Month: September 2026

FEELING OVERWHELMED

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Do you ever feel like no matter how much you do or how hard you work your to-do list just keeps growing instead of shrinking? It feels like having too many tabs open on your computer. It feels like dishes that keep piling up even though you swear you just cleaned the kitchen. It feels like laundry that never ends. Your chest feels tight, and if you paid attention you would notice that you are breathing quickly. It’s Overwhelm. We all have seasons where we are overwhelmed. Where it just feels like there is too much to do. Too much for one human to possibly ever get done. But most of the time this is just a season. Overwhelm is not a personal flaw, instead it is just a signal to us to evaluate how we are managing life.

Experiencing overwhelm is a normal human condition. It often comes from trying to control things we can’t control, like people, outcomes, or timing. And sometimes that is in conjunction with neglecting to focus on the one thing we are in control of – our responses. There is a quote from one of the Stoics, Epictetus, that speaks to this. The quote says, “No matter what happens, it is within my power to turn it to my advantage.” This isn’t about pretending hard things are good, or pretending like this season is not hard at all. Instead, it is about choosing your angle. Shifting your mindset is always the key to dealing with a tough situation or season of life. Reframing your mindset helps you to see the good within the difficult situation. For example, with feeling overwhelmed – instead of crying and balling up in the fetal position, realize that the feeling of overwhelm is trying to tell you something. Maybe it is a signal that you need to set boundaries, acknowledging that you don’t have the bandwidth for everything that needs to get done. Are there things you can say “no” to? Or it could be signaling to you that you need to ask for help. Are there tasks you have on your to-do list that you could delegate to someone else?

There are some seasons that we just have more on our plates. I will often write about a topic that is relevant to me at the moment on these Thursday posts. I’m speaking to myself just as much as I am trying to encourage you! I have definitely felt the overwhelm creeping in as we get closer to our move. For those of you who don’t know, we currently live in Austin, Texas but one of our sons lives in Portland and we are planning to move to the PNW within the next 6 months. I feel pretty overwhelmed by everything that needs to get done before that move. But I recognize that part of feeling overwhelmed is my brain thinking I must do everything at once. I have tried tricks like making a list, but I am still feeling that pressure because all of the things that need to get done are not simple nor are they fun! But I just keep reminding myself to just keep working on a little bit every day. When I work with clients who feel overwhelmed in their spaces I remind them of that saying: how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

Sometimes when we are in a crazy busy season it can be more overwhelming to write everything down. Instead I wanted to give you some specific things you can do to feel more grounded if you are in a season of overwhelm. I am going to implement these ideas as well. First, continuing any daily healthy habits you have in your routine. This can keep you grounded in general. Things like daily walking, exercising, drinking plenty of water, and/or spending time in prayer or meditation. All of these things help to reset our nervous systems. Something else you could do is write down specific micro actions you can take today or this week instead of writing out the entire to-do list. Like I mentioned, we can only eat an elephant one bite at a time. Taking those larger, less manageable tasks and breaking it down into micro tasks can make it feel less daunting. Lastly, you can name one thing that is within your control today. Being reminded of what you are in control of can go a long way to helping you reframe. Even in busy seasons of life, we can embrace that it is within our power to turn it to our advantage. If this resonated with you or you have been feeling overwhelmed lately, let me know what ideas I shared today will you implement to help you navigate this season of life!

Here is the YouTube video I shared in conjunction with this blog post!

FINDING COZY WITHIN MINIMALISM

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Fall is my favorite time of year. Perhaps it’s because I have lived in Austin for almost 25 years and fall signals the beginning of cooler weather – a much needed reprieve from the months of oppressive heat. But fall is also the time of year we can embrace the cozy vibes. Warm coffee, cozy blankets, fuzzy pillows, and fragrant smells of fall baking and fall candles.This is the time of year that can be so tempting to get caught up in the current of consumerism. It starts with the beginning of the school year – new clothes, new shoes, school supplies, then trickles into new fall decor, new candles, Starbucks new fall flavored drinks. Then we roll into the holidays – Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. With these come more spending. We all want our spaces to feel cozy! But today I want to talk about something I’ve wrestled with for years: how to create spaces that are minimal and cozy. Some of this spending is inevitable. But I do think we can create cozy homes with what we have.

When I first started pursuing minimalism, I thought, “I could never be a minimalist.” I love decorating our home and making it feel inviting — that didn’t seem to fit the minimalist mold or minimalist aesthetic. I have been pursuing minimalism for over a decade, and I’ve realized minimalism isn’t one-size-fits-all. There’s no single definition, no box to check. To me, it simply means living with the things I use and love. With that in mind, here are the ways I keep my home cozy and inviting while still leaning into minimalism.

Finding the balance is one of the most important things. Balancing minimal and cozy hasn’t come naturally — I love decorating, but I don’t want my spaces to feel cluttered either. For me, it’s been a process of trial and error: setting up decor, living with it, and deciding if it feels right. The longer I’ve pursued minimalism, the easier that balance has gotten. And over the years I have found I actually enjoy a more minimally decorated home. Each person needs to find the balance that works for them!

Rotate instead of accumulate is something that has helped me on my minimalism journey when it comes to decor.  I do have holiday pieces like my stash for fall and Christmas, but most of my decor could work year-round. I have found just rearranging it for a new look helps curb my decor shopping. Moving pieces to a different room or setup keeps things feeling fresh without adding to my collection of decor. I also lean toward decor that transitions well across seasons, so I’m not packing everything up every few months.

Cozy isn’t always about stuff.  One of the biggest shifts for me has been realizing that cozy doesn’t have to mean more things — it’s a feeling you can create. This is the idea behind hygge (pronounced “hoo-gah”), a cultural practice that originated in Denmark and is embraced across the Nordic countries. It’s centered on engaging the five senses: layering different textures with pillows and blankets, using ambient lighting, playing calming music, lighting a candle, running a diffuser, or having something baking in the oven. A home-cooked meal or a warm loaf of bread can make a space feel cozy all on its own. Cozy minimalism is also about the people in the room. Creating a space where friends and family feel welcome — prioritizing conversation, hugs, or curling up together under a blanket — often does more for that inviting feeling than any object could. If anything, too much stuff can get in the way of those moments.

Order creates calm in your home.  A cozy space is also an orderly one. Clutter in our physical space tends to create clutter in our minds, and that’s not exactly peaceful. A clean, tidy space naturally feels cozier — and that’s a lot easier to maintain with less to take care of in the first place. When I first started exploring minimalism, the sparse, stripped-down spaces I saw in blog posts and videos didn’t appeal to me at all. But I’ve learned there’s a real balance to strike — and that minimal and cozy can absolutely coexist. I’d love to hear from you in the comments! Are you working toward that same balance between minimal and cozy? Or how do you make your space feel cozy for fall?

Here is the YouTube video I shared in conjunction with this blog post.