Mindful Kim Blogs!

Have you ever found yourself drawn to the idea of a simpler life? Do you follow minimalist creators on social media? Do you have a go-to source of inspiration? For me, the answer is a resounding yes. One of my favorite sources of inspiration is Farmhouse on Boone and, more recently, the Simple Farmhouse Life Podcast on YouTube. This family of ten manages multiple income streams while maintaining a slow, intentional lifestyle. While I may not aspire to cook everything from scratch—or cook much at all, if I'm being honest—I still find their way of life incredibly inspiring. There’s something calming about their values and the way they embrace simplicity. What truly resonates with me is their approach to living with less, even in a household with eight children. They set clear boundaries, even with toys—if an item doesn’t fit in a designated basket, it doesn’t stay. Simple, effective, and refreshing. Recently, I found myself searching for new inspiration. Not necessarily f...

Decision making is not something we're born with. It's a learned behavior.  If kids toys are out of control or the closets it's not their fault. They didn't decide that. Here's what I wish I would have done 16 years ago.... If I had it to do over again I would have gotten a toy box (or even better, 2 smaller boxes to rotate toys) and told her to fill it/them with her absolute favorite toys. Then take the rest of them and put them in a bag and told her that if she missed any of them she could just have to ask for it (by name) and I pull it out for her. Her room was a disaster often and she couldn't manage all the inventory. Of course, she was just little. And I didn't realize that I was the one that was supposed to manage the inventory. Live and learn right? After a few months, maybe 6 months, maybe a year, depending on the age of the child and how many toys there are, I would have just donated them.  It doesn't matter if it came from a family...

My best friend (Cindy) was reminiscing on how she came to be part of my approximately 70k membership Facebook group and sent me a message. What she realized was life changing. It's the first step in going from overwhelm to peacefulness.  Here's what she wrote:  Ok. I was thinking about this last night. When I first met you I told you why I needed you and this lifestyle. I told you my “reason” was I was facing Tim’s (husband) last days and I didn’t know how I could deal without him. Then you said, “there is joy in everyday you just have to look for it.” Somehow, those words unlocked something in my brain and from there I faced/ facing not only Tim’s last days but everything else.  I was stuck and didn’t have motivation because I was focused only on the bad things in my life. I didn’t want to go forward which affected me mentally and physically. If I’m paralyzed and not moving my body I hurt. And I think a lot of people are in the same boat as I was. They can’t ...

Who decides what it too much phone use??  Let me first say, I love my phone and find it annoying that so many are trying to get us to stop using them.   People need to be more specific. Just stop? Or stop doing mindless things on it? Who decides what is mindless and what about other places, other than the phone? Like video games, watching tv or binge eating! I almost never mindlessly scroll and when I do, it's because I'm waiting for something or too tired to focus on reading. Or maybe I just want a laugh! What does everyone else use their phone for? Personally, I am always taking a course or listening to a podcast or music. I read on my phone and don't over-do social media. Personally, I wish I could be on it more.. listening or reading inspirational things. I don't find I have a lot of time to waste since I'm always working on the next project or reading/listening to something great.  What about YOU? Do you waste time or use your phone for inspiration ...

Hello! If you receiving this newsletter then you are probably a part of my  free support group , Our Minimalist Lifestyle, but if not, you're welcome to join  HERE  to get support in keeping your life mindful and simple, in a large group setting. (Don't forget to answer the 2 mandatory questions to be accepted.) November : We are very grateful for our members since a group is only as great as the people make it. I would like to personally thank ALL member participation but specifically our top contributors this past month: Mahamad, Joshua N, Kristen R, Michelle H, Kathie A, Susan K, Karen M, Aimee M, and Tina G with 21 posts in the past 28 days! Time and time again we hear that OML is people's favourite group... and you guys are the #1 reason for that, so thanks again!!    The  top post  was Cindy's (our moderator) meme war post and other topics were what was being decluttered and upcoming holidays.  Speaking of upcoming holidays.... T...

Often we aren't modelled what boundaries look like. Those who wish to control you wouldn't want you to have boundaries nor would those with substance abuse issues. We need to learn this as we go. For me, the first step in having boundaries was learning my core values. Make a list of all values, that have meaning to you, and then decide on your top five. If something doesn't feel just right, or you can't decide what to say yes to, just check on your values. Not in alignment with your values? Then say no without guilt. It's your life, after all. Nobody else gets to decide what's important to you or how to live your life and those angered by your decision have ulterior intentions, other than you living your best life, because only you get to decide on your life story. Check in with your life regularly, especially if you're feeling overwhelmed, anxious, resentful or depression. Which are all signs of boundary issues. Check with your calendar, check a...

The flip of the first bike, in the new business (MindfulKim), went well and we are on the second bike. I was lucky enough to find her twin! That's right, the first bike was a 1990 Yamaha Big Bear 350 4x4 as is the second bike.  This one was in a little better condition right from purchase so less to do with her but the parts took longer to come in.  As always, ownership is available and we will post on Marketplace and share here when she's ready to go.  Let us know if you have any questions @ mindfulkim23@gmail.com