Adding and taking

You're looking at a small part of my living room, part of my couch and a coffee table. It's a new style. No, I don't mean the couch and the coffee table, they're the same ones as before, there's just less cushions and things on the table. It's part of new plan, a minimalistic approach, that I'm trialling. I wrote about it here which is when the journey began and have since added some additional elements, although taken away some additional elements is probably more accurate considering I'm after a minimalistic style.

I was against the idea, I love cushions and photo frames, little ornaments and candles all over the place, but I promised my man I'd try something new and I've been happily surprised at how it's made me feel.

_{I took this image}

If you've been reading my posts, you'll know I have a serious health situation to work around with my mother currently. It's taken most of my focus and I've been...tangled in my thoughts, is probably how I'd describe it.

With so much on my mind and me struggling with it, my partner suggested we simplify things a little and that started with some of the things I do, the everyday things that life entails. He's always been helpful, I can't complain, however he has taken on a lot more leaving me with much less to do and more time to think or spend on the health things my mother requires. It's difficult for him as he has a lot to do already, however he made me promise to leave it for him and he is making it work. I'm more grateful than he could ever know.

Minimising my workload has reduced the amount I have to think about as much as the things I have to do and I feel much more clarity of thought which leads to better decisions and more effective actions. Can being minimalistic refer to one's thoughts also? I think so.

That minimalistic approach soon expanded, probably because he's doing all the household chores now and has to move things as he goes, to the actual house itself when my man suggested we take away some of the things we (mainly I) have around leaving it clearer and more open in appearance. I was against it, but it worked. I guess it's no different to my workspace, I like to keep it very tidy and free from superfluous things, and I've always believed a cluttered workspace reflects a cluttered mind. I guess I didn't see those things in my home as clutter, more the accoutrements of life.

It's been a nice journey and something we've enjoyed doing together; it's also given me a different focus and taken my mind off some of the less-pleasant aspects of the situation.

I freely admit that taking a minimalistic approach with the house has helped to bring greater clarity in my mind and my partner has helped as well of course, doing all the chores. I'm feeling better at the moment; yes, still very upset and concerned, but I feel more able to deal with some of those other emotions.

We've just finished some more house things and my man is having a shower so I thought I'd quickly write this out. we're watching movies tonight; what better thing to do on a Saturday night? I have dinner in the oven, a lovely pasta bake we'll have with a side salad, and then we'll settle in for the night and to enjoy the rest of our weekend.

Becca 💗