Less In 2023

This is my sixth year to choose a word for the year, believe it or not. Funnily enough, I feel like I’ve almost come full circle. My first word in 2018 was abundance and today I’m sharing my goal of less. And really – they are the same idea. They’re about being content with what I have and finding the kernel of importance in what’s around me.

I had almost chosen thread for the year, thanks to the poem that Juliann first shared back in 2021. It was also on the top of my list for 2022 and I think it’s an excellent word. But less came to me while washing dishes a couple of weeks ago and it’s a very good fit for what I need out of the year.

I’m making lists of ideas, just brainstorming, in my notebooks. What would less look like in my life?

Simply put: less clutter, less waste, less spending.

“Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” –William Morris

Seems super simple right? But I’m not so good at being content with less despite knowing that all of the stuff cluttering up my home is a big part of what is overwhelming me day in and day out. I know my home will never look like it’s out of the pages of a meditation magazine, but less stuff can make a big difference.

“Make things as simple as possible but no simpler.” — Albert Einstein

2023 will be the year that we cinch our belts tightly. We’ve made huge sacrifices to allow me to be a stay at home mom the last few years and those will be increasing this year. So I’m going to try to stretch our budget in creative and delicious ways and would like to share my efforts here. I’ve been inspired by Torrie at To Love and To Learn and her year of frugality. My goal is to live well on less — and I know it’s possible!

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I hope to share more about my first steps next week. Colton came home from school early on Thursday with the flu and we have all fallen ill since. It’s been a hard weekend and I’m in no place to write much more today! But this was a good first step. I have enjoyed reading everyone else’s introductions to their words over the last few weeks and am looking forward to seeing how the year unfolds for us all. I hope to be back on Wednesday with a bookish update. Until then — take good care.