We all have a closet of “someday.” Someday I’ll wear that dress. Someday I’ll learn to use that bread maker. Someday I’ll get back into that hobby.
But here’s the hard truth: “someday” rarely comes.
When I was minimizing, I realized most of my “someday” stuff was actually holding me back. The dress mocked me for not being a different size. The kitchen gadget reminded me of a skill I never picked up. The supplies collected dust and guilt.
So I let them go. And you know what? Someday never mattered. What mattered was today. Today I had space in my closet. Today I had less guilt. Today I had more room to live.
If you’re stuck with “someday” things—ask yourself: would keeping this make my today better? If not, it’s time to let it go.
I’ll never forget the first morning I walked into my living room after a week of minimizing. The shelves were clear, the coffee table was bare, and for the first time in years—I could see space.
It felt like my home was breathing again.
That’s the thing about clutter. It sneaks up on you. You don’t notice how much noise it makes until it’s gone. Once I cleared it out, I realized how heavy it had felt to live with it. Every corner, every pile, every drawer was a to-do list I hadn’t tackled.
Minimalism gave me permission to put that burden down. And now, when I walk into my home, I don’t feel the weight of “should.” I just feel peace.
If your home feels heavy, maybe it’s time to give it a chance to breathe again.
If I had waited for the “perfect” time to start my health journey, I’d still be sitting in my recliner with my joints aching, telling myself, “Next Monday.”
The truth? I started when my gallbladder was making my life miserable. I was in pain, bloated, and tired all the time. Hardly the Instagram-worthy “new year, new me” moment.
But I was done waiting. I swapped my comfort food for real food, cut back on drinks, and figured out how to move my body without injuring it. And you know what? Starting imperfectly still worked.
Don’t wait for a perfect Monday. Start on a random Thursday at 3 p.m. with whatever you’ve got. You’ll thank yourself later.
I’ve been asked this in some shape or form. How do I convince my husband, wife, child, roommate, sister, parents to be a minimalist, declutter, be organized. The words are interchangeable but the solution is the same for every recipe.
You don’t.
The truth is your stewardship is first with yourself. I started my journey to simpler living by choosing what worked for me. Small steps like getting up at 3AM and going to bed at 7PM. I did that for a week then my husband joined me. Eventually I started working out. During that time I also found a podcast called The Minimalists. Listening to them while I went for morning walks motivated me to start to declutter and minimize my possessions.
Did I talk to my husband about it? No. He came home one day to most of my clothing gone from the closet and saw I’d listed a lot of other stuff on Marketplace. He asked me if I was leaving him, half joking, I laughed and said I was just simplifying my life. By getting rid of what I didn’t need I was making room for what was important.
That was it. I went about minimizing what was mine for about 6 weeks. Donating, gifting, selling, and trashing anything that didn’t make the cut. I was ruthless. Also I added the money earned to a joint savings account. My husband after about a month started doing it himself. We didn’t have a big conversation or a come to Jesus about it. It was quiet easy and purely personal choice
So my advice is to start with yourself pursue your own joy and then see what happens.
Let me tell you about my first real workout in years—it was… walking in a circle. Yep. At the YMCA. On a cushioned track. Over and over and over again.
At first, it felt almost embarrassing. Was this even a workout? I wasn’t sweating buckets or gasping for air. But it was the first thing I found that didn’t wreck my joints or leave me limping the next day.
For two years, I walked that track 3-5 days a week with my husband. No gym intimidation, no pain, no fancy equipment—just us and our sneakers. I walked the circle while he lifted weights and the magic? I actually looked forward to it.
Sometimes the “best workout” isn’t the one that burns the most calories—it’s the one you can actually keep doing.
If you’ve ever looked at the road ahead and thought, “No way, too far, too much”—welcome to the club. Two years ago, I looked at my health and thought the same thing. Nearly 300 lbs, multiple surgeries behind me, joint pain like I was 90 years old, and a track record of yo-yo dieting that could fill its own Netflix series.
But here’s what I learned: big changes start with tiny wins. Not the flashy, “I lost 20 lbs in 2 weeks” kind of wins, but the kind where you quietly swap your nightly soda for water, or you choose the 10-minute walk instead of the couch nap.
The best part? Those small, unsexy changes stack up. A 10-minute walk turned into 20. Skipping soda turned into enjoying food without cravings controlling me. And before I knew it, I was 94 lbs down, walking pain-free, and feeling like my future just opened up again.
If you’re overwhelmed, start so small it almost feels silly. It works. (Inspired by Atomic Habits, and yes, I still recommend it.)
I have been on a health journey my whole life. But now in my 40’s and as an empty nester I am finally making lasting changes.
For several years I had one health repair after another, thyroidectomy, complications from said surgery, partial hysterectomy (that one I loved) then finally I a gallbladder eviction.
This was all over the course of 3-5 years.
Two years ago, thanks to the pain from having my gallbladder whither, I was very motivated to change my eating and drinking habits. Then after the surgery I continued the same lifestyle changes.
After I healed I wanted to be active. But I was almost 300 lbs and had some joint complications from some of my autoimmune disorders. If you’ve ever been obese and then tried to be active you know the pain. In another season I used to walk 40 miles a week. But I was also on phentermine and in my 20’s. While I was losing weight, I was also losing muscle mass. I was not doing it correctly and did eventually gain it back.
Now in my 40’s I am wiser and looking for lifestyle changes I can sustain and enjoy
But where to start with my fitness?
I tried to walk outside. While I love it cement, and black top are too hard on my body at that size. Pool? Can’t do it I get too many yeast infections. Walking on a treadmill? Same issues as walking outside. Then I found the YMCA in my town has a walking track inside made of a thick matt that circles the work out area. For 2 years I went and walked 3-5 days a week with my husband. I also started incorporating stretches and massage therapy. Now 2 years I am 6 pounds away from losing my 100lb weight loss goal.
I feel amazing and I’m inspired to try many new things or to pick up things I promised myself I’d do when I was an empty nester or healthier. Two promises I’m keeping to myself. Now I workout in a personal home cardio room where I actually walk on a treadmill. (I actually enjoy it and have no pain!) I have so much more energy but mostly I have more joy.
And this all started by small and simple changes. (Learned from reading book Atomic Habits)
I’ve been asked if I can link some of the things that have helped. They are below. And I do make a small commission off some of these. FYI we all trying to hustle out here.
Over a year ago I used to be very into seasonal décor, specifically with an attachment to Fall and Halloween décor. I used to be the place where we all gathered at every holiday and family event.
We now do it but with less members and that’s ok.
I no longer decorate seasonally except for plants and a Christmas tree. So, I sold or donated most of my seasonal décor with the exceptions of some wreaths. And that’s ok
The value and time that minimizing these events and accoutrements made way for less mental, physical and emotional clutter.
While I still enjoy the décor I do it from online or in a store. If a spooky loving baddie posts their décor, I don’t judge them or even envy them. I can start up if I want to. I talk about how awesome the set-up is. Sometimes when I’m out I’ll sent photos of where they can get unique stuff and let them know.
I live my days being creative in other ways while also having a sense of peace with the amount of energy and time I’ve save by not taking down and putting back up seasonal displays.
I also have my attention more in the present which is why I was able to appreciate this spider web. I guess I am still decorating seasonally I just lean more to the organic.
What say you are you a seasonal decorator or a minimal decorator?
As a person I have a habit of being invested in people’s success. I don’t pray for people I root for them like they are my children. Which to some can be overwhelming when I ask a lot of questions. When you answer these questions, I’m hearing you and seeing all the steps it takes to reach the goal that you claim you want to reach.
And guess what I’m invested in you reaching that goal too! I’m your cheerleader. I’ll send you a text asking about how it’s going. I’ll see something you mentioned you need and I’ll get it and give it to you. My hair dresser and my nail tech are close friends and I have the best appointment just talking about their wins and their challenges.
I’ve thought everyone knew that was my reason behind it…until recently.
I was speaking to someone and they said you already know the answer so why you being nosey. Only I didn’t know that was the answer which is why I asked for clarification.
When they said that it planted a seed in me that maybe I need to be more clear and gave me an opportunity to reflect. (Only after I was offended. Because ya’ll I’m human.) So in the future if you catch me asking a lot of questions its because I want to help.
A Journey of Rediscovery, Fulfillment, and Self-Respect
When the house is hushed and the last child’s laughter has faded into memory, a new chapter begins—one written in the ink of promises made long ago. As an empty nester, I find myself looking back to those challenging, beautiful, and sometimes exhausting years as a stay-at-home mom. In the quiet spaces now, I hear the echoes of the commitments I made not only to my family, but to myself. This is the story of how I have chosen, at last, to honor those promises—breathing life into dreams deferred and nurturing the self that waited patiently in the wings.
Remembering the Promises
Motherhood, especially the stay-at-home kind, is often characterized by self-sacrifice. It is about prioritizing the needs of children, family, and home above all else. Yet, within that selfless devotion, there were moments when I paused and quietly vowed: “When the time is right, I will…” Sometimes these promises were whispered late at night, as I tucked away another day’s worth of worries, or scribbled in the margins of a planner filled with boy scouts, dentist appointments, and science projects.
I promised to return to my art—the writing. I promised to travel, to places both near and far, that called to me from travel magazines and friends’ stories. I promised to invest in my health, to read more fiction, to reconnect with friends, to sit in silence and let my own thoughts become my companions. I promised to rediscover the woman I was before children, and to meet anew the woman who had grown in the years since.
These days I ease into my morning with my favorite person, my husband Chris. I get more done before 9AM than the person I was before could have done. And the best part is I love every thing I’m doing. It’s honoring promise made to this future version of myself. My confidence is at an all time high. Not to mention my life is thriving in most areas from health to wealth. While I understand that some people are dreading the empty nest. I’ve looked forward to it. The kids I invest in so much have launched and are now blossoming into the independent adults I knew they could be. And now it’s time for my chapter to blossom.
Bri Clark 