Tag: 2022

Minimalism, Minimalism, Self Growth

Mindsets To Leave Behind In The New Year

mindbeautysimplicity

The start of a new year always sparks inspiration to clean house, reflect & begin again as Taylor Swift would say. I’m always finding an excuse to declutter & downsize my belongings but I’ve also taken some time to reflect on non material items I wish to change as I’m feeling 2022. [ alright – I’ll be done with the T Swift references – as they just come naturally all too well for me. HA! ]. Last year, I talked about how we can all simplify our lives – check out that post here if you haven’t already. But to extend off that post, I wanted to share with you some mindset changes I’ll be leaving behind this year.

Spending So Much Time on Social Media

I’ve battled with having a healthier relationship with social media & at the end of 2021, I was posting a ton on my personal accounts & just living for the photo op which was a bit of a regression if you ask me. Some of it could have been because I was going through grief & it was a way to heal, BUT I’d much rather go into the new year with better ways to mend such grief & focus on self care offline. I’ve talked about how I primarily use social media for my blog & although this is true, I was definitely getting carried away with my online persona. Even for my blog, I want to be more intentional as a blogger & truly walk the walk instead of just talk the talk.

Less Isn’t Always More

This may be a little contradictory if you’ve been a reader of my blog from the beginning. I decided to be less strict when it comes to living a minimalist lifestyle. Sometimes less isn’t always more & I don’t want to limit myself to x amount of items. Sometimes it’s nice to treat yourself now & then. And I don’t want to feel deprived. Minimalism, if you decide to follow it, looks different for everyone. Figure out what works for you & go with that. The main goal is to be happy in this life & not to be so tied down to our belongings. But if say, you love a large book shelf filled with novels, enjoy your library!

Stop Delaying Travel & Experiences

“It’s just not the right time” or “let’s wait until next year” are statements I want to leave in the past. I want to live more in the moment, experience all I can & say yes to adventures more often. I’ve learned it’s more rewarding to spend money on experiences than material items. And there’s still so much I wish to see & do. I’ll be manifesting milestones & adventures ten fold this year.

Letting Other’s Treat You In Ways You Don’t Deserve

I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a doormat but people pleasing is definitely something I’ve been working on lately. There have been too many times where I let my kindness get the best of me & allow people to treat me in ways that aren’t deserving. At the end of 2021 & going into this new year, I hope to develop more of a backbone & stand up for myself & my wishes in a respectable but firm manner. This means saying no more often & refraining from explaining myself to hard.

Include Self Care In Your Daily Routine

The world paints this picture that tells us we should be nonstop hustling to succeed. I’ve learned how important it is to implement self care [ even if it’s 10 min a day ] into our routines. Especially someone who is heavily wedding planning, taking time for yourself some is so important. We don’t want us to burn out. During the month of December, I took my longest hiatus from blogging – an entire month. And although I was casually writing content for the new year when I had the time, the pressure to keep up with a self inflicted schedule was no more. I was able to focus on real life tasks & enjoy the holidays with my family. I think all content creators should consider breaks more often. It’s nice to be consistent, but it’s also good & healthier to step away for a while. And speaking of self care activities – some of my favorites include binge watching a tv show, getting lost in a book, have phone calls with loved ones, taking warm showers / baths, getting active or listening to music. Plus, when you make time for your life outside of blogging, you come up with content to write about. It’s a win win for everyone.

Conclusion

Each new year provides a fresh page to an unwritten chapter. It’s always exciting to see how we wish to write said story. With this in mind, reflecting on your growth, perspectives & feelings toward your life will allow you to evolve & make each sequel to your own personal novel another page turner.

What are some things you’d like to leave behind in 2021?

-B

Minimalism, Minimalism, organization

10 Things You Can Declutter In 2022

mindbeautysimplicity

The new year is always a favorite time – with the glitz & glam & thoughts of fresh starts. I’m not one to make large resolutions, but I do like to reflect on my past year & gain perspectives that will entice growth. Most importantly, I love going through my physical baggage of the past year & cleanse my space with a proper declutter. Here are 10 things you can declutter in 2022.

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1. Clothing That No Longer Defines The New You

I plan to go into more detail on decluttering your closet in the next few months, but one of my favorite spaces to downsize is my wardrobe. I’m going into the new year wanting to experiment with fashion & be rid of any items that no longer make me feel like the new me.

2. Holiday Decor You Won’t Use Next Season

As you pack holiday decor away, instead of buying more storage boxes – go through each piece & ask yourself if you’ll want to use it next holiday season. I know I’ve personally accumulated quite a few Christmas decorations in the course of the pandemic era. I wanted to make my feel extra cheering. But as I put things away, I’ve discovered the lack of space we have to store such items. It’s time to downsize for sure.

3. Who You Follow

Go through all social media platforms & clean house. Let go of any accounts that no longer inspire or make you happy. I no longer keep the mindset of follows for follows. It feels less genuine & I’d rather be authentic going into the new year.

4. Digital Files & Emails

Although these items can be discreetly stored on tablets with very little visual clutter, it’s important to go through these forms of technology & clean out your digital storage.

You May Also Like This Post of Digital Decluttering

5. Books You’ve Already Read in 2021

Unless you love having shelves filled with books, it may be keen to declutter a few you’ve read in the past year. Make room for new ones & allow others to read ones you’ve loved. You can donate them to local libraries.

6. Purge Your Pantry or Fridge

Let go of any expired goods or foods you won’t eat in the new year. Perhaps you are trying to establish a healthier lifestyle. Get rid of any snacks or junk foods that would prevent this new habit. Start fresh with fresh groceries.

7. Expired Beauty Products

Did you know your makeup products have an expiration date? In the new year, I like to refresh my collection with a new foundation or other products. I will get rid of any products that are quite old or ones I know I will no longer use. It’s better for your skin.

8. Gifts You Won’t Use

During the holidays, we tend to bring in a lot of new items. Some of which aren’t suited for our lifestyles. Be honest with yourself & get rid of anything you don’t want. There is no need to have guilt. You can even regift certain items – just be sure it’s not in the same circle of people who gifted you first.

9. Masks

Don’t get rid of every single one quite yet. But I’m sure you’ve accumulated a collection by now. Let go of any masks that don’t fit properly or you don’t like. Clean them & donate them to shelters.

10. Sentimental Items

Sometimes, to move forward – we need to let go of the past. I have a feeling most of us hold onto physical items that represent such memories. Whether it’s greeting cards, letters, trinkets or event tickets – it is important to go through these items carefully & be sure we aren’t holding onto anything they will keep us stuck.

-B

blogmas, Lifestyle

My Current Winter Obsessions

mindbeautysimplicity

Happy New Years Eve everyone! It feels great to be back writing more consistently – hopefully once a week. I’ve been scheduling content like a mad woman & have the next few months all written & scheduled. Can you believe it? I wanted to start the new year off with a chit chat post talking about my current favorites. In October, I did this before in my current fall obsessions post & I enjoyed it so much, that I feel like I could make this a seasonal series on Mind Beauty Simplicity. Which by the way, has it’s own domain now! That’s right, the .wordpress is gone from the site URL & is now simply, mind-beauty-simplicity.com! Already, 2022 has been a wonderful blogging year & it has just started. I’m excited to see if my goals for this new year come to fruition. Let’s get into these favorites – shall we?

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Makeup / Beauty:

Starting off with makeup favorites, I’ve been really drawn to neutral eye looks & bold lips – specifically the shade red. I guess you could say it’s a common color for the holiday’s but I personally find it’s more than just that. I feel the most confident when I wear shades of red [ both lip color & clothing ]. I discovered the Maybelline Color Sensational Ultimatte Slim Lipstick & have been wearing the shades More Blush & More Scarlett interchangeably anytime I wear makeup. For a drugstore product, they are very long lasting & smooth. I highly recommend them.

Color Sensational Ultimatte Slim Lipstick - Maybelline

Binge Worthy Entertainment & Page Turners

Downton Abbey:

I decided to re-watch Downton Abbey from the beginning on account of the newest movie coming out in March. This fictional British series is so beautifully written & is filled with drama & romance. I highly recommend it if you haven’t yet watched it. You can find the entire series on Netflix.

Hypnotic:

I made the mistake of watching this Netflix movie alone one night. It’s a psychological thriller [ my favorite genre ] about a woman who comes across a hypnotherapist in hopes for some self-improvement. This movie made me not want to ever be hypnotized or answer any unknown calls on my cellphone. It was eerie good & I recommend it to anyone who loves this genre of movies.

TheSilent Patient:

I’ve gotten back into reader this past year – & I hope to continue this habit in 2022. Over Christmas break, I finally finished the novel The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides. I was recommended this book through Booktok as it was quite similar to Verity by Colleen Hoover. A psychological thriller [ surprise surprise ] about a psychotherapist who tries to treat a patient who became silent after the murder of her husband. Although the twist was discovered slightly early, I enjoyed the writing & concept of the novel. I couldn’t put it down.

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Gadgets

I’m excited to have been gifted an Ipad & an apple pencil for Christmas. I’ve been wanting one for a while & feel like it will come in handy for blogging. It’s very travel friendly so I can blog & promote on the go. And I find using social media to be quite enjoyable on this device. I like to keep my blogging life separate from my real life, so having a different device for all these tasks instead of using my phone all the time, is quite nice. I also plan to use it for reading, as I have the book app. But I’ll be honest – I do find myself preferring paper backs.

Fashion

Eileen Fisher Scarf & Beanie

Another Christmas gift of mine – & a classic addition to my wardrobe is this scarf / beanie combo from Eileen Fisher. I don’t usually shop at this store in my leisure but I feel like the store is a hidden gem. I absolutely love the neutral shade & the material is so so soft! It’s one of those shades that goes with so many outfits & I can tell they are going to be accessories I’ll have for quite some time.

Universal Thread Cropped Knit Sweaters

You should not sleep on Target brand clothing. Seriously – these are great quality with an even greater price. I love the texture of these & love how you can dress them up or leave them casual. These will be other clothing pieces I’ll be wearing a ton this winter. Something about wearing a cozy knit with a warm beverage in hand screams hygge & relaxation.

Ugg Crew Socks

I feel like this current favorites post is all about my Christmas gifts – but I can’t help if my family knows me so well. I absolutely love the Ugg crew socks & my mom got me like six pairs in multiple neutral shades. I will be living in them this winter.

Mindset:

As a whole – the word for 2022 is self care. I know, how original. I think it’s so important to make time for ourselves & create a routine that keeps us from becoming too stressed. Whether it’s fixing a warm beverage in one of my fun winter mugs in the morning or setting some time to read or write – making ‘me time’ is so crucial. It truly is the little things in life. I’ve been spending less time on social media [ even deleting the Instagram app off my phone ]. Focusing on being more intentional & present are habits I’ve been trying to have & continue to have in the new year.

I hope you enjoyed hearing about my current lifestyle favorites. Let me know if you’d like me to continue this series on the blog & whether you’d like it seasonally or even monthly. I think this is such a fun way to showcase my life & provide little updates with my readers. See you next Monday.

–B