Instagram can make the lives of fashion bloggers look quite beautiful. As I thumb through my feed, I feel at once inspired, dejected, and shamefully voyeuristic. I imagine knowing these people as if they were close friends, and feel similarly disappointed if they don’t reciprocate. Somewhere along the way, I begin to live vicariously through their stream of photos– trying to place myself in the context of a caption. An ordinary pair of shoes that would otherwise be inconsequential transforms into an irresistible commodity with the right filter and hashtag.
The last year of my life is a whirlwind. With each like, my bank account drained. New packages on the doorstep became an everyday occurrence. I waited for the sun to shine, and rushed to capture each new item on camera (in the hope that someone else would be equally susceptible to its allure). After the picture was posted on Instagram, I would feel a brief respite from the anxiety, but ended up losing myself once more in the endless cascade of other people’s images, and the cycle would begin again. I spent too long in the belly of the beast, surrounded by all the pretty things, before realizing that something had to change.
Minimalism is not just a trend or style for me… it’s a system of self-preservation – a method to keep from losing myself in the attempt to gain more. But, ironically, it’s not as simple as it sounds. I’m currently on a self-imposed online shopping moratorium, but feel like an addict of sorts, treading water each time I read someone’s blog or peruse their Instagram profile. Fighting the urge to click a link and fall off the wagon.
It’s clear now that in order to change my lifestyle, the content of this blog must evolve with it. On a typical lazy Sunday afternoon, I’d normally be zipping up a new pair of boots to shoot with my husband so I could schedule it as an outfit post here or on Instagram next week. Today, however, I spent the morning tidying up our kitchen (after hosting a Whole30 potluck dinner last night), and rewarded myself with an afternoon of leisure, reading other minimalism-focused blogs for inspiration. I curated a list of quotes that captured my new minimalist philosophy, to keep on-hand in case I start to slip into old habits.
Minimalism may not be right for everyone, but for those who have chosen to embrace it, I hope my blog can become a resource or, at the very least, a testament that simple is not always easy.
- “You wanna fly, you got to give up the shit that weighs you down.” (Toni Morrison)
- “Edit your life frequently and ruthlessly. It’s your masterpiece after all.” (Nathan W. Morris)
- “The simplest things are often the truest.” (Richard Bach)
- “One can furnish a room very luxuriously by taking out furniture rather than putting it in.” (Francis Jourdain)
- “Progress is discovering what you can do without.” (Marty Rubin)
- “There is no greatness where there is not simplicity, goodness, and truth.” (Leo Tolstoy)
- “Live simply so that others may simply live.” (Elizabeth Ann Seton)
- “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” (Leonardo da Vinci)
- “Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.” (Lao Tzu)
- “Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry)