5 Things Friday

1. I am obsessed with this podcast.

2. Indoor kid-fun for dreary winter weather.

3. Things that annoy me.

4. Didn't we just get through Christmas??? And now I have to start making Valentines for the kids??

5. Friday Night Fun for me? I am going home to declutter my closet. I need to pare down stuff I do not like and create some new outfits of the stuff that's left. I am tired of wearing the same stuff over and over again when I have an entire closet and dresser to choose from.

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

Introversion 101

Hi, my name is Michele and I am an introvert.

I have been studying introversion and what it means for me for years. There are endless articles on introverts:

Are you Secretly an Introvert?
Myths About Introverts
Dating While Introverted
Etc., etc., etc.

I bet I read at least one article per day on the topic... and I have learned a lot over the years.

• There are things like the physiological manifestation of introversion which includes low blood pressure. I have struggled with low blood my whole life and it is interesting to now find this correlation.
• It is normal and ok for me to want (ok need) to recharge. And there are countless ways I can do this and still be productive.
• For me, introversion can sometimes mean craving absolute solitude... and that is not uncommon. This post said it well, "The other day I heard a fun-loving morning show radio host say she needs to be in the house alone often in order to be civil.  Having someone in another room of the same house isn’t good enough. She can feel them there. I loved that she said that because I am the same way." Me too!!!
• Being introverted is not an excuse to flake on your friendships. I need my friends... a lot. And sometimes that means stepping outside of my comfort zone, making a plan to see them and keeping that plan. No matter how depleted I may feel at that time. If I waited for that moment I am feeling energized and uber-social to connect... I'd end up a lonely lady crafting nifty cat fur projects.
• There are good and bad jobs for introverts. I wish I had figured this out about 20 years ago before I got into retail management, which is one of the worst possible jobs for my personality. I am now in the career that is much better suited to me and I can feel the anxiety that has lifted from my life due to this career change.
• If it's my birthday, get me something like this.
• And I have so much more to learn. Coming to terms with my introversion has led to much self discovery, but there is much more work I need to do to understand myself and to make living with me easier for my loved ones.

Or if anyone has tips to share, I would love to hear them.

Hello 2017, Goodbye Stuff

Helllooo 2017!!!

No new resolutions here... because who really keeps those? But I did set a few goals. Realistic and attainable goals, because that is what you are supposed to do, right?

First for me is to get rid of 100 things in January. My mantra (and tattoo) have been to live simply for many years now (see that name of my blog??). And I fear that moving from an itty-bitty apartment into a much larger house in 2016 will possibly give me incentive to get more stuff so I want to be cognizant of behaviors and make sure I am still keeping things and distractions and stuff to a minimum in my life.

Starting with purging 100 somethings. I have decided these 100 somethings can be anything from junk email subscriptions to tangible items in my life. Anything that takes up time/space/attention that is giving me nothing in return.

What can I purge? Let's brain storm....


Probably anything found in a "junk drawer".

Clothes not worn for the past 6 months.

Apps from my electronics that I no longer use.

Contacts from my phone that I do not need.

Friends or followers on social media that I really have no interest in learning about.

Paper files. Nearly everything is digital (or can be) now, why keep hard copies?

Paper bills (sign up for paperless instead.)

Electronics cords (I have at least 40 random cords hanging around that I have no use for or idea what they belong to.)

Bathroom trinkets (ie. old makeup, toiletries, gazillion travel shampoo bottles you should donate to a shelter, etc, etc.)

Items you "plan" to fix, mend, sew... etc. If you have not done it within a couple of weeks, will you really ever?

Kids toys that I am only holding onto as some sort of way of keeping my children young.

Pounds! You know, everyone has to throw in the fitness goal at the start of the year, right?

Subscriptions/junk emails. Spend 30 minutes and hit that "unsubscribe" button on every unneeded email and you will save hours of your time scrolling through unnecessary crap in the future.


I have started already and have accomplished a lot in the first week or so. I am up to nearly half of my purge 100 goal.  I think it is easier for me than some, but I truly have no issue in tossing the unnecessary. You can solve so many life issues by simply living with less. And if you have children, you are doing them a huge favor by setting this example early.

HAPPY PURGING!