Sonder, struggles and stuff

We’re all just doing our best which is something that we often forget and it might be the reason why we’re often so quick to judge others.

We so easily get caught up in our own world, our own challenges, experiences and struggles that we don’t consider everyone else is going through things too.

You might be struggling with anxiety but someone else may have financial issues and be struggling to pay their bills. People don’t often share what they’re going through (especially not with strangers) so all we know is our own personal stuff that we’re carrying around with us.

But, I think it would be naive to say let’s all share our struggles and challenges.

However, when you’re going through things I think it’s important to remember that everyone else goes through things too.

Not as a way to invalidate your own experiences but to help you realise that it’s totally normal to have challenges and difficult experiences in life.

And once you truly realise that for yourself, extend that to everyone you meet.

Everything must go!

There’s a lesson in almost everything.

How much stuff are you holding onto that doesn’t feel good.

Think about who or what you’re following on social media, what are you subscribed to, the contents of your closet or home space.

How does it make you feel?

If it doesn’t feel good, why not?

Furthermore, why are you still holding onto it?

A think a bi-annual (if not seasonal) life cull is a useful way to ensure that you’re only letting the good stuff stay. It’s important to be strict when you cull or else you end up keeping things for no real reason, you have to be honest with yourself about what you actually want or need in your life.

Do you need those slingbacks from 6 years ago that you’ve only worn once?

Do you need to keep following that stranger who is friends with that super hardworking, inspiring and stylish woman (who is also a stranger)?

Or how about that book you know you’ll never read or those old bedsheets that are just taking up space?

If it’s not something you use, know you will use or doesn’t serve any purpose in your life aside from being clutter then there’s not much use holding onto it.

When you’re going on a journey, you can’t take everything with you.

Everything, apart from stuff

In the 7 years that I’ve been blogging, I’ve had multiple sites but never ran more than one at a time. I was always starting over every 18 months or so with this idea of how the new blog would be ‘so much better’ than it’s predecessor.

I found myself struggling with wanting to express every part of myself into my blog when in reality it’s perfectly okay for your blog to only show a small slice of who you are.

I’m learning that it’s okay to just write about a select few topics that interest me rather than trying to pour out and express every single bit of who I am. It’s okay to write about small businesses, personal style, my career journey and a bit of personal development.

I don’t also need to post poetry, life musings, feelings, book reviews, TV shows, podcasts, travel etc. It all becomes to much.

I created this blog as a writing space to pour out thoughts and ideas and for it to be my own personal writing practice that isn’t about working with brands, or sharing products or talking about stuff. In some ways this is more daunting because it’s just me showing up and sharing words each day but on the other hand 10+ years of keeping a journal has taught me how to express my thoughts and ideas consistently every single day.