When you think of the word minimalism, what comes to mind? Maybe you think of Marie Kondo’s hit Netflix show. Maybe you think of a millennial who doesn’t have time, space, or money for a lot of material items. Or maybe you think of a plain home lacking character. There are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to minimalism, but the reality is that it can be great for your family, your personal life, and your budget.

Back in 2020 when the world went on pause, we saw a massive decrease in structure. Schedules were wiped clean of any obligations, games, practices, and extracurriculars in general, leaving wide open spaces on many calendars. For some, it was relaxing at first. It was a reason to step back and take inventory of what was important and what could take a backseat. However, as time went on, it became apparent that too much free time was detrimental for many people, whether socially, mentally, emotionally, or physically.

Think about a machine. What does it do? How does it perform efficiently? How is it assembled? Every machine is a little different with all the moving parts, but the one thing all machines have in common is that they all need grease to work properly or there’s potential for a lot of friction.

Roxanne and I bought six new horse troughs in the spring and turned them into raised garden beds. After caring for them all summer we are now starting to see the benefits of our efforts and are yielding a harvest of delicious vegetables. As wonderful as this is, the harvest is only a small part of what having a garden can do for you.

In today’s busy world, it\’s hard to picture sitting down together as a family and having dinner every night. There are sports games to attend, practices to get to and homework to do. In the midst of it all, the most important things can easily take a back seat.

It’s 2021, and parenting looks different than it has before. Over the past year, there have been countless changes that teens have had to face and parents have had to navigate through. Events were canceled, school was online for many teenagers, and more time was spent at home as a family.

A few months back, Homeward Bound Clinical Director, Kelly Olsen and I recorded a podcast discussing the challenges that arise when a teen returns home from treatment.

Two weeks ago a reminder popped up in my email. It suggested that I might be interested in what I wrote in my online journal 10 years ago. Because I had made a mental note that journaling again would definitely be part of 2021, I opened the document with anticipation.