3 Misconceptions About Minimalism

I loved sharing some info about minimalism on Good Things Utah last week. It's been such a life changing thing for me, I could talk about it all day. But for now, we settled for a 4.5  minute segment ;)

You can watch the full segment HERE

and here is the text I shared for the web story. We didn't really touch on this during the actual segment, but hopefully you can find some value in the words.

Our executive producer Megan Bowen shares her recent obsession- minimalism. After watching The Minimalists' documentary "Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things" she was inspired to go through her home and get rid of stuff she no longer needed and the things that didn't add value to her, or her family's life. She changed her mindset of how she looks at items and asked, "does this add value or serve a purpose?" and if not, it was donated. She purged more than 1,000 items over a 5 day span and in the past 6 weeks has gotten rid of more than 2,000 items from her home. 

She shares 3 misconceptions about minimalism and 3 tips on how to get started. All of her advice is adapted from what she has learned and applied from The Minimalists and other resources online. She recommends finding more advice/tips/info on The Minimalists' website www.TheMinimalists.com

3 Misconceptions

1. Minimalists never buy anything
   
   You can buy things. You just have a different motivation behind buying things. Instead of "because everyone else has one" or "I think I need to fill that empty space" it's more "is this necessary?" or "why do I really want this?". While I personally haven't bought anything outside of groceries for about 6 weeks, it's just because I haven't needed anything. My mindset about need vs want has changed.
   
   
2. Minimalist have no home décor
   
   Did I get rid of some of my home decor? Yes. Because I realized I had it up because "that's how your house is supposed to look" and not because I loved it. My home is still decorated. But only with things that I love and that were put up with intention. I love having photos around my home, so those stayed up on my walls. Decorate your home however you want. But be intentional with your decorations.
   
   
3. Minimalists go without
   
   I have felt zero deprivation in the two months since changing my habits and mindset. I buy groceries when the fridge is empty. I put gas in my car when the red light goes on. I spend more on stuff so I can spend it on experiences, security and to help others. I say "no" to a lot of things so I can say "yes" to the important things.
   
   
   

3 Tips to getting started
 

1. Watch the documentary “Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things” 
   
   As you watch, remember minimalism looks different on everyone. You don't have to live in a tiny house or have all white walls. Focus more on their message about over consumption and less on the "look" of minimalism.
   
   
2. Pick a cupboard or closet to tackle first
   
   I suggest your bathroom cupboards. Take EVERYTHING out. Touch everything. Is it expired? Are you really going to use that 4th bottle of travel size mouth wash? Think about the rule "Have I used it in the last 90 days or will I honestly use it in the next 90 days?" If not, toss it. Set boundaries for your makeup/hair/beauty/health items. Organize them into their own space and when that space is full, evaluate and see if there is anything you can get rid of (one thing in, one thing out rule). 
   
   
3. Play the Minsgame (day 1 get rid of 1 item….etc to day 30 get rid of 30 items)
   
   The Minimalists created a fun way to get started and try it out without going totally crazy. It's called The Minsgame. Find a friend, family member or group of people. Every day post a photo of what you're letting go of. First day is 1 item. Second day is 2 items, and so on. Day 23 it's 23 items, etc until day 30. It's a great way to ease yourself into it, and by the end you have let go of 500 items! (my preferred style was purge for 5 days straight, but not everyone likes that idea) use #minsgame to see other people play and connect with that community.

Follow along @minimalistmeg on Instagram for more intentional living and minimalist posts. Connect with The Minimalists on social media for their "expert" advice.

Two thousand hours

2,016

That's how many hours I got to spend with my baby girl before going back to work 

12 weeks...84 days..... 24 hours a day. 

I know I know, technically she slept through most of those hours, and my mom watched her for a few of those hours...but you get the point.

I always knew I would be going back to work. I wanted to go back to work. Student loans make it so I have to go back to work. I am happy to go back and I have been looking forward to it since week 4. A lot of things I did early on was because I knew eventually I would have to go back to work. I was obsessed with getting Mckenzie on a schedule and sleeping through the night because I HAVE TO GO BACK TO WORK! If I had to do it over again (which, let's be honest, I wouldn't wish those first several weeks on anyone) I would have cooled my jets a little bit and not worry so much about what happens when I go back to work.

So here we are with our last week together before mommy starts working again. It really hit me about a week and half ago that all of our lazy mornings and jammie days were coming to an end. I forgot about creating "bad habits" and sticking to a schedule and I have just enjoyed my baby. We cuddle for a little longer in the mornings and some days I don't even put on a bra.

As much as I'm looking forward to returning to work, I know it's going to be hard. Mckenzie is so freakin' happy in the mornings! She smiles up at me and doesn't stop until it's time for a nap. I am stressed about what our days are going to look like, but I'm trying not to focus on that this last week. Everything just seems to work out on its own so far, and I know this won't be any different. At the beginning of the month I was convinced I wouldn't survive my first week back if I didn't start getting more sleep. A few days later she started sleeping at least 7 hours and the last several nights she has slept 8-9 hours!

I know it won't be easy, and I know I will miss my baby, but going back to work is a decision I made on my own and I'm excited to get back into the routine called Life.

The Daily Dish

Today was the last day of The Daily Dish. It's ending and a new midday news show is beginning on Monday. The show where my career started is officially over.

I was promoted to a bigger show Good Things Utah, and even have my own office (with a door and windows and did I mention a door?). It was a bittersweet day. I was notified almost three weeks ago so I guess I've had time to process it. I was totally sad at first and shed a few tears for the project that I poured so much time, blood, work, sweat, tears, etc into. Bart had to remind me it's the business I'm in.

The Daily Dish might not seem like much to you, but it's where my career as a professional started. It's where I learned and the platform I had to get creative and improve. We had some good times. The last few months have been interesting to say the least, but all-in-all it was a blast working on the show.

I look forward to what GTU will bring.

I can't say enough good things about these two. I was lucky to be their producer and I look forward to keep that going!

Saying goodbye to Brianne when she left the show

What my mornings looked like for the past year

My first few days at work...Did I mention I now have a door? :)

Note to Self

As I'm sitting here watching Utah State play the University of Utah I can't help but think of all the things I have to do. But first let's mention...I'm watching football...by myself....and I'm actually enjoying it. It's amazing what just a few years can do.

Moving on..

These last two weeks have been crazy busy. 

I'm training for a half marathon

I was giving a promotion at work and have been doing double duty 10 hour days 

Class started (and it's going to be a biotch this semester ladies and gentlemen)

We bought a house (yay!) and we're moving on Saturday

I haven't had time to do any of those above things exceptionally well. I've had to leave work even when I'm not completely done to go to the Title company or go run or get to class. I haven't been able to focus on class because I'm more concerned about my job.

Running is a great de-stresser but sometimes waking up at 4 a.m. just isn't going to happen. I don't think Bart and I have enjoyed dinner together for a few weeks. Eating consists of a rice cake with almond butter in the morning and shoving brown rice down on my way out from work headed to class. Snacking on carrots and sipping water.

I'm stressed and I'm tired. Even if I just had to handle 2 of these things at a time, even 3, I think it would be okay. But dealing with all 4 crazy changes and time consuming commitments is overwhelming. 

Tomorrow is my last day of producing two shows and I don't necessarily have anywhere to be in the afternoon so I can stay at work and get caught up. Then my afternoon will consist of packing up and doing laundry and getting ready to move into our new house. I'm so excited for the move, I just wish it wasn't smack dab in the middle of everything else!

So I'll put everything in my day planner and I'll download my class programs. But at the end of the day I will sit and watch the Aggies play. Because sometimes you can't do it all.

Ryan Seacrest

Who knew Ryan Seacrest would have some sound advice when it comes to life and career? From LeanIn.org

"Here, some of the key lessons they’ve (women I've worked with) imparted to me along the way:

Be Passionate. Do what you love, and let your passion shine.

Communicate. Listening is key. Everyone can talk but listening produces real results.

Organize. Lists – love them. They keep you focused and on track. You can never have too many of them.

Solve. If there’s a problem, solve it. Don’t whine: be solutions-oriented.

Decide. Make swift decisions and then move on; don’t second-guess yourself.

Laugh. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Have a sense of humor.

Cry. A good cry can sometimes solve the world’s problems, do it if you need to. (Even if you’re a guy!)

Celebrate. It’s important to celebrate progress and achievement no matter how small."

winsconsin cauliflower soup

So for my awesome job I get to look at other bloggers and find some I want to come on the show. Cool beans right? right! except sometimes I get to comparing myself to their blog-self and it can bring a girl down sometimes. The good news? I found a recipe for Zupa's Wisconsin Cauliflower Soup! Now the fat girl inside of me is sooooo excited to try this out. Bart got in his head that we need to have soup every week which means I am always looking for new soup recipes


On that note---we still have a container full of my Chicken Noodle Soup that has NOT been eaten. what's the point of leftovers if they don't get eaten? I should probably mention that I forgot to add Chicken to said Chicken Noodle Soup...maybe that's why it's still chillin in the back of the fridge (chillin...hahahah get it? )


...back on topic! I am going to the grocery store and picking up these ingredients, I will let you know how it turns out. It doesn't look too difficult and I am becoming an expert in the kitchen (ha!) so one can only assume this will end well.

another side effect of checking out all these fun girls online is the instant realization I get that my wardrobe SUCKS. i need someone to take me shopping and dress me. please? anyone? Maybe I struggle because as a general rule I avoid all clothing stores and malls. Once and shopping addict ALWAYS a shopping addict and I have learned the best way to keep me from scratching my itch is to just not go into any of those stores. good policy I know, but clearly my wardrobe is lacking because of it.

Be Fabulous Friday Link Party!

My cute BFF Sarah posted a Link Party on her blog and since I have never done one before I decided to give it a try :)

Here are the Rules:1. Write about an accomplishment, daily task, or something exciting that has happened (or will happen) in your life that you deserve some recognition for.2. If possible, post a picture showing that accomplishment.3. Copy the "Fabulous Friday" button and place it in your post. Or copy the code and place it in your html.4. Link up your post here and spread the word!

An accomplishment I can think of is this amazing job I have had for almost 2 months now! It has been such a blast to work in my related field and have my "dream job" before I even graduated from college. 

I was talking to my boss the other day and it's just crazy to think of the people I get to work with. These people worked in the industry at the peak of journalism. They were hard core crime beat reporters and producers who kicked ass. The stories they tell are the reason why I wanted to become a journalist in the first place. Times have changed and everyone has had to adapt, but I am so lucky to get to work in a place like this at such a young age!

How did I do for my first link up? Sarah is such a cute blogger...the student has become the teacher (haha!)

Birthday Episode

So it's been a few days but I finally have time to write this post!

The Daily Dish celebrated it's 2nd "birthday" on Monday so I wanted to do a special show dedicated to a party theme. I had my best friend Sarah come on the show to talk about party planning and party favors. I knew I could count on her to do an amazing job and she did! I was nervous that morning because I had been battling a toothache, but everything turned out so well I'm really happy with it!

Go HERE to check out the show



I am really enjoying my job, and I'm even getting use to the schedule! This week has been pretty crappy because I've had the toothache from Hell since Friday and then yesterday my stomach started eating me from the inside out. I really get annoyed at my body sometimes because I feel like I'm always sick, despite my best efforts to take care of it. It seems like I get one thing taken care of and another thing just pops up to take its place. It doesn't help that I HATE going to the doctors. I'd rather be in pain than go to a doctor. I've had this same pain for over a year and no doctor has been able to work with me and figure out what is going on. The pain is pretty bad at this point though so I don't think I really have a choice anymore...

Elephant Paints

Finally made it to the gym today. To be honest the only reason why I did was because there was nothing on TV. HA! I don't even like TV that much, but being fat and lazy is soooooo much easier than not being fat and lazy. I was looking at my past workout history and I use to kick butt! (hence me fitting into my jeans) and fortunately since I did the whole weight loss thing the healthy and right way I'm not gaining anything back...which is nice. Either way, I have two 5K's this month so at least I can say I did something right?

Today for work I got to go to the Hogle Zoo!  We were doing a shoot for Good Things Utah so we got to go behind the scenes and watch this elephant paint a picture. How awesome is that? The cutest thing is that trainer has been with that elephant for more than 30 years! It's like a story straight out of the movies. There is a younger elephant there too that was wondering why no one was giving her attention so she poked her head over the rocks. Gotta love VIP perks!

one more

One.more.hour.

and then it's the weekend...

and I potentially get to sleep in tomorrow. 7 a.m. here I come!

I am still not use to the sleep/work schedule yet. Luckily for me being here at exactly 6 a.m. isn't a requirement...I just need to be here in enough time to finish my show in the morning...and then stay for 8 hours. (so the later I come in the later I stay) 

today I got here 45 minutes later than usual which means I still have that much longer to go in the day. It's definitely better to get here early when I get my butt out of bed so I can leave by 2! 

Finding stuff to do for 8 hours can kind of be hard to do sometimes too. When I worked in a salon you can just sit there and talk and read a magazine, but working here I feel guilty doing anything other than working (like writing a blog post) but there really isn't anything left for me to do! I could write my shows a few days out but that just leaves me with nothing to do the day before a show (because that show is already written) make sense?

I went to Bart's first football game of the season yesterday...and it was SOOOO HOT. I was sweating and melting and just feeling pissed in general (because Megan's grouchy in the heat). But it was fun to watch the game. They lost...and couldn't really tackle...but it will get better. The Varsity team is playing tonight and I'm going to stay home and clean my house....and take a nap...and possibly get a pedicure... but that is still up in the air. 

It has been a crazy week for both of us...we decided we will be taking a little vacation once football season is over. Bart has been training for his half marathon too which takes up a lot of time. 10 mile run tomorrow! (I will be riding along on a bike) I am sure he is going to kick ass....because that is what Bart does!

No sleeping on the job

2 days down everyone. I'm breaking out, which could be caused by the nerves, or the lack of sleep, or the recent Mt. Dew I have been drinking...but all is well. I got my computer and email set up at work today so I can actually start working on stuff.

 I officially only have 2 friends because they are the only ones that Liked the Daily Dish page on FB (Caitlin, I knew I could always count on you). I'm excited for the stuff coming up, I think it's going to be great!

It's crazy how fast 8 hours goes by when you start so early in the morning. My body doesn't hurt and I'm not emotionally damaged from people who give you WAY too much information about themselves (unlike my other job...). It's going to be nice to switch it up.

I desperately need a new wardrobe though.. have I mentioned that already? Because that fact is even more obvious when I am standing in my closet at 4 a.m. Soon enough Megan, soon enough.

Well I'm really only writing on here so I don't fall asleep before I have to go to my other job (2 days left) because taking naps in the middle of the day and then drinking a mt. dew at 6 p.m. isn't the best way to make sure you can fall asleep by 9p.m. so today I am going to tough it out so I can actually sleep tonight.

Bart and I see each other for about 10 minutes now, and it's probably going to stay that way for a while so we probably won't have any cool adventures to blog about anytime soon, but since I now have weekends off I'm sure that lack of adventure won't last long.

fat kid watching

So I'm sitting here watching the Olympics instead of going to the gym. Nothing kills your self esteem like eating chips and watching the fittest people in the world jump over things and 16 year olds swim like fish. That being said, I still fit into my pants that I pulled out of the closet last week so I'm not too concerned.

Bart and I went running on the Jordan River Parkway on Saturday and it was a really nice place to run. I may or may not have been a little paranoid running by myself but I'm happy to announce I wasn't attacked. (Go me)

Speaking of running, tomorrow is my one and only day off this week and I still have to wake up early and go running. Having a hubby train for a half-marathon = feelings of fat and laziness if I don't go run with him. ( I am sensing a theme in this blog post, how bout you?)

My first official day at ABC4 is Wednesday!!! That's right ladies and gentlemen, my big-girl job begins August 1st. I will be waking up at 4:30 AM (as in before the butt-crack of dawn)   Monday-Friday. I get off by 2:30 though so I'm thinking I will be able to adjust well. This week is going to be really long because I have to finish off my week at the salon, but I am hoping it will go by fast. And then guess what?!!?!? I get weekends off. I don't think some of you can comprehend how fabulous this is for me. Never in my young working life have I had a job that didn't consist of nights and weekends. I don't know what I am going to do with myself. Oh wait, yes I do. I am going to finally understand the greatness of Fridays and sleeping in on Saturdays.

Satan's Spawn and Killer Dogs

So I have this regular client who comes and gets his hair cut and not only is it the ugliest style of all time, the guy is a total douche. What he said today though really bothered me.

So we were talking and he asks,

"are you a member?" (of the LDS church in case you were confused)

I told him yes

he acts surprised and then asks "well are you active?" 

I again say yes 

he then says "then don't you find it hard to work in a salon environment? girls who do hair usually aren't that way."

This isn't the first time he has mentioned this either. The first time I did his hair he asked me if I was LDS and when I told him yes he acted so surprised and again said "you usually don't find those kind of girls working in this profession" this pissed me off at the time but I just didn't say anything because he's a douche and i'm better than that :) After today though it really upset me.

I have a problem with this on so many levels but first of all, what the hell does that mean? is it hard for me to have a set of beliefs and standards in a salon where everyone believes different things? no, no it's not. when it comes to religious beliefs it will take much more than just working with someone who thinks differently than me to change that.  I guess I don't understand the world this guy lives in. Does he really never associate with people outside of the LDS church? Is he worried that these Non-Mormons he speaks of will attack him with their different beliefs (or lack thereof)?

Second, I don't know about you, but I don't characterize the people in my life to Mormon or Not Mormon. People at work are respectful about my church and I'm respectful about theirs. They ask me questions and I happily answer them. I don't determine my friendships based on religion because guess what, I have had some pretty shitty friends who were LDS and I have some amazing ones who aren't.

Third, did he really just put every single hair stylist who ever walked this earth into the category of skanky stupid girls who have no standards and no religious connections?  He isn't the only one who acts surprised that I am in college or that I can actually put a sentence together, but he's the only one who has actually said it out loud. Every hair dresser I know is a classy classy person and just because we spike our hair or have different colors in it doesn't mean we are Satan's spawn.

People like him are the reason why the church has a reputation of having judgmental members. Unfortunately, I am meeting more and more people like this. We are supposed to be emulating Christ and I'm positive this wouldn't be the kind of attitude He has toward those who are not LDS.



I also had this client today come in and talk about his killer dogs. Literally dogs that are trained to kill people. as in rip their faces off. and I quote, "if someone tried to come into my house without being invited, my dog would kill them, as in murder them right there. it's what he was bred to do" Okay psychopath, thanks for giving me nightmares for the next month. Killer dogs? Seriously? This guy trains them. Apparently they are kind and gentle to kids and their owners but as soon as they sense a bad guy BOOM they kill. Ummm...what if the dog was just PMS-ing that day and decides your child is annoying (Because it probably is) and bites your child's face off? What then? I am all for protecting yourself and your home, but killer dogs just sound like my nightmares coming to life.

Freezing Hot Spinning Fall

                      

So I have been going to a Spinning Class for a few weeks now....at 6a.m. It has been an interesting way to get me out of bed to say the least. The worst part about waking up so early is that it's so dark and FREEZING. We have a magic heater that gets our apartment very hot very quickly....or maybe our heater just actually works and I am not use to that because growing up in my house, the heater "worked" but not really.  So anyway, we don't turn the heater on very much, because then our bedroom becomes a sauna. Moral of the story? Waking up to a cold house SUCKS. 

Also, school sucks. At least this semester. However, I did figure out that I can graduate by December 2012! Which is very happy because that means I will finish in 4 years, and I thought transferring was going to set me back. So, if all goes well I should just have one more year left! People keep asking me what I want to do after school, and I always say, "well I have a while before I am done to figure it out" except I have been saying that for a year and half now and all of a sudden that "while" isn't so far off.

Speaking of the future...I hate my job some days. And by some days I mean most days. There is such a double standard there and it drives me crazy. Bart says I should just look for a new job but I hate change more than I hate this job I think...and I am still recovering from the huge changes we just made in August. I don't know, finding a salon is hard..it's the last thing I want to do...but I also really don't like my job right now.

The good news in all of this random blog post? The fun is just beginning! Our Halloween party is Friday, then my birthday is soon after that and then all of the holiday festivities! I need to get a new camera to document  everything though because the one on my iPhone isn't the greatest....