digital hushing. I love to cross stitch but think I need to be listening to an audio book or podcast at the same time. I think today I’ll just cross stitch and listen to my dog snore and our furnace cycle on and off.
I don't understand why the work of a homemaker is still so undervalued. I'm so happy that you get to do that! I'm sure you make your family's life so functional and beautiful and rich, and I'm sure your home is a safe haven!
This may be controversial, but one thing I’ve never done as a mom is … pajamas. My oldest child is only 3, but honestly, if she’s been in the house all day in her soft, comfy clothes, I’m not wrestling her into special sleeping clothes 🤷♀️ I change her sheets every week and if she’s dirty, then obviously she’ll be cleaned and redressed, but we’re skipping pajamas until she can put them on herself. No one has yet died or sickened. Eliminates a whole category to shop for, launder, and store. And saves a ton of time, cumulatively.
I do this for myself 😂 sleep clothes are so expensive, and having a chronic illness I’m mostly in bed or “lounging” anyway. I change as I need, but not too bothered about having specific clothing for night vs. day. As long as I’m clean and comfy, it’s a win.
I do the same but in reverse. I put my little ones in clean “cozies” after dinner. Then they stay in that until they get dirty or have to go to some event that requires certain clothes.
My son has been sleeping in his diapers and then his undies since he was born. Why? Because he can cool down better, have a healthier, deeper sleep. There is a ton of research showing that we need to work on cooling down more when we sleep. Why should we not do the same for our children? You can skip pajamas and let them sleep in their undies. You can wash the sheets... so why ruin the sleep quality of your children to save some washing of sheets for a couple more days. I have been sleeping in my undies my whole life. The most I wear is a t-shirt if the winter night is cold (always keep a window open for fresh air, also very important for sleep quality). The result of that is, that my son is resilient in the winter, doesn't get colds as often and generally can tolerate cold temperature outside very, very well. I give him the choice of a jacket and always carry it with me. If he wants it, he can wear it, but I am also fine letting him run around in a t-shirt in the winter, if he chose to do so (he never ever got sick from it, not once). I've lived in Norway for a couple of months and you wouldn't believe how little people (children included) wear there when it's really cold outside. They just adjusted. Their bodies got used it. They are not sick more often or anything. On the contrary.
@@W4ldgeistI agree but as a medic I always think if I die in my sleep do I really want to be naked when the medics arrive ? I don’t .. I do where PJS ..
I just wanted to say, I really enjoy listening to you speak. I’ve struggled with the adjustment from being someone with a career outside the home to being a full-time homemaker, and it’s such a comfort to listen to someone who so clearly has the experience of both worlds. Nothing but admiration for women who go straight into managing a family full time, but sometimes the UA-cam space feels lacking in homemaking content from the perspective of someone who has career experience as well.
I loved this Erika. ❤ The Lord is not going to be competing with all the voices we are allowing in our head. The constant media, music, audiobooks and self help things we watch and hear. It says in the Bible that he has a still small voice that gets drowned out by the schemes of the enemy. For he is the prince of the power of the air... which is how he infiltrates our lives through phones and screens.❤❤❤ Ive been struggling with this too for the past two years. Trying to get back to Him on a deeper level.❤
Silence and solitude are the best parts of any given day. I enjoy staring out my window at the clouds, listening to a quiet house, and being lost in my thoughts. It is wonderful to see your vulnerability as a new Christian. It made me smile, knowing that you allowed the Holy Spirit to work His way into your heart and life. You will grow closer to God in the silent moments, and you'll look forward to hearing His voice. ❤ I always enjoy your videos! All great points today.
This video is exactly what I needed to see. I have felt so guilty for years on not being able to keep a consistent morning routine. I need mine to unfold naturally too. I heard something once that said “stop trying to fit God into your day, and fit your day around your time with God.” It made me realize how many other things don’t “fit”.
These are such great points! One thing I have really been concentrating on this year is simplifying the kinds of food I buy, and going back more to the way my grandmother made her meals. I think living in the age of Pinterest has put so much pressure on moms, and I definitely put that on myself. It feels like I can’t be repeating meals, or I’m not being creative enough, or like I need to have a dozen options when two would really do just fine. My grandmother only ever bought one kind of beef and one kind of chicken, and used those in all her meals. I don’t actually need a freezer full of ten different cuts. It’s similar to how I have simplified my wardrobe. But I also no longer buy things like salad dressing and cereal. I don’t know why, but at first that felt like I was being a “bad” mom because maybe people would have preferred a certain brand, or certain cut of chicken, or whatever. But everyone got over it very quickly. It’s super easy and better for our bodies, and it saves me money to just mix together the mustard and the honey I already have and make honey mustard instead of spending an extra $5 on a bottle. It’s also ok if my kids “only” have a choice of eggs or yogurt for breakfast this week rather than eggs, oatmeal, yogurt, protein bars, or four different kinds of cereal. I’m not sure why it has taken me so long to figure that out. I do make sure there are always options that they like, but I don’t have to stock everything they like all at once.
Wow, I had not even thought to check my heart with regard to purchasing and budgeting being a matter of me taking control rather than trusting God. I tend to think that I'm being "wise with money" when really sometimes I'm taking control that is really God's
Helpful content! A lot of points rarely (if ever) raised by other content creators. Most promote doing more to gain more, but by doing less we gain more balance, peace, etc. It's amazing how profound an effect the elimination of everyday habits and routines can have. This definitely challenged the long-held beliefs, and the expectations I place on myself. Thank you for this, and for sharing your faith.
I feel so deeply seen by this video. Last summer I realized that cooking dinner was going to be effort forever. I had spent years thinking that if I could just build a big enough system, if I just tried harder for a while that I would learn how to do it and then it would stop being work, but it never happened. I realized that it will be work forever and that doesn't mean I am doing it wrong. Now I'm able to single-task making dinner and it's this beautiful centering part of my day.
Not having a morning routine. What a notion! I am constantly trying to come up with morning and night routines that work, and I’m constantly failing. This was a freeing idea- thanks!
I’m not sure how I found myself here or why I stay. I don’t think I’ll ever be a minimalist and the chaos of my 6 children are grown. But I love solitude and you have such a calm presence in your videos.
Wonderful video--especially the part about making space for silence and solitude (and God filling that space). He has pushed me to start "traveling lightly" this year--meaning traveling lightly through this life. To think eternal vs. temporal. Our family is well on the way to minimalism. Thank you for sharing.
Erica, I am a simple woman of more than 7 decades. I encountered your thought provoking video this morning and there were many points you shared that spoke to me about my life experiences over the years. I found your honest shared experiences helpful still in my life and something I want to share with my daughters as something for them to see and just consider as parts and pieces to look at and see what fits their lives as they are living their lives in working and raising their families. Thank you for your honest sharing of your perspective on what has been beneficial in your stage of life experience .
as a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom of 8 you are bang on. I loved watching this I even learned a few things but mostly I enjoyed listening to your soothing voice. God Bless
This video hit me on so many different levels! I’m realizing that even though I have simplified in so many areas, I am still trying to overdo things since becoming a stay at home mom. For the last three years I feel like I have had to be perfect at home to show that I have “value” because I am not bringing in an income. Thank you for the reminder that more is not always best. God bless and thank you for sharing!
It’s so hard to do work that can go overlooked and that takes years to begin seeing the fruit of. But, I’m certain your children are BEYOND BLESSED by your presence. My children have been showing me lately how important the time together is to them. And they definitely don’t care if I do things perfectly around our house.
I love this video! I needed an easy morning, but I did not know my strict go go go making good use of time was stressing me. God got ahold of me: Wake up•make coffee and invite Me. Get in my Word and watch your day easily unfold. Twenty years later I am at peace! Love from Texas🥰
I really love your insight on expecting homemaking to be effortless. I realise too that i often condemn what I have instead of being thankful for them because many minimalists often like to market it as things are effortless once you've downsized. Thanks for shifting my perspective on it. Will continue to simplify while having realistic expectations!
Absolutely! I had the same issue. The Minimal Mom (whom I adore) would always say, "It's not hard anymore!" It took me awhile to realize that "hard" is subjective and she probably wasn't trying to say it was completely effortless.
I've been binge watching your videos. Pretty much everything you said aligns exactly with things I think about and believe. I also like the esthetic of your videos. Something about it is just so pleasant ❤
Dear Erica, thank you for this video! After watching your 'kids will play better' video I loved your personality so much, that I have been watching your videos for couple of days, your ideas resonate a lot with me. I became a stay-home mom one year ago at 40 years old after several years of hard work as a teacher for teenagers and young adults, and this idea of overdoing, overexplaining and overanalysing is very true, thank you for sharing! I love the idea of making place and suddenly you will find God there, I need this in my life!
I LOVE this. Since becoming a mom 6 months ago, my perfectionist nature has been really challenged. Having a daughter has taught me so much about slowing down, being present, and enjoying the simple things. I don't need to keep things tidy all the time, but I do need to make sure everything around me is serving me and my family in the best way. Thank you so much for your insight and wisdom it is very valuable to me and so many others :) Also I JUST finished reading digital minimalism. SO GOOD.
It sounds like we’re cut from the same cloth. I’ve had to let go of a lot of perfectionist tendencies. Though I’m definitely still in progress. Especially now that my kids are older and I want to give them as much autonomy as possible (within the boundaries of remaining safe) I have to let many things be a little wonky 😂
I discovered your channel very recently and it’s become a new favourite of the many I already follow on minimalism/homemaking/simple living. Thank you for making these videos - I appreciate the calm serenity with which you share your thoughts :)
Thank you so much for sharing what you do! I love how real and raw you are in your videos. It makes me feel like I’m sitting right across from you. I am a young mom to one toddler learning so many new things in this season. Honestly battling the unwanted incoming messages of “how to do it right.” Your videos are so soothing. Absolutely non-judgmental and beautifully created!
Thank you, Rachel! I feel you. There’s so much to learn in this season, it can feel like you’re drinking from a fire hose. I’m so happy I’ve found value in these videos and taken the time to comment. It’s a blessing to me to hear from so many different women about their perspectives, challenges, successes, etc. 🥰
Love this I feel you on the makeup. I used to have to have a full face everywhere I went and was self conscious without it. I haven’t worn makeup in 6 years now. I stopped wearing it when I was surfing everyday and I found it more embarrassing to have mascara streams down my face (even with “waterproof”) than to have no makeup haha and I fell in love with being comfortable in my own skin. Nothing against ppl who wear it but it’s so much easier not too! Sure lots of people tell me I look like a teenager and I’m 34 but hey I can live with that 😂
Thank you! I loved the whole thing, but I especially loved the part about morning routines. I wanted to do so many things first thing in the morning, but with three kids 5 and under, night time sleep was unpredictable. My husband and I joke that it's too early for your day to be ruined by 6am 😂 I also loved the part about minimalism making things much simpler, but not effortless. I have often sat pondering what else we could get rid of because it still gets messy, when part of the problem is that humans live at our house (and I don't want to change that 😉). I love minimalism, but it was nice to hear someone else acknowledge that it still takes work to manage even a simplified home.
I can totally relate to no longer doing full makeup every day. After my daughter was born, I started just using a moisturizer with SPF most days (aside from church and date nights with my husband). I also get my eye lashes tinted every six weeks or so, so my eye lashes are actually visible :) (I have blonde eye lashes, so without mascara or tinting, you can barely see them. I know it’s fine, but I prefer how I look when they’re tinted.) Also, thanks for sharing how the Lord used minimalism to draw you to Himself ❤
Could you elaborate more about what boundaries you were talking about with the overdoing aspect? I feel like a lot of moms can relate to not setting or keeping boundaries for ourselves which leads to more burnout and it would be nice to hear how and what you implemented.
Wow. I thought I had heard Everything on this topic. Thank you for sharing a lot of fresh and on-point ideas AND for being honest. It’s so ok to have own struggles and not being all that successful and perfect.
Great video! I am someone who has a professional career and from the beginning of having kids have always chose to work part time so I am home with them (or my husband is because he works shift work). I have found that our society is into extremes. Either you have to be a full time working mom who is always frazzled/tired/busy (and kind of get some sort of thrill of complaining about that), or you’re a full time stay at home mom who cooks all meals from scratch, does intricate crafts with your kids, grows your own food, makes your own bread, and talks about that all the time. I don’t do either. I do elements of each and not all the time. This has made it challenging to make friends as I don’t have a lot of peers. But, I’ve always felt the conviction that what I’m doing is right and also, to keep practicing gratitude for the gift it is to be able to do so. I feel like you’re saying something similar so I just want to say I see you and good job 😊. (Not that a random person on the internet has any right to give input into your life!) Thanks for your videos, I’m really enjoying you sharing your perspective.
Thank you for sharing this! You’re absolutely right that we can lose ourselves in the extremes. I appreciate you sharing your family’s approach. I think the reality is many of us are somewhere in the middle. Heck, I’m at home with the kids but I’m also producing UA-cam videos while my kids hang with their grandparents! 😂 I think it’s an important conversation to be having culturally.
Just wanted to chime in and say thanks for saying that. The comment about not having many peers but also knowing you’re making the right choice for your family was something I didn’t know I needed to hear. 🙏🏻
Just came across your channel. So true about the digital noise. I am also working on my relationship with Christ. I am in a different stage of life but was once a stay at home mom and am thankful for that opportunity. Trusting God for a job.❤
Erica....what a well thought out list of things to simplify and/or quit! I believe that this will help you (me/all of us) to fulfill Psalm 46:10. Perhaps "fulfill" isn't the correct word? Anyway, "Be still and know that I am God." Simplification and being present helps us to rest in this verse. And what a wonderful goal to have as Christians. As a 68 yo with 7 kids, 5 in-laws and 23 grands. I was able to be a stay at home mom and I so treasured that time (and the memories) I work in a daycare now and I so wish that all mamas could stay home with their own children. What a blessing for you and for them! Again, well done!
I really enjoyed this video. Thank you for sharing. You struck a chord with me when you said you were tempted to resent the items in your home or feeling like you needed to go further with decluttering, instead of acknowledging home making always takes effort. ❤
Your video touched my heart so deeply today! I'm a Jesus girl too. And I have been feeling so defeated and constantly overwhelmed as a mama and this spoke to me...just what I needed to hear. Soooooo glad I found your channel today!!
You are so welcome! I’m so sorry you’ve been feeling defeated lately. I’ve been through those seasons and it’s hard when you’re in it. I hope the videos help a little! If there’s one thing I’ve learned from the experienced mamas who watch and comment, it’s that our kids are so touched by our presence. Even if everything else feels chaotic around us. If we’re playing with them and caring for them, they feel deeply loved. Keeping you in my prayers!
Wow, I am so happy for you. Very touching to hear you talk about hearing God again. Your videos have given me so much inspiration this week. I feel we're kindred spirits! It's as if God is using you to give me permission to, yes, embrace what I feel called to do: be a present, "stay-at-home", mom. I too left a busy job. I taught in the public school for 12 years before my first son was born. (He's 5; my other is 2.) The shift has not always felt easy (at first it did! lol), but it's what I've wanted. Regarding simplicity: my favorite line you've shared: if it feels like it's all too much, it is. How that resonated with me. I'm a minimalist, for the purpose of being present. My last whole-house declutter was right after Christmas, but after watching your videos, here I am filling bags again, haha. I just want a simple life with my kids and husband. Let's be friends :) Disclaimer: I do enjoy a few extras in my makeup bag now and again... it has always been a creative outlet for me. Thank you for acknowledging that!
Yes! Let’s be friends! Thank you for sharing your experience and goals for your family. The simplicity journey is beautiful but definitely not a straight path. I’m so grateful to hear from others about their experiences with this process. 🥰
I just found your channel and I liked this video very much. Especially the part about the morning routine! I have always wanted to be the person that serenely goes through her mornings in the same way every day. I’m not sure why I needed your permission but i feel better about myself. I’m a grandma (and a great grandma) so I use my smart phone for staying in touch. But I get why you changed to a flip phone. All the things you presented made sense. I’m in a Bible study and we’ve been focusing on solitude. That is a challenge for me. I’m babbling. ❤
Sometimes hearing that someone else has a similar struggle is so freeing. I’ve found that many women on UA-cam have given me the freedom to just be myself.
Hey there. Beautiful job on this weeks video. We lost my 94 year old father in law on Sunday the 10th. It’s been a super difficult week but feeling better now. Keep giving yourself the permission NOT to do something. That’s often the hardest. Keep shining your Light. As you can see, others will follow, xo 😘
I’m so sorry for your family’s loss. It’s always hard to say goodbye to a loved one. I hope you’re both able to rest and grieve. Thank you for the encouragement 🥰
This was all so beautifully stated. I was so moved when you said "slowing down...allowed (God) in." I have been a Christian all my life, but I believe slowing down has turned me more into a "follower of Jesus", if that makes sense. It just allows so much more time for relationship with Him. I also love your insight into the reason we're constantly seeking to make homemaking more efficient is because we don't actually value it. I had that realization recently: that I keep putting more and more effort into making everything "efficient": actually to the point that I was doing MORE work, not less! Our cultural obsession with efficiency just stems from our reluctance to just be human...we always believe we "should be" doing more. Thank you, as always, for your wisdom Erika! You are helping me in my journey for richer life!
I'm a new stay at home mom with my 5 month old baby and the earbuds/sound topic really hits for me. I was a fulltime nurse for almost 6 years prior to this and even though the transition has been a joy overall it's VERY slow paced compared to my job. I didn't realize how much social interaction and intellectual stimulation I would no longer be getting on a daily basis. I joke with my husband that I have nothing interesting to tell him about anymore. Like you I find myself craving podcasts/audio books, ect all day because of the silence (I'm not great at carrying the one-sided narrative conversations with baby yet haha). I'm not sure how I feel one way or another about it, I don't feel convicted to give it up completely but you've definitely hit a nerve for me where I need to seek the Lord about how to glorify Him best in this matter. Thank you for this video
Thank you for your thoughtful response! It’s good to know I’m not the only one 😂 I know God will guide you in figuring out what’s best. I would say it didn’t become a big concern for me until my kids were older (past the baby stage). But it’s a habit that’s been hard to break. And I wasn’t great at the one sided narrative either! It was much easier with the second because I was talking to my oldest and my son could listen.
I’m going to use your quote from now on “as I made space in my life God got in there”. Wonderfully said! Another reason I subscribed to your channel because you speak of Jesus Christ. And I can totally relate to this video and how you felt after leaving the work place. a few years ago I had experienced the same thing. Thank you for all that you do. I’m keeping you and your family in my prayers ❤
Aww what a cute video! I agree very much with every point you’ve made and I can relate so much especially when you mentioned feeling like you always needed to prove yourself, do more to be enough… it’s something I still struggle with and only when I let go of those thoughts do I experience complete peace. 🥰 I loved what you said about God also! 🩵
I sort of regret decluttering at some point. I didn't really get it, got rid of items I later realised I actually liked. I went too far. Now I'm trying to be more mindful, of the stuff I let go of and the stuff coming in. But it's not easy and some days it feels like a battle. Needing something VS wanting something, some days that just feels the same to me.
I have been enjoying your videos. I certainly have a tendency to overachieve but simultaneously crave a simpler life. This video reminded me of the book Subtract by Leidy Klotz. I may have to read it again in this journey to simplify my life.
Thank you for this video. It’s just what I needed to hear tonight. I’ve really been feeling “less of me means more of Jesus” and you explained it so well. Thank you.
I truly believe that God sent me your way today. I've never seen you come up in my feed before and this message was exactly what I had been praying about lately and especially this morning. Thank you!
Amen and Bless you dear one. I got teary with you. I love Jesus so much and I spend time silent with him early morning, middle of the night, or before I go to bed I just need the silence and time with him
Would love to hear more about your experience switching to a flip phone. I’ve been going back and forth with this idea for a bit now as it seems so freeing but just curious what that looks like for you!
I did! I read that one a few months ago. So informative but also freeing! Really helped me narrow in on the things that matter for kids. I think it helped me pull back on overdoing things in my mothering. Thanks for reminding me!
I have a 16 month old and am currently in the process of swapping to being a SAHM with him (he was in day care while my husband and I both worked full time). I realized I couldn't sustain that anymore. I felt like I was only half way present with both sides - mom and job. I was always adamant that I didn't want to be a SAHM, and truthfully I don't think I'll *enjoy* it. There's something very hard for me about the nature of the work which is that it's never done. There's no project to turn in. No "great job, that turned out great!". And for someone who is very results driven, that is hard for me. But I do feel strongly that this is the best path for my son. And who knows, maybe I will enjoy it haha
I hope you do end up enjoying it! I know it's a significant transition and the work is very different. I switched last June and my experience has been that it took about six months to get used to it and the work shifts a lot as my kids grow. So it requires a ton of adaptability. I'm also very achievement focused and I love wrapping a project (haha), so it's been helpful to produce UA-cam videos. Gave me a consistent hobby. But, I've also been able to enjoy unexpected achievements in my mothering and homemaking. Most particularly building a closer relationship and connection with my kids. Sometimes this means they never want to be apart from me 🤣, which can be hard if I need a break. But, like you, I know how valuable it is for them to have that caregiver who they are closely bonded to and the extra time together has been instrumental in building that bond with my littles. Your son is VERY blessed to have a mother willing and able to make the necessary sacrifices 🥰
Who is the author of the digital minimalism book you mentioned? I really like to read people's books they say changed their lives... And I LOVED Ruthless Elimination of Hurry!
Cal Newport is the author of Digital Minimalism, as well as many, many books that I thought were wonderful - including his most recent book, Slow Productivity!
I'm really struck by your 'no makeup' simplification. I've been wanting to do this myself (note that I only wear mascara and pencil my eyebrows), as well as stopping dying my hair brown, as I'd like to embrace myself completely natural. However, I'm struggling to overcome a societal view I hear that by not doing these things, I'm 'letting myself go'. Any suggestions on how to move past that?
I've had to think about this for a few days because I really wasn't sure how I did this. But, I think there were a few factors that helped. First, most of the women in my life who I really admire are very natural in their appearance and in their aging process. My mom, my aunts, my mentor and closest friend, as well as influencers I follow are all going gray (or have gone gray) naturally. Also, they wear little to no makeup. They don't fuss over the lines around their eyes or the signs of aging. It's just who they are in this stage of life. I also didn't make the change all at once. It started with, today I'll go to the coffee shop without makeup. How did I feel about it? Do I feel comfortable doing it again? Maybe a few days later I'd take the kids over to a playdate without makeup on. I never treated it like something I had to stick with. It was more of an experiment I was playing with. Eventually, I just got used to having a bare face and graying hair. Now, having said all this, I know it's possible people think I'm "letting myself go". Or, that I look better with the makeup and hair dye. But, when I was in my 20s, I was given the advice that others' perceptions of me are none of my business (nor within my control.) For some reason I really took that to heart and remind myself of it if I become concerned with how I'm perceived. I hope this helps a little!
As you find ways to let more silence and solitude into your life, consider incorporating centering prayer as a spiritual practice! Cynthia Bourgeault has an amazing book on it - life changing.
This is probably the fifth or sixth message from God I’ve gotten about integrating regular prayer into my days. ❤️ Thank you for sharing that resource too!
I would love to hear how you are able to NOT spend $300-$350 a week on groceries?! As a family of 5, I feel in need of inspiration in this realm- even though we do a lot of shopping at Aldis and eat simple meals of meat + veggies, groceries almost always end up being this much each week no matter how much I work to get them lower
Great question! I'd recommend checking out Frugal Fit Mom's channel. I learned everything I know from her and she has four teens, so she's managing a family that's closer in size to yours. I don't apply all of the tactics she uses (some are too labor intensive for my stage of life), but I've been able to get our food to around $150-225/week. When I was following her approaches (and buying non-local and non-organic meat) I got our groceries down to $400 per month.
Wow. As a Christian, hearing you talk about, and get choked up when talking about how minimalism has allowed more room for Jesus was awesome to hear. My wife and I have said the same thing in our home! Thanks for the vulnerability and prayers that that continues!
I thought the same thing. I got choked up too ❤
100% agree.
Thank you 🙏🏻 I read this shortly after you posted it and immediately tears. I was anxious to post this video but your comment felt like a little message of encouragement from God ☺️
@@papertownhome Good! Keep going! You're doing great!
I thought the same thing. Such a beautiful thing to hear
Great video. As an overachiever, I am always thinking whatever task I’m doing I could do it better. I became a stay at home wife two years ago at the age of 57. I do more at home every day than I ever did working as an administrative assistant for high level partner attorneys. When I left my job I was asked what I was going to do all day and when I said be a homemaker, garden, bake bread, cook from scratch, etc. I got some odd looks. All of that to say I bring more “value” to our home now than I did when I was getting paid a generous salary. I do need to work on digital hushing. I love to cross stitch but think I need to be listening to an audio book or podcast at the same time. I think today I’ll just cross stitch and listen to my dog snore and our furnace cycle on and off.
I don't understand why the work of a homemaker is still so undervalued. I'm so happy that you get to do that! I'm sure you make your family's life so functional and beautiful and rich, and I'm sure your home is a safe haven!
This may be controversial, but one thing I’ve never done as a mom is … pajamas. My oldest child is only 3, but honestly, if she’s been in the house all day in her soft, comfy clothes, I’m not wrestling her into special sleeping clothes 🤷♀️ I change her sheets every week and if she’s dirty, then obviously she’ll be cleaned and redressed, but we’re skipping pajamas until she can put them on herself. No one has yet died or sickened. Eliminates a whole category to shop for, launder, and store. And saves a ton of time, cumulatively.
I do this for myself 😂 sleep clothes are so expensive, and having a chronic illness I’m mostly in bed or “lounging” anyway. I change as I need, but not too bothered about having specific clothing for night vs. day. As long as I’m clean and comfy, it’s a win.
We do this for our littles too. We just put on the clothes for the next day before bed because all their clothes are comfy!
I do the same but in reverse. I put my little ones in clean “cozies” after dinner. Then they stay in that until they get dirty or have to go to some event that requires certain clothes.
My son has been sleeping in his diapers and then his undies since he was born. Why? Because he can cool down better, have a healthier, deeper sleep. There is a ton of research showing that we need to work on cooling down more when we sleep. Why should we not do the same for our children? You can skip pajamas and let them sleep in their undies. You can wash the sheets... so why ruin the sleep quality of your children to save some washing of sheets for a couple more days. I have been sleeping in my undies my whole life. The most I wear is a t-shirt if the winter night is cold (always keep a window open for fresh air, also very important for sleep quality).
The result of that is, that my son is resilient in the winter, doesn't get colds as often and generally can tolerate cold temperature outside very, very well. I give him the choice of a jacket and always carry it with me. If he wants it, he can wear it, but I am also fine letting him run around in a t-shirt in the winter, if he chose to do so (he never ever got sick from it, not once).
I've lived in Norway for a couple of months and you wouldn't believe how little people (children included) wear there when it's really cold outside. They just adjusted. Their bodies got used it. They are not sick more often or anything. On the contrary.
@@W4ldgeistI agree but as a medic I always think if I die in my sleep do I really want to be naked when the medics arrive ? I don’t .. I do where PJS ..
I just wanted to say, I really enjoy listening to you speak. I’ve struggled with the adjustment from being someone with a career outside the home to being a full-time homemaker, and it’s such a comfort to listen to someone who so clearly has the experience of both worlds. Nothing but admiration for women who go straight into managing a family full time, but sometimes the UA-cam space feels lacking in homemaking content from the perspective of someone who has career experience as well.
Thank you! That’s a really good point. I’m so glad the video was helpful and I definitely want to keep sharing from this particular vantage point.
I loved this Erika. ❤ The Lord is not going to be competing with all the voices we are allowing in our head. The constant media, music, audiobooks and self help things we watch and hear. It says in the Bible that he has a still small voice that gets drowned out by the schemes of the enemy. For he is the prince of the power of the air... which is how he infiltrates our lives through phones and screens.❤❤❤ Ive been struggling with this too for the past two years. Trying to get back to Him on a deeper level.❤
Silence and solitude are the best parts of any given day. I enjoy staring out my window at the clouds, listening to a quiet house, and being lost in my thoughts.
It is wonderful to see your vulnerability as a new Christian. It made me smile, knowing that you allowed the Holy Spirit to work His way into your heart and life.
You will grow closer to God in the silent moments, and you'll look forward to hearing His voice. ❤
I always enjoy your videos! All great points today.
Thank you, Tania! I love what you said about looking forward to hearing His voice. 🥰
This video is exactly what I needed to see. I have felt so guilty for years on not being able to keep a consistent morning routine. I need mine to unfold naturally too. I heard something once that said “stop trying to fit God into your day, and fit your day around your time with God.” It made me realize how many other things don’t “fit”.
These are such great points! One thing I have really been concentrating on this year is simplifying the kinds of food I buy, and going back more to the way my grandmother made her meals. I think living in the age of Pinterest has put so much pressure on moms, and I definitely put that on myself. It feels like I can’t be repeating meals, or I’m not being creative enough, or like I need to have a dozen options when two would really do just fine. My grandmother only ever bought one kind of beef and one kind of chicken, and used those in all her meals. I don’t actually need a freezer full of ten different cuts. It’s similar to how I have simplified my wardrobe. But I also no longer buy things like salad dressing and cereal. I don’t know why, but at first that felt like I was being a “bad” mom because maybe people would have preferred a certain brand, or certain cut of chicken, or whatever. But everyone got over it very quickly. It’s super easy and better for our bodies, and it saves me money to just mix together the mustard and the honey I already have and make honey mustard instead of spending an extra $5 on a bottle. It’s also ok if my kids “only” have a choice of eggs or yogurt for breakfast this week rather than eggs, oatmeal, yogurt, protein bars, or four different kinds of cereal. I’m not sure why it has taken me so long to figure that out. I do make sure there are always options that they like, but I don’t have to stock everything they like all at once.
This is great advice! Thank you, Stephanie!
Wow, I had not even thought to check my heart with regard to purchasing and budgeting being a matter of me taking control rather than trusting God. I tend to think that I'm being "wise with money" when really sometimes I'm taking control that is really God's
Helpful content! A lot of points rarely (if ever) raised by other content creators. Most promote doing more to gain more, but by doing less we gain more balance, peace, etc. It's amazing how profound an effect the elimination of everyday habits and routines can have. This definitely challenged the long-held beliefs, and the expectations I place on myself. Thank you for this, and for sharing your faith.
I feel so deeply seen by this video. Last summer I realized that cooking dinner was going to be effort forever. I had spent years thinking that if I could just build a big enough system, if I just tried harder for a while that I would learn how to do it and then it would stop being work, but it never happened. I realized that it will be work forever and that doesn't mean I am doing it wrong. Now I'm able to single-task making dinner and it's this beautiful centering part of my day.
Wonderful!
Not having a morning routine. What a notion! I am constantly trying to come up with morning and night routines that work, and I’m constantly failing. This was a freeing idea- thanks!
I’m not sure how I found myself here or why I stay. I don’t think I’ll ever be a minimalist and the chaos of my 6 children are grown. But I love solitude and you have such a calm presence in your videos.
I’m happy you’re here! And I’m impressed you raised 6 children!
Wonderful video--especially the part about making space for silence and solitude (and God filling that space). He has pushed me to start "traveling lightly" this year--meaning traveling lightly through this life. To think eternal vs. temporal. Our family is well on the way to minimalism. Thank you for sharing.
I love how you put that. “Think eternal vs. temporal.”
Oooo I love that. Traveling lightly through life ❤
Erica, I am a simple woman of more than 7 decades. I encountered your thought provoking video this morning and there were many points you shared that spoke to me about my life experiences over the years. I found your honest shared experiences helpful still in my life and something I want to share with my daughters as something for them to see and just consider as parts and pieces to look at and see what fits their lives as they are living their lives in working and raising their families. Thank you for your honest sharing of your perspective on what has been beneficial in your stage of life experience .
Thank you, Jean! I really appreciate you taking the time to write. It’s such a blessing to hear from others. 🥰
as a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom of 8 you are bang on. I loved watching this I even learned a few things but mostly I enjoyed listening to your soothing voice. God Bless
Thank you!
This video hit me on so many different levels! I’m realizing that even though I have simplified in so many areas, I am still trying to overdo things since becoming a stay at home mom. For the last three years I feel like I have had to be perfect at home to show that I have “value” because I am not bringing in an income. Thank you for the reminder that more is not always best. God bless and thank you for sharing!
It’s so hard to do work that can go overlooked and that takes years to begin seeing the fruit of. But, I’m certain your children are BEYOND BLESSED by your presence. My children have been showing me lately how important the time together is to them. And they definitely don’t care if I do things perfectly around our house.
I love this video! I needed an easy morning, but I did not know my strict go go go making good use of time was stressing me. God got ahold of me: Wake up•make coffee and invite Me. Get in my Word and watch your day easily unfold. Twenty years later I am at peace! Love from Texas🥰
That sounds so wonderful!
I’ve never related to a channel so much. New sub. I’m so grateful for you validating my own mental space and family/theological focus. Thank you❤
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you’re here!
Absolutely loved you sharing this today! Normalising things so many of us can’t articulate but feel deeply and connect to.
I’m so glad!
I really love your insight on expecting homemaking to be effortless. I realise too that i often condemn what I have instead of being thankful for them because many minimalists often like to market it as things are effortless once you've downsized. Thanks for shifting my perspective on it. Will continue to simplify while having realistic expectations!
Absolutely! I had the same issue. The Minimal Mom (whom I adore) would always say, "It's not hard anymore!" It took me awhile to realize that "hard" is subjective and she probably wasn't trying to say it was completely effortless.
You have such a soft and quiet spirit, so calming❤
This was actually a beautiful and thought provoking video. Thank you for showing your raw emotions ❤
Thank you so much!
Thank you for sharing so freely! I also really resonate with your thoughts on how devalued homemaking and parenting have become!
Thanks for sharing!!
I've been binge watching your videos. Pretty much everything you said aligns exactly with things I think about and believe. I also like the esthetic of your videos. Something about it is just so pleasant ❤
Dear Erica, thank you for this video! After watching your 'kids will play better' video I loved your personality so much, that I have been watching your videos for couple of days, your ideas resonate a lot with me. I became a stay-home mom one year ago at 40 years old after several years of hard work as a teacher for teenagers and young adults, and this idea of overdoing, overexplaining and overanalysing is very true, thank you for sharing! I love the idea of making place and suddenly you will find God there, I need this in my life!
That was so beautiful. Thank you for being so honest. I love how you are not afraid to share your beliefs. It helps me think I can be brave too.
I'm so glad!
I LOVE this. Since becoming a mom 6 months ago, my perfectionist nature has been really challenged. Having a daughter has taught me so much about slowing down, being present, and enjoying the simple things. I don't need to keep things tidy all the time, but I do need to make sure everything around me is serving me and my family in the best way. Thank you so much for your insight and wisdom it is very valuable to me and so many others :) Also I JUST finished reading digital minimalism. SO GOOD.
It sounds like we’re cut from the same cloth. I’ve had to let go of a lot of perfectionist tendencies. Though I’m definitely still in progress. Especially now that my kids are older and I want to give them as much autonomy as possible (within the boundaries of remaining safe) I have to let many things be a little wonky 😂
I started crying in the first few sentences you spoke, explains myself. How words can be so emotional is incredible
I discovered your channel very recently and it’s become a new favourite of the many I already follow on minimalism/homemaking/simple living. Thank you for making these videos - I appreciate the calm serenity with which you share your thoughts :)
Welcome!! Thank you so much!
Thank you so much for sharing what you do! I love how real and raw you are in your videos. It makes me feel like I’m sitting right across from you. I am a young mom to one toddler learning so many new things in this season. Honestly battling the unwanted incoming messages of “how to do it right.” Your videos are so soothing. Absolutely non-judgmental and beautifully created!
Thank you, Rachel! I feel you. There’s so much to learn in this season, it can feel like you’re drinking from a fire hose. I’m so happy I’ve found value in these videos and taken the time to comment. It’s a blessing to me to hear from so many different women about their perspectives, challenges, successes, etc. 🥰
Love this
I feel you on the makeup. I used to have to have a full face everywhere I went and was self conscious without it. I haven’t worn makeup in 6 years now. I stopped wearing it when I was surfing everyday and I found it more embarrassing to have mascara streams down my face (even with “waterproof”) than to have no makeup haha and I fell in love with being comfortable in my own skin. Nothing against ppl who wear it but it’s so much easier not too! Sure lots of people tell me I look like a teenager and I’m 34 but hey I can live with that 😂
Great video! I need to write down some of those quotes ❤
Thank you! I loved the whole thing, but I especially loved the part about morning routines. I wanted to do so many things first thing in the morning, but with three kids 5 and under, night time sleep was unpredictable. My husband and I joke that it's too early for your day to be ruined by 6am 😂
I also loved the part about minimalism making things much simpler, but not effortless. I have often sat pondering what else we could get rid of because it still gets messy, when part of the problem is that humans live at our house (and I don't want to change that 😉). I love minimalism, but it was nice to hear someone else acknowledge that it still takes work to manage even a simplified home.
I can totally relate to no longer doing full makeup every day. After my daughter was born, I started just using a moisturizer with SPF most days (aside from church and date nights with my husband). I also get my eye lashes tinted every six weeks or so, so my eye lashes are actually visible :) (I have blonde eye lashes, so without mascara or tinting, you can barely see them. I know it’s fine, but I prefer how I look when they’re tinted.)
Also, thanks for sharing how the Lord used minimalism to draw you to Himself ❤
Could you elaborate more about what boundaries you were talking about with the overdoing aspect? I feel like a lot of moms can relate to not setting or keeping boundaries for ourselves which leads to more burnout and it would be nice to hear how and what you implemented.
Wow. I thought I had heard Everything on this topic. Thank you for sharing a lot of fresh and on-point ideas AND for being honest. It’s so ok to have own struggles and not being all that successful and perfect.
Thank you! This was a very kind comment :).
I love your channel. You have an important message. Thank you for being real, being you, being awesome. God Bless you and your family.
Thank you! I so appreciate the encouragement 🥰
Great video! I am someone who has a professional career and from the beginning of having kids have always chose to work part time so I am home with them (or my husband is because he works shift work). I have found that our society is into extremes. Either you have to be a full time working mom who is always frazzled/tired/busy (and kind of get some sort of thrill of complaining about that), or you’re a full time stay at home mom who cooks all meals from scratch, does intricate crafts with your kids, grows your own food, makes your own bread, and talks about that all the time. I don’t do either. I do elements of each and not all the time. This has made it challenging to make friends as I don’t have a lot of peers. But, I’ve always felt the conviction that what I’m doing is right and also, to keep practicing gratitude for the gift it is to be able to do so. I feel like you’re saying something similar so I just want to say I see you and good job 😊. (Not that a random person on the internet has any right to give input into your life!)
Thanks for your videos, I’m really enjoying you sharing your perspective.
Thank you for sharing this! You’re absolutely right that we can lose ourselves in the extremes. I appreciate you sharing your family’s approach. I think the reality is many of us are somewhere in the middle. Heck, I’m at home with the kids but I’m also producing UA-cam videos while my kids hang with their grandparents! 😂 I think it’s an important conversation to be having culturally.
Just wanted to chime in and say thanks for saying that. The comment about not having many peers but also knowing you’re making the right choice for your family was something I didn’t know I needed to hear. 🙏🏻
Just came across your channel. So true about the digital noise. I am also working on my relationship with Christ. I am in a different stage of life but was once a stay at home mom and am thankful for that opportunity. Trusting God for a job.❤
Erica....what a well thought out list of things to simplify and/or quit! I believe that this will help you (me/all of us) to fulfill Psalm 46:10. Perhaps "fulfill" isn't the correct word? Anyway, "Be still and know that I am God." Simplification and being present helps us to rest in this verse. And what a wonderful goal to have as Christians. As a 68 yo with 7 kids, 5 in-laws and 23 grands. I was able to be a stay at home mom and I so treasured that time (and the memories) I work in a daycare now and I so wish that all mamas could stay home with their own children. What a blessing for you and for them! Again, well done!
I agree. Simplify and be present. I have Psalm 46:10 as the lock screen for my phone.
It’s a powerful verse and truly reminds me of how much I love the Lord.
Thank you, Deb! I always enjoy hearing your perspective 🥰.
I really enjoyed this video. Thank you for sharing. You struck a chord with me when you said you were tempted to resent the items in your home or feeling like you needed to go further with decluttering, instead of acknowledging home making always takes effort. ❤
Your video touched my heart so deeply today! I'm a Jesus girl too. And I have been feeling so defeated and constantly overwhelmed as a mama and this spoke to me...just what I needed to hear. Soooooo glad I found your channel today!!
You are so welcome! I’m so sorry you’ve been feeling defeated lately. I’ve been through those seasons and it’s hard when you’re in it. I hope the videos help a little! If there’s one thing I’ve learned from the experienced mamas who watch and comment, it’s that our kids are so touched by our presence. Even if everything else feels chaotic around us. If we’re playing with them and caring for them, they feel deeply loved. Keeping you in my prayers!
This video was exactly what I needed to see today. Thank you thank you thank you!
You are so welcome!
Wow, I am so happy for you. Very touching to hear you talk about hearing God again. Your videos have given me so much inspiration this week. I feel we're kindred spirits! It's as if God is using you to give me permission to, yes, embrace what I feel called to do: be a present, "stay-at-home", mom. I too left a busy job. I taught in the public school for 12 years before my first son was born. (He's 5; my other is 2.) The shift has not always felt easy (at first it did! lol), but it's what I've wanted.
Regarding simplicity: my favorite line you've shared: if it feels like it's all too much, it is. How that resonated with me.
I'm a minimalist, for the purpose of being present. My last whole-house declutter was right after Christmas, but after watching your videos, here I am filling bags again, haha.
I just want a simple life with my kids and husband. Let's be friends :)
Disclaimer: I do enjoy a few extras in my makeup bag now and again... it has always been a creative outlet for me. Thank you for acknowledging that!
PS The sentiment from your one video... fantasy mom versus the one you are... tears... freedom.
Yes! Let’s be friends! Thank you for sharing your experience and goals for your family. The simplicity journey is beautiful but definitely not a straight path. I’m so grateful to hear from others about their experiences with this process. 🥰
Thank you. Looking forward to hearing more from you and sharing where we are at as well 👍🏻
I just found your channel and I liked this video very much. Especially the part about the morning routine! I have always wanted to be the person that serenely goes through her mornings in the same way every day. I’m not sure why I needed your permission but i feel better about myself. I’m a grandma (and a great grandma) so I use my smart phone for staying in touch. But I get why you changed to a flip phone. All the things you presented made sense. I’m in a Bible study and we’ve been focusing on solitude. That is a challenge for me. I’m babbling. ❤
Sometimes hearing that someone else has a similar struggle is so freeing. I’ve found that many women on UA-cam have given me the freedom to just be myself.
Wonderful video simplifying and doing less really improves our standard of living and slowly heals us
I love slow mornings. 🐌 Once kids go to school those days become few- except for School holidays.
Loving your videos. Watching from Australia 🇦🇺
Home making with kids around is challenging!! Kids = mess but they become more and more helpful as they grow up.
Hey there. Beautiful job on this weeks video. We lost my 94 year old father in law on Sunday the 10th. It’s been a super difficult week but feeling better now. Keep giving yourself the permission NOT to do something. That’s often the hardest. Keep shining your Light. As you can see, others will follow, xo 😘
I’m so sorry for your family’s loss. It’s always hard to say goodbye to a loved one. I hope you’re both able to rest and grieve. Thank you for the encouragement 🥰
This was all so beautifully stated. I was so moved when you said "slowing down...allowed (God) in." I have been a Christian all my life, but I believe slowing down has turned me more into a "follower of Jesus", if that makes sense. It just allows so much more time for relationship with Him.
I also love your insight into the reason we're constantly seeking to make homemaking more efficient is because we don't actually value it. I had that realization recently: that I keep putting more and more effort into making everything "efficient": actually to the point that I was doing MORE work, not less! Our cultural obsession with efficiency just stems from our reluctance to just be human...we always believe we "should be" doing more.
Thank you, as always, for your wisdom Erika! You are helping me in my journey for richer life!
Thank you for this thoughtful response! I’m so grateful to hear your perspective .
Really loving your content ❤
I'm a new stay at home mom with my 5 month old baby and the earbuds/sound topic really hits for me. I was a fulltime nurse for almost 6 years prior to this and even though the transition has been a joy overall it's VERY slow paced compared to my job. I didn't realize how much social interaction and intellectual stimulation I would no longer be getting on a daily basis. I joke with my husband that I have nothing interesting to tell him about anymore. Like you I find myself craving podcasts/audio books, ect all day because of the silence (I'm not great at carrying the one-sided narrative conversations with baby yet haha). I'm not sure how I feel one way or another about it, I don't feel convicted to give it up completely but you've definitely hit a nerve for me where I need to seek the Lord about how to glorify Him best in this matter. Thank you for this video
Thank you for your thoughtful response! It’s good to know I’m not the only one 😂
I know God will guide you in figuring out what’s best. I would say it didn’t become a big concern for me until my kids were older (past the baby stage). But it’s a habit that’s been hard to break.
And I wasn’t great at the one sided narrative either! It was much easier with the second because I was talking to my oldest and my son could listen.
I’m going to use your quote from now on “as I made space in my life God got in there”. Wonderfully said! Another reason I subscribed to your channel because you speak of Jesus Christ. And I can totally relate to this video and how you felt after leaving the work place. a few years ago I had experienced the same thing.
Thank you for all that you do. I’m keeping you and your family in my prayers ❤
Thank you so much!
Your words really moved me. Thank you for the impact in my life.
what a blessing. I deal with "the overs" as well. Thank you so much, these were great ideas!
Glad it was helpful!
Love all these.
I am the same with the bed but I did quit the throw! Game changer 😄
This was a great video. I love your observations and your view of life. I soooo am working on slowing down. Wonderful ideas
Thank you so much!
Aww what a cute video! I agree very much with every point you’ve made and I can relate so much especially when you mentioned feeling like you always needed to prove yourself, do more to be enough… it’s something I still struggle with and only when I let go of those thoughts do I experience complete peace. 🥰 I loved what you said about God also! 🩵
Thank you! Leaning into the more of less levels up life and gives such peace.
Thank you for this video, some great ideas here for me to look at incorporating into our home life. 😊
I'm so glad!
Wonderful video. Such a calming presence❤
Thank you so much!
Thank you! Your voice resonates with me. You’re a bad ass and I appreciate you ✌️
Aww 🥰 thank you!
I sort of regret decluttering at some point. I didn't really get it, got rid of items I later realised I actually liked. I went too far. Now I'm trying to be more mindful, of the stuff I let go of and the stuff coming in. But it's not easy and some days it feels like a battle. Needing something VS wanting something, some days that just feels the same to me.
Great video. So happy I found you on UA-cam.
Awesome! Thank you!
Thank you for your videos! I truly look forward to them and seeing a new one pop up is such a treat❤
I'm so glad! Thank you, that means a lot!
This video was really encouraging and has blessed me today. Thank you so much for sharing. - Jerusha
That’s wonderful! Thank you for sharing!
I have grwstlu simplified everything also, Erica, and am a Christian. Lovely video. Thank you. Every blessing to you and yours. G Ire
I felt like you were speaking DIRECTLY to the way I had been (still kinda am) when I went from a career woman to a SAHM! Wild!
I really like your Voice. For me its asmr to watch your Videos. Always so calm🥰
I have been enjoying your videos. I certainly have a tendency to overachieve but simultaneously crave a simpler life. This video reminded me of the book Subtract by Leidy Klotz. I may have to read it again in this journey to simplify my life.
Oh I’ve never read it! Thanks for the recommendation 🥰
Thank you for this video. It’s just what I needed to hear tonight. I’ve really been feeling “less of me means more of Jesus” and you explained it so well. Thank you.
Love that! And I love the way you said it, “less of me means more of Jesus.”
I truly believe that God sent me your way today. I've never seen you come up in my feed before and this message was exactly what I had been praying about lately and especially this morning. Thank you!
I’m just grateful Jesus saw fit to use me to help. I’m not worthy of it and pray He’ll continue to guide me. You’re in my prayers today friend 🥰
Great video…you have a wonderful calming voice 😊❤️
Thank you so much 🙂
Erica, you are great!!! love listening to you.
Thank you so much!
I recommend the Fly Lady cleaning system. It's wonderful. Last time I looked her website is chaotic and cluttered but her system is great.
Amen and Bless you dear one. I got teary with you. I love Jesus so much and I spend time silent with him early morning, middle of the night, or before I go to bed I just need the silence and time with him
Amen. I miss Him when I don’t prioritize that time.
Very valuable perspectives for me as a recently retired person.
Hi, Erica! Nice to meet you … I’m Liz . 1st time viewer & new subscriber here.
Welcome!! I'm so happy you're here!
Would love to hear more about your experience switching to a flip phone. I’ve been going back and forth with this idea for a bit now as it seems so freeing but just curious what that looks like for you!
Absolutely! I’m thinking I’d like to cover it this summer, once I’ve had it for six months.
Prayers to you, thankyou for helping me. Hugs and love xxxxxxxxx
Prayers to you as well! 🥰
Thank you Erica ❤
You are so welcome!
So much good here. Thank you 🎉
Glad you enjoyed it!
Both of those books you mentioned were fantastic. You'd definitely enjoy Simplicity Parenting!
I did! I read that one a few months ago. So informative but also freeing! Really helped me narrow in on the things that matter for kids. I think it helped me pull back on overdoing things in my mothering. Thanks for reminding me!
Beautiful! Love hearing about your spiritual journey. Minimalism and the Christian faith are so interconnected. 🙏
They really are! I had no idea when I started down this path but I’m glad I did.
Yes! Jesus was the original minimalist influencer :).
It's a nice face! I don't like mine but also have decreased makeup a lot especially as I improve my skin
I have a 16 month old and am currently in the process of swapping to being a SAHM with him (he was in day care while my husband and I both worked full time). I realized I couldn't sustain that anymore. I felt like I was only half way present with both sides - mom and job. I was always adamant that I didn't want to be a SAHM, and truthfully I don't think I'll *enjoy* it. There's something very hard for me about the nature of the work which is that it's never done. There's no project to turn in. No "great job, that turned out great!". And for someone who is very results driven, that is hard for me. But I do feel strongly that this is the best path for my son. And who knows, maybe I will enjoy it haha
I hope you do end up enjoying it! I know it's a significant transition and the work is very different. I switched last June and my experience has been that it took about six months to get used to it and the work shifts a lot as my kids grow. So it requires a ton of adaptability. I'm also very achievement focused and I love wrapping a project (haha), so it's been helpful to produce UA-cam videos. Gave me a consistent hobby. But, I've also been able to enjoy unexpected achievements in my mothering and homemaking. Most particularly building a closer relationship and connection with my kids. Sometimes this means they never want to be apart from me 🤣, which can be hard if I need a break. But, like you, I know how valuable it is for them to have that caregiver who they are closely bonded to and the extra time together has been instrumental in building that bond with my littles. Your son is VERY blessed to have a mother willing and able to make the necessary sacrifices 🥰
Who is the author of the digital minimalism book you mentioned? I really like to read people's books they say changed their lives... And I LOVED Ruthless Elimination of Hurry!
Cal Newport is the author of Digital Minimalism, as well as many, many books that I thought were wonderful - including his most recent book, Slow Productivity!
Yes! Thank you ❤❤❤❤
Thank you!
I appreciated your thoughts on homemaking.
Thanks for watching!
7 mins in and hearing about becoming a Christian and how Jesus’ relationship to the Father was directly tied to solitude was refreshing!
What can my 6 and 9y old do in the mornings before school instead of watching tv? Noise is driving us crazy. PS so glad I found your channel ❤
I love your statement about how quieting and slowing down, Jesus got into your heart ❤ amen ! Praise Jesus ❤
Praise Him!
Thank you so much for sharing this video. And sharing your Christian values.
You’re welcome! Thank you for watching!
I'm really struck by your 'no makeup' simplification. I've been wanting to do this myself (note that I only wear mascara and pencil my eyebrows), as well as stopping dying my hair brown, as I'd like to embrace myself completely natural. However, I'm struggling to overcome a societal view I hear that by not doing these things, I'm 'letting myself go'. Any suggestions on how to move past that?
I've had to think about this for a few days because I really wasn't sure how I did this. But, I think there were a few factors that helped. First, most of the women in my life who I really admire are very natural in their appearance and in their aging process. My mom, my aunts, my mentor and closest friend, as well as influencers I follow are all going gray (or have gone gray) naturally. Also, they wear little to no makeup. They don't fuss over the lines around their eyes or the signs of aging. It's just who they are in this stage of life.
I also didn't make the change all at once. It started with, today I'll go to the coffee shop without makeup. How did I feel about it? Do I feel comfortable doing it again? Maybe a few days later I'd take the kids over to a playdate without makeup on. I never treated it like something I had to stick with. It was more of an experiment I was playing with. Eventually, I just got used to having a bare face and graying hair.
Now, having said all this, I know it's possible people think I'm "letting myself go". Or, that I look better with the makeup and hair dye. But, when I was in my 20s, I was given the advice that others' perceptions of me are none of my business (nor within my control.) For some reason I really took that to heart and remind myself of it if I become concerned with how I'm perceived.
I hope this helps a little!
How beautiful what you said about Jesus ❤😢😊
As you find ways to let more silence and solitude into your life, consider incorporating centering prayer as a spiritual practice! Cynthia Bourgeault has an amazing book on it - life changing.
This is probably the fifth or sixth message from God I’ve gotten about integrating regular prayer into my days. ❤️ Thank you for sharing that resource too!
I just subscribed to your channel and it is lovely. I am way older than you and I have been in your shoes.. press on my lovely.
Thank you! Will do!
I would love to hear how you are able to NOT spend $300-$350 a week on groceries?! As a family of 5, I feel in need of inspiration in this realm- even though we do a lot of shopping at Aldis and eat simple meals of meat + veggies, groceries almost always end up being this much each week no matter how much I work to get them lower
Great question! I'd recommend checking out Frugal Fit Mom's channel. I learned everything I know from her and she has four teens, so she's managing a family that's closer in size to yours. I don't apply all of the tactics she uses (some are too labor intensive for my stage of life), but I've been able to get our food to around $150-225/week. When I was following her approaches (and buying non-local and non-organic meat) I got our groceries down to $400 per month.