Simplicity in Action: Laurie’s Story
Editor’s Note: This is a post in the series, Simplicity in Action. If you’d like to submit your story of how simplicity has worked in your life, please read more here. You can write about anything from decluttering a junk drawer to simplifying your diet. Let your small and big changes inspire others.
Laurie
As a business woman, regardless of which hat I wear—holistic health practitioner, transformational life coach, or writer—I keep it simple.
At my healing studio, I flipped the ago-old question, “What should I add to make it better?” and instead asked, “What should I remove to make it better?” The answer was, “Remove all of the product.” In doing so, I created space for yoga, tai chi, and movement meditation. The change has been remarkable.
In the coaching experience I designed for women who are ready to turn intention into action, we cut through the fluff and get straight to the heart of the matter. This not only includes decluttering material possessions, it includes offloading baggage—body, mind, and spirit.
As a writer, I trim the fat and write tight, avoiding fillers such as “that,” “just,” and “very.” My creative muse is wabi-sabi—a practice where unessentials are eliminated and trimmed away. The intersection where wabi (minimal) and sabi (functional) meet is the hallmark of my creativity—simple, yet full.
How do I make the time? We haven’t owned a television for over 32 years. It’s amazing what can be accomplished without that intrusion.
My mother always said, “Travel light, travel fast.” She was right.
Read more from Laurie at her blog, Speaking from the Heart.
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8 Responses to “Simplicity in Action: Laurie’s Story”
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Thanks, Courtney, for bringing Laurie’s message to a wider audience, and thank you Laurie for sharing it. Also a big thanks to Courtney and all the minimalism mentors out there – I took a huge plunge a couple days ago and got rid of my car!
Sarah – Getting rid of your car is huge. Congratulations! Do you plan to commute via foot, bicycle, public transportation, a combination thereof, or?
I bus it most of the time – 13 miles between home and work is a bit of a hike for me! On days when my boyfriend doesn’t work or our schedules sync up, I might borrow his car. A bike would be nice, but right now it’s a want, not a need.
Sarah – It sounds like you’ve got a good plan that works well for you! I’m only 2-miles from my place of business so weather-permitting, I hoof it or ride my bike as often as possible.
Thank you, Laurie. I love the question, What should I remove to make it better? I teach young children how to write, and I find so many come to me thinking revision is only adding words. It is so powerful when they realize that taking out a word, phrase, or sentence can make all the difference. And now, to my closets…
Tammy – Your students are fortunate to have you as a writing instructor. “Less is more” is a key value in the writing world. My hat’s off to you!
Hi Laurie, this was a beautiful post. I had a similar response to Tammy’s in that your story brought to mind the idea of editing. Stripping things back is a great way to discover what’s essential, and is a satisfying activity all on its own.
Dave – I appreciate your observation, “Stripping things back is a great way to discover what’s essential, and is a satisfying activity all on its own.” I can tell that comes from the voice of experience!