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Channel Malia - personal growth to live consciously



As we fast approach a new year some things are best left behind including material items. We don't realise how much of an effect material things actually have on our mental state of being. Too much clutter can affect our happiness.

'But what do I do with all this?' you ask.

It can often be so overwhelming when looking around at all the clutter you have lying around in your home that you just never bother trying. When you do have a clear out it takes up your whole weekend and even then you still haven't managed to get rid of anything.

If you've been following my minimalism journey here you'll know how relieving it is on the mind, body and soul to have a good detox. I sort of wish I had known about these seven tips way ahead in my minimalist journey. 


Pants and Bras
It's really easy to be strict with underwear as they are everyday essentials. You definitely know which ones you feel good in and reach for everyday. I got rid of a lot of my bras when realising that I only truly need three. Yes that's right. In fact I don't wear bras at all. I wear bralettes and have three of them rotating every three days. I figured it would be easy to wear one and throw it in the wash when I wear the next one rather than letting them pile in the laundry basket.



Socks
Everyone hates mismatched socks or ones with holes in them sorting out your socks will make life easier every morning. I roll my socks into each other and keep them in a basket. Watch this clip to see how it's done. 

Biscuit tin
This is the perfect way to get into the habit of throwing away out of date food. I've got to a point where my fridge is always empty but I wish I knew to start at the biscuit tin because the kitchen cupboards can be so overwhelming.

Pen pot
This is like socks. It's easier to find a working pen when you need one and you don't have to tackle your entire stationary collection. Have a rule as to how many pens or pencils you keep in your pen pot and throw out any pens that no longer work. There's nothing worse than needing to urgently take note of something before it slips your mind and not having a single pen that works.

Towels
Think about what you need your towels for (face body and hands) so only keep three and wash them after each use. Like bras it makes more sense to wash straight away than let them gather in the corner of the room.

Bed sheets
Ideally I'd love to get to a point where I'd only need one but knowing me I would spill something on them. I usually throw 3 or 4 sheets in a pile and let them collect before I wash them so there's no point in me having so many.

Scrap paper
Recycle paper or keep a box of rough paper. Paper is always lying around so whenever you see them lurking throw them in the recycling box straight away.


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I always reflect on the year that's passed and today, more conveniently so, I happened to flick through an old notebook for something and stumbled across my 2015 resolutions. It was a different way of approaching the old resolutions lists and I thought the concept was so fun I wanted to try it again.

There's a lot of fun things I did to make accomplishing my new years resolutions fun, like for example my jar of dreams in which I set some resolutions  I wanted to do in that year like 'dance in the rain'. I would pick out each coloured card and watch the jar empty throughout the year on my window sill. I felt absolutely accomplished and wonderful about myself. It's a really nice 'feel good' way of accomplishing your dreams for the year and also remembering to do the goals you've set.

I thought it would be a great idea to share some of these with you. As they are self-improvement focused (which is so right up my blog's street by the way) there'll be something in here for everyone. So go on have a browse, feel free to steal as many as you like.

Take up a new hobby
Self learn something like basic coding on the internet or take a cooking class.

Focus on being productive instead of busy
This is something I picked up from Timothy Ferriss' book The 4 Hour Work Week where he says 'don't work hard, work smart'. A lot of us confuse being really busy with something as hard work that will pay off. It makes more sense to try and accomplish something with the least endurance. You'll be less rushed off your feet and get more done.

Resolve to do one thing everyday that I fear
What we fear doing most is usually what we need to do more.

Master the art of not giving a f*** about what other people think
It starts with wearing your favourite metallic leggings.

Don't let what other people say get to me
Word. 

Make new friends
You're never too old.

Make an effort with family

Help people
Even if it is something as simple as helping someone with their shopping.

Care for my skin
Simplify the products you use on your skin.

Learn to cook
There are some amazing cooking channels on YouTube.

Buy experiences rather than material things
Even if it's the bus fare to another part of town.

Open a savings account
Whether it's a savings account to save up for a special treat or the beginnings of your life savings putting away a little at a time will make so much difference.

Do yoga
I can do a backbend, an actual backbend LOOK!

Become adventurous with my style
You'll never know until you experiment.

Take more photos
Even though I couldn't look glam for a daily Instagram selfie I took loads of pretty flatlays of books and gave mini book reviews to my Instagram followers. This one is a great example, and this, and this.

Read a book once a month/week
Here's my list of books to read on GoodReads for your inspiration.

Practice being calm in the face of a panic situation
Start with something like not being preoccupied with time when running late.

Travel on my own 
Even if it's just a train ride to another city. It feels amazing to experience your first bit of independence.

Get rid of one thing from my house per week
Here's a post on 7 easy things to get rid of easily coming out on this blog next Monday. Or read my other posts on how I got rid of stuff.

Play a sport 
Or even go for a run.

Meet new people
Join a bookclub on meetup.com or go to a networking event for an industry you're interested in getting into.
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Your work consumes a huge part of your life so it is important that you're doing what you love. If you're in a job you hate here are some tips from my own experiences to help you through it.


DO NOT LEAVE

Don't back down. Especially when you have awful coworkers who are doing everything they can to make your life harder. You will just let them win so plough through it until you secure a better job.


Find something you love to do outside of work

You can look forward to coming home everyday and your life won't feel worthless. You don't live to work you work to live.

For me blogging, reading and YouTube brought me solace. I loved coming home and writing out a new blog post. I used to leave a book by my bedside every morning and knowing that I will be coming home to that excited me.


Pay for your hobbies

I loved using the money I'd earn to treat myself to something special. In a way that was my way of telling my crappy job 'I'm gonna use you for money.'


Do something fun at lunchtime

Read a self-development book to enrich your mind or escape into a novel. Books help you escape like nothing else.

Take a walk. It's a breather away from the work place and whatever you do please don't eat your lunch at the computer screen.


Don't count down the hours

There's nothing more mind-numbingly boring.


Don't talk about your job at home

Or bring it home with you in any way. Don't look at work emails or anything. Do as much as you can to separate work life from social life. Don't add coworkers on Facebook, if you already have there's a cool way to unfollow the without them knowing and also so they don't see your future posts. In this video I show you how.


Go part time

If money allows go part time. Just having one extra day off a week will make a huge difference to your mental health.


And finally

Find a better job and quit.


Photo Credit Dustin Lee
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I know that there is a lot of information out there about anxiety in general but today I wanted to discuss travel anxiety in particular. 

Since entering the media industry it has been common practice to travel a fair bit. But what do you do when your love for travelling conflicts with anxiety? 

In this video I vlog my solo travels around central London and it is the first time I actually address my travel anxiety to myself as well as you guys. It sort of just 'came out' int the midst of my conversation with you and I'm so glad it did. I also think that the beauty of vlogging lies in the very rawness of the content which is why I love to watch them myself.

I've put together a few ways I've learnt to cope with my travel anxiety:

1 Know that it will be over soon and tell yourself that you will get home safely.


2 Tidy up your bedroom (or happy place - whatever that is) so you come back to a calming environment.


3 Leave a little treat on your bedside table for when you get back (that for me is tucking into a new book)


4 Take some home comforts with you. I usually take my pillowcase and fluffy jumper for hotel stays.


5 Make sure you plan your journey. I go as far as printing out maps and writing out my journey from A to B.

6 Enjoy it. I know this is the hardest thing to do when you have travel anxiety but one of the things I most regret when getting back is not allowing myself to enjoy the experience. Be in the moment. I love to mindfully chant 'this is such a beautiful place to be.' Take your camera out and start capturing everything. 


7 Don't be glued to your phone. There's nothing worse than the reminder that you're miles away from home. Remember what I said about being in the present. I know you'll want to call up loved ones to tell them you're alright but let it stop at that. Leave your phone on loud so you only look at it when it's ringing.


I hope these tips have eased your anxiousness about travelling. Travelling is one of the most wonderful things in the world. For me this is still a work in progress. I have a long list of the places I want to go and I'm working on getting there. I can't wait to share every new milestone with you.


Stay with me by following my blog via email or bloglovin on the right side bar of this blog.



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Photo Credit Atlas Green
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My make up has been the subject of much discussion since I started posting about my now simplistic lifestyle on YouTube so I thought I should address it. A lot of people mistake minimalism to be uniform. Not everyone will have less than you when it comes to makeup, clothes, jewellery, or even art equipment. Minimalism should work around your life. Are you a photographer? Then keep all the camera lenses you need to create the perfect shoot. Are you a makeup artist? Then it's ok for you to have a suitcase full of make up for happy clients.

Now I'm not a make up artist but make up comes in handy to cover my acne scarring when I need it most. So that is why make up brings me value. Maybe I'll throw out most of my eyeshadows but keep my concealer and foundation. Oh and I'll also keep a few lipsticks because I love playing around with different outfits and bold lipsticks. If you've stuck around for a while you'll know how much I love a matte bold lip.

Believe it or not I don't actually wear make up but the only reason I wear make up is to cover my acne on camera. I don't wear it on the daily. Minimalism has helped me cut down on make up yes, but that doesn't mean I should cut it out altogether. I've simply culled down to the basics of what I think I need to live and be happy.

I have only one draw of make up which I've organised into dividers that I DIY'd myself using cardboard boxes from cake biscuits or cereal boxes. I intend to cover them in wrapping paper to pretty them up. Having dividers is important as not only does it keep your draw tidy making it easy to find stuff but it also makes sure you don't lose items hidden behind other items.




Some tips on culling down your collection


Lay everything out on floor and organise in product type. Pick out the products you want to keep from each section.

Get rid of badly pigmented products or stuff that don't look good on you.
- Try them on. You can sometimes judge by colour but forget formulation or attractiveness

Make habit of buying only when you run out or no longer like the current product you're using.
- If you're a beauty blogger and constantly get sent stuff keep them separate from your main collection

Decide what colours you like to wear and take note of what you don't use. 
- Prefer muted or brights? Be wary of stoking up on different shades of the same colour. I found myself with seven pink lipsticks, SEVEN!

Buy small storage boxes to discourage filling up with newer products.
- DIY your own compartments, you'll have exactly what you need plus no buying.


Now MAKE RULES and stick to them (here are mine)

- 1 Foundation 1 concealer
- 2 eyeliners (one liquid one felt tip)
- 2 eye pencils (if you like different colours set your own limit)
- 2 blushes
- 1 contour
- 1 highlight
- 1 bronzer
- 1 eyebrow product
- 3 eye palettes

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For me minimalism is less about having less stuff and more about having only the things I love with my whole heart. Things and objects are not the enemy if they bring you joy. For me, this happens to include books, quite a few books I might add. I adore my book collection and there's nothing better than the feel and smell of a brand new book as well as the nostalgia of re-opening an old favourite.

Sometimes I feel that with social media minimalism can sometimes seem like a contest of "I have less than you". You make your own rules, if you think it's about "throw out as much as you can" you've got it all wrong. I couldn't get rid of certain books or keepsakes but that's ok.

Good food

Good food is another thing I refuse to scrimp on and  that has been replaced with takeaways or junk food. I spent a little bit more on organic food by sacrificing chocolate.

Buy experiences 

If there's anything I'd love for you to take from this post is to buy experiences over material objects. I find myself buying more experiences more than ever now that I'm a minimalist. I'd rather spend extra money on the bus fare to visit a park further out of town rather than the local one at walking distance or go all out and spend £2000 on a luxury holiday over a luxury handbag. I get that the handbag will last longer than the 2 week holiday but the memories of that holiday will bring you long lasting happiness.

Expensive clothes

Good quality clothes and shoes. I find that I am so much more pickier than ever when shopping for a new shirt or pair of boots. It has to be made of durable material, not a trend piece and fit like a glove. 

If I am a photographer it's ok to have all lenses, software and lights because I need that, but if I take a few photos every other month I may consider borrowing or renting equipment. Minimalism is not about the number of things but the value that those things you do keep bring to your life. Minimalism has no rules, take it as a template to simplify your life not as a rulebook.  The point is to declutter your life to live simply, to be able to breathe in your own home, to relieve the stress of consumerism.
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One of the reasons I decided to go minimal is to save money. You may read countless articles online on how to save money but the key to saving real money is by going minimal. I kind of skate over the topic lightly because people's perception of minimalism is a complete lifestyle change but it's actually something you can do right now within 10 minutes. Don't believe me? Check out this video I made recently.

When you cut down on the item you own and the amount of stuff you buy you'll feel a weight being lifted off your shoulders. People often ask me what I do when I really need something. Well that depends on what you see as a need. If I truly need something I'll buy it. One way I get around this is by questioning everything I buy and one of them is storage.

Don't you find it strange that people buy storage just so they can tidily store away things they don't use? It just doesn't make sense!

I make an effort to upcycle anything I would usually throw away for a new purpose. I turn jam or pasta sauce jars into pen pots or cover my my Amazon boxes with self adhesive vinyl so they look just as good as the ikea boxes.
Tweet me photos of your upcyled stuff!



Here I've taken the lid and sticker off a jam jar and it's transformed into a pretentious brush holder and no one would be any the wiser of its humble origins.

Follow me via Bloglovin or email for loads more minimalism.
Share this post on Twitter now.

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To a lot of people mindfulness is associated with scantily-clad hippies on a remote field humming in the open air. This concept automatically makes mindfulness inaccessible to the average person when it should be something we all practice. 

To me mindfulness is the secret to happiness. I wrote a while ago about how I finally discovered happiness after years of failing. I didn't know it then but I discovered the secret by inadvertently practicing mindfulness which was what made that post such a hit with you guys. Click here to read it.

Everyone is on this constant search for happiness and are along the way fed by the message that happiness will come when you count your blessings, call a friend, spend time with family etc etc etc. 

Mindfulness helps you put all that into practice and most importantly enables you to be happy right now. Have you ever looked back on a section of your life and thought "gosh I was really happy back then, I wish I'd appreciated it more."
Trust me you'll look back on this moment in your life in years to come and think the same.

Quit trying to be happy

Mindfulness allows you to be a more positive person cutting out the cheesy American way of waking up in the morning to proclaim at the top of your lungs that "TODAY IS GOING TO BE A BEAUTIFUL DAY!"

Mindfulness allows you to have a beautiful day without the constant preoccupation with happiness that can be counterproductive and bring you down. When you obsess over being happy and try to control your emotions it can work against you leading to a series of "why cant I just be happy?" 

Being mindful does not mean you should be robotically indifferent to negative emotions nor is it about being happy all the time. Accept the moment you're in without seeking to resist or control it. 

Acknowledge those negative emotions like a storm. Accept that you can't control them but you can control your outlook. A gust of wind can blow your hair out of place but know that it can't break you. If you seek to control the weather you will fail.

View yourself in the 3rd person

Have you ever had that bad day feeling where one bad thing happens after another? That's because you let yourself be victim to the storm. Close your eyes, go outside yourself and observe your emotions like a third person. Don't react to or stimulate the negative emotions which may escalate them. It can be hard to remove yourself from the incessant showers of thoughts we all have on the daily but with practice you'll soon become good at this.


Focus your energy on the present

Whatever you give your energy to, it will grow and become bigger than what it actually is. I learnt this concept from an amazing book by Rhonda Bryne called The Secret. She talks heavily about how the law of attraction works to give us exactly what we want. By focusing on your lack of everlasting happiness you're shifting your mind to focus to that pain point in your life. That negativity will feed on more negativity and that is all you will attract to your life. Focus your energy on making the best you can out of your present situation.

People underestimate the power of the mind and what it can do for us. your mind has the power to change your circumstances no matter how dim and far out of reach of your dreams seem. Mindfulness simply makes use of the super power you were born with. 

Tell me how you're using your super power today by clicking to tweet me here
Follow me via Bloglovin or email for doses of positivity
Share this post on Twitter now.


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Being an avid reader I know only to well how it feels to get through your last book and not be able to afford another bestseller. In my teen years I was always thinking up ways to beg my mum to buy me the next Harry Potter book and writing my Birthday wish list of books. Books usually cost between 5 and 10 pounds and I get through a book a week. That's roughly £240 a year spent on books you'll probably not read again.

As a working adult I now have the luxury of being able to afford a new book when I want, but I rarely buy as I am now a practicing minimalist. Though I still read any and every book I want for FREE (or dirt cheap) and here's how you can too.


Library

Did you know that you can reserve books from libraries across the city and collect them from your local library? Reserve online and collect at your local. I don't know if every city or state has this system but it's worth asking. I've previously talked about using the library as a good way of discovering books but it's also a good way of reading the books you really want to without worrying about whether your local one shelves it. I almost never buy books now that I am trying to be minimal and waste free plus I don't have the space, my shelves are quaking at their hinges.


eBooks

You don't have to buy an e-reader to read an ebook. Download the Amazon kindle app free it on your phone or computer. There's loads of ebooks that are free or 99p and you can read the sample to see if it's worth buying.


Wattpad

Wattpad is seen as a place for teen fan-fiction but it also has a few amazing reads. Some of it's writers go on to be professionally published. I'm currently reading The Return, it's about a teenager that dies every time she reaches the age of 17 and reincarnates as a new person. Each time she meets new people that will too die soon - spooky! Follow me to get great recommendations and have a peak at what I'm reading.


Charity Shops

If you really want to own your own books it might be worth popping into charity shops. They have really cheap and sometimes new books that are in good condition. Google charity shops that stock books before making a trip.


eBay

Another place where books are sold dirt cheap.


Car Boot or Yard sales

Find your local one, you might also find other hidden gems.


Book Swaps or Borrow

Arrange monthly books swaps with your friends and read each others books.


Read your favourite books again

There's no feeling like sinking into a book you know you will love. I've been reading the Harry Potter series all over again. Read about how it gave me withdrawal symptoms when I finished here.



So that is how you get to read the books you want for free or for real cheap. I hope this post has helped you. If it has don't forget to share it with your friends using the share links below and follow me via Bloglovin' for more tips.
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If you've been eating with your eyes when scrolling my recent Instagram posts eye no more as I reveal the recipe to the the best ever chocolate brownies. The consistency is just the right kind of fudgy, squishy yummy scrummy. This recipe is very reminiscent of the brownie-cookies I made last time. So if you enjoyed those you'll most certainly love this one.



Ingredients (serves 15)

250g butter
300g golden caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs (or 4 medium eggs)
200g self-raising flour
50g cocoa powder
100g chocolate drops (or white chocolate drops)

For cream topping
100g double cream
2 tbsp icing sugar (confectioners sugar)

OR

For icing topping
Icing sugar (confectioners sugar) to sprinkle on top

Method

1 Butter and line a traybake or small roasting tin and pre-heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4

2 Melt the butter on high heat for 40 seconds in the microwave and cool for 5 minutes

3 In a mixing bowl beat the sugar, then vanilla extract and eggs using a whisk until smooth

4 In a separate bowl mix the flour, cocoa powder and ¼ tsp salt (if your butter was salted skip the salt

5 Stir in the milk chocolate drops and bake for 35 mins until risen all over and a skewer comes out with a few damp crumbs

Method for topping

1 For the topping you can choose to either sprinkle icing sugar or whisk double cream on full speed for 4-5 minutes until frothy

2 Whisk in the icing sugar a tablespoon at a time at low speed

4 Whisk again at high speed for 3-4 minutes until stiff and no longer at dropping consistency

5 Layer on cold brownies with an icing spatula and sprinkle on the chocolate drops


Happy baking! Let me know how you got on and if you need help tweet me or comment below.


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Money

How to handle money, make money and save it. When I first started earning money I didn't know how much to save or how to budget. I had to learn through trial and error. When it comes to buying a house or filing a tax return most young people wouldn't know where to begin. It really frustrates me that although we are taught about the Pythagoras theorem we are not about the major logistics of adult life. Or is Pythagorus theorem a way to stimulate our brains to working out all the mortgage and credit rating thing ourselves?


How to be a nice person

Or is the grown up world meant to be a playground? Growing up I've been looking out for all the adult clues and signs but to no avail. Tantrums, petty arguments and drama still exist. The first time I came across this realisation was when I was at a very grown up networking event where 21 year old me was outnumbered by 40 year olds. Looking around the room while a presentation was going on everything was very soon reminiscent of a school classroom. The lawyer sitting next to me was sat slumped on his chair flicking bits of paper across the room while a banker was stifling giggles with her friend.


That adults don't exist

Teachers, parents and adults place so much emphasis on us becoming something (whether it be a doctor, nurse, builder or technician) that we never have an opportunity to figure ourselves out and finally become something. My theory is that even when we become adults we aren't complete. That maybe the beauty and purpose of life is to to continue being students, to grow and learn as learning is what enriches the mind. Maybe we're living in beta and that's the way things should be. Is it that we are just conditioned to believe that there's a destination or end goal? Life is about growing. Constantly, rapidly and unwaveringly like that sunflower you planted as a tiny weed. It soon becomes  stronger and taller than ever.


Mental Health

The stigma surrounding mental health is due to being uneducated. Most people will suffer from a mental illness or know someone that does. The only reason that mental illnesses are more prevalent in this day and age is because we are more aware than ever before in history. Depression, OCD, Anxiety, Bipolar and more all went undiagnosed. The more learned we are about mental health the better we can treat it.


I don't think we ever really grow up and I think adult life is put on a pedestal that it doesn't belong on. I'm 23 now but I often find myself asserting this 'grown up feeling' on myself. Maybe learning just as a few grown up things at school would really ease the shock to our system when we actually do 'grow up' whatever being grown up actually is.


Photo Credit Baim Hanif
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I was your classic A grade student who sweated it out for her grades and thought that my life would be over if I didn't get into a top uni. Of course, I got the grades and went to the university I so longed for. Two years since graduating I have now looked back and wished I hadn't worried so much. I stressed an awful lot and thought that if I didn't get good grades I would be less of a person and my future would be doomed.


Reason 1: You'll forget everything you learnt

Unless you're training to become a doctor, lawyer or teacher and need to rehash what you've learnt for the rest of your career exams are useless! English exams were the bane of my school career but I went onto to do them right up until university. I had to memorise quotes from 19th century novels! What use is that going to be for my future?

Reason 2: Your results don't define you & don't predict your future

When I was at school I was told by many teachers for years and years that if I didn't do well I'd make a life stacking shelves at Tesco. Ok, first off, what's wrong with stacking shelves at Tesco? This idea that you'll be stuck in menial jobs for the rest of your life is a lie and puts pressure on young adults. It's basically a statement that in other words says 'If you fail your exams you're doomed for the rest of your life'. So an obvious reaction to that would be, 'Oh my God, my life is over if I fail this History test!'
Retail experiences make you personable, patient and provide understanding of the market. I'd say that is better education than a History exam. I want you to remember that even if your first job is stacking shelves at a supermarket you could use that experience as a stepping stone to your dream job.


Reason 3: What's the point of an English degree?

You don't need to specialise in a subject for each and every job. You don't need a business degree to own a business. You don't need an English degree to get into journalism. You don't need an Art degree to become an Artist - you already are!
If academia isn't for you, take short courses and small jobs that can help you get to where you want to go.

I think it's very unrealistic for society to place so much importance on exams. It's killing the next generation of singers, actors, scientists and business owners. Einstein said that 'if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live it's whole life believing that it is stupid'. We are all different and have our own unique offering for the world. Education comes in all shapes and sizes. You can learn everyday while out and about, on holiday, in your part time job, or on the internet for free.

There's so much more yet to come. You'll succeed in many things beyond your academic life. You just can't see it yet because you're stuck in that tiny bubble of 'If I fail it's the end'. I want you to know that it's never the end. If you fail, don't think this is the end. Never give up on your dreams, don't let exam results define your fate.


Photo Credit: Green Chameleon 
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Steve Jobs said something in his 2005 Stanford University speech that really resonated with me (said nobody ever), but really, I usually go out of my way to block out the wise words of immortalised heroes. I just find it all a bit too cheesy. 

Though I would like to add that I compensate for that with books. I always encourage people to read. Read everything and anything because it really does enrich your mind. If not from me, take it from the 12 year old boy from Utah who asked his mailman if he had any junk mail. 

Since graduating and going through what I think might have been a quarter life crisis I'd taken solace in reading books centered around finding yourself and doing what you truly love for money. Even as child the idea that anyone would commit to a job they didn't enjoy puzzled me. So as the annoying child I was I would go around asking adult family members what they did for a living and most importantly whether they enjoyed it. The answer was almost always 'no' and from that moment on I resolved never to settle for a job I didn't like. 

Giving up on my dreams


So many people give up their dreams for a steady job. In fact most people do. As we grow up the idea of becoming an astronaut or author just becomes 'unrealistic' because of the notions that society places on us. We have fallen so deep into this trap that the saying 'do what you love' has become a cliche. We go to university, get a job, get married, have kids and teach our kids to do the same thing, oh yeah, and die. This vicious cycle continues. What if we weren't designed to do that? What if...

An aunt once told me a number of years ago that if I wanted to be able to afford the make-up and high heels I wanted I would have to 'work hard' for it. What does working hard actually mean? The idea that I'd have to go from one extreme of working hard to pave way for the another extreme of luxury holidays and high heels in my distant future was unappealing to me. So I then decided that I would be content with a job that paid me just enough to go by without starving. 

Something was still nagging at my mind. I couldn't help but feel that life was too short to work a 9 to 5 that I was simply 'content' with. This thought has meant me rejecting a series of day jobs. Don't get me wrong, I never resented any of my day jobs, I've made lots of friends and useful contacts and - shock horror - enjoyed myself a bit. Still, I couldn't find what I called my 'forever job'.

'I don't know what I want to do with my life'


If I had a pound for every time I said that or had that thought I'd be a retired billionaire sipping a mocktail at a hot beach somewhere by now. Deep down I knew what I wanted to become right down to the finest details but I had a hard time admitting it to myself and to others. The fact is, and as both Steve Jobs and John Williams' book Screw Work Lets Play discuss, I was trapped by this dogma which was drowning out my inner voice. This dogma that was telling me that I had to get educated and get a job, work my way up to enjoy the luxuries I wanted, then retire and be too old to enjoy them. Then die.

Steve Jobs said, 'Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice and most importantly have the courage to follow your heart and intuition they somehow already know what you truly want to become, everything else is secondary.'

What do you truly want to become?

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...and cheap.



I've been looking up novelty Kindle cases ever since I bought my Kindle. As my library has fast extended to the attic and I've become a minimalist, now has never been a good time to hold up a ration card on print books. A pleasant to look at ration card that is.

READ: How to Be a Minimalist & Waging War On Junk

As I am also coming to a close on reading the Harry Potter series (again) I know I'll find it really hard to let the story rest and my enthusiasm can live on when reading other books in this Marauder's Map Kindle. A more than subtle nod to my love for Hogwarts. Of course this acts as small extension to my much loved books and merchandise but it brings me joy. Oh I am easily pleased.

In my nostalgic haste I  googled 'what to read after harry potter' (yes, that's actually thing check it out) and somehow stumbled across this case. These things just happen. At only £12.60 it's a bargain for such a premium feel case. It really protects my Kindle and feels comfortable to the touch. I often forget it's not an actual book. You can get it here.

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There's a whole lot of other's to choose from such as Advanced Potion Making, Tales of Beedle The Bard, Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore by Reeta Skeeta and good old Defence Against The Dark Arts. As you can imagine, it was a difficult decision to make and I'll probably get some of the others.

The reason why I chose the Marauder's Map is because it's a magical item I wish I could have. It's presence in the books were really felt. Especially when it was taken from Harry by Barty Crouch disguised as Mad Eye in the Goblet of Fire, and who remembers the moment when Snape attempted to open it with it only snapping back insults?

If you love Harry Potter as much as me, I know you'll love these cases.
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My desk groans with the weight of books never read, an expanding collection of electronic devices and accurately positioned stationary (for decorative purposes only). Let’s not even talk about my inbox. Inbox zero? Extinct. 

Bottles of hairspray gather dust on the bathroom window sill, and the clothing rail in the loft specifically bought for unwanted clothes is creaking at it's hinges. HOLD UP, buying junk to hold my already ever-growing junk? 

It is only when I am stuffing a letter in a neatly organised shelf of junk when I realise that my possessions are taking control of me. This is a hoarder’s attempt at tidying: hiding stuff inside other stuff. Convincing yourself you need this crap until you get the urgent desire for a massive overhaul. Then throwing it all out becomes a bit too much.

'Do I need this?'
'Yes, I need these just in case...' I lie, I make excuses, and soon enough I convince myself it's the truth.

The JUNK is winning.

Enter minimalism. No it's not a cult or some hippie's multi-million pound brain-child. It's a way of life. CLICK TO TWEET THIS Without the abundant clutter of material possessions you’re free to prioritise the stuff that matters: hobbies, work, family. As crazy as that sounds, it's true. Your material possessions may even be affecting your love life!

Minimalism or 'living with less', whatever you choose to call it removes mental chaos usually associated with the sight of a messy desk. This year I have challenged myself to live with less. Goodbye to my previous half-hearted attempts at trying not to make impulse purchases or to save more money. Actively choosing to lead a minimalist lifestyle takes away the hassle of all of that.

READ 7 signs you're already a minimalist.

Decide why you're becoming a minimalist

Here are my three reasons for waging war on 'stuff'.
1 My time would be better spent on people I love than objects I don’t – half a weekend is a ridiculous amount of time to spend tidying my room.
2 The reason why I so enjoy a hotel stay is because I have what I need and I need what I have. 
3 I forget about that really good book I wanted to read because it's been camouflaged by a mass of 'stuff' the past few months.

What's yours? To enjoy clean-space-clean-mind for studying? Stop having to walk past a slush pile of old letters every morning? Whatever it is, make it your mission to eliminate the visual noise now.


Reuse 

Reuse bottles, jars and pots instead of buying containers. Jam and pasta sauce jars are my favourite. Remove the sticker and it's instantly a shiny glass jar. I use jam jars use as brush holders. Buying more to put away the stuff you over-bought just doesn't make sense. CLICK TO TWEET THIS

Digital detox

We live in an age of INSTANT. Instant messaging, instant replies, instant access, instant instant instant. Start by removing email notifications from your phone and give yourself an hour's dedicated time a day to look through emails - only if necessary.

Any overused apps? Move WhatsApp, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook on the fifth page of your phone in a folder named “Must you?”.

Sell. Donate. Trash.

Ask yourself 'do I really need this?'. If the answer is something along the lines of 'maybe' or 'but it was expensive' or 'just in case...' EXTERMINATE. NOW!
Check out this amazing site Freecycle where people donate their unwanted stuff, you can do swaps or just get something for free!

I'll be running a dedicated series on minimalism very soon. Everything from sorting your jewellery collection and DIY draw dividers. Stay in the know by following on Bloglovin', or Twitter.


Tweet me with #BEMinimalist to tell me how you're being minimalist.

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Hey, I'm Malia. I share my passion for intentional living, books and travel. I am a British expat living between the England and Virginia. I moved for love and also share my personal life and travels around America. Find here positivity, personal growth and deep discussions to live consciously.

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