Is your home peaceful?

I recently saw an Instagram post by someone who shared that at the beginning of January, she was feeling triggered by all of the "cut calories, lose weight" typical New Year's resolutions ads and images she was seeing everywhere and was feeling pressure to lose weight and look a certain way. She also shared that her home caused the most stress in her life and wanted to focus on a project that would bring more peace. Having read about how decluttering can help you feel better by focusing on the things and people you love and letting go of the rest, she "ruthlessly, intentionally, and intensely" got rid of more than 50% of the things in her house, simplified everything, and now has a peaceful home, less stress and anxiety, and more happiness. As a result, she feels so much better in her body and her home. She was also thrilled to have kept her New Year's resolution.

This, my friends, is what I want for you - to feel better about yourself, your home, and your life.

Decluttering is transformative! It's like magic fairy dust. When you get rid of the things that get in the way of your daily life and cause stress, you feel lighter and calmer.

That's not to say it's an easy process, because it's not. Decluttering can be incredibly challenging. It's so important to ask yourself, "What do I REALLY want?" In the case of the person on Instagram, she wanted to bring more peace to her life by ruthlessly going through everything in her home and focusing on the things she most loved.

If you're feeling overwhelmed, stressed, and anxious, ask yourself if you're happy with your most immediate environment. And if you're not, what can you do to make that happen? What needs to change?

One of my goals for 2023, my Year of Expansion, was to try Instagram and share more about myself and my life. Another goal for 2023 was to travel to Lisbon, which Rhys and I visited as part of a seven-week trip to Spain and Portugal, a dream come true for us. If you're interested in seeing our adventures in Europe (including a post about packing lightly for our trip), check out my Instagram page @loeshannon. Thankfully both of us were still able to work with clients, which fulfills another dream of ours to live and work remotely. As for 2024, I've chosen to name it my Year of Creativity and am excited to see what's in store.

Finally and importantly, I'm thrilled to share that I'm celebrating my 11th year of being a business owner. Live With Less has been life-changing. I've met so many wonderful people who have hired me to help them change their homes and lives. Y'all are amazing! From the beginning, my mission has been to inspire and empower, but little did I know how much y'all would inspire and empower ME. I'm so grateful for your love and support throughout the years.

Here's to focusing on the things and people you love.