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More is more | Day 158 of my 2023 Journal

Cecilie Conrad·Jun 7, 2023

The saying “less is more” has been around for a long time, and it makes sense to a lot of people. The minimalist movement has been big, and it is an important one. Stuff, as well as projects, accumulate, and the consumerism culture is moving at high speed.

We all need to stop and think. Some are better at it by nature than others. But there is no way around it. The optimism as to how much work we can get done and how many projects are on the to-do list is huge. In many ways, that is a good thing - the optimism, not the consumerism.

We have to sober up, at least sometimes. Draw a line in the sand. Stop. Buy Nothing Wednesday is a good tradition. The donation month. Whatever system works.

Because more is more, more is actually more. More and more. And we drown. We are consumed by it.

Unless it is more of the good stuff. More of what we want. More love. More strength. More focus. More wisdom. More clarity.

I spend half the day clearing out our van. Even living extremely tiny, things accumulate, and when we are in Denmark, we leave books and drawings, and other valuables in our storage, plus we have good options for donations. So, Silke and I cleared until we were exhausted. Leaving books on the shelf in storage and letting go of projects and clothes to open a better focus and a lighter life.

In the afternoon and evening, we were rewarded with a wonderful time with my husbands' sister and her family; all of her children were home, and we had fun, had conversations, played VR games, and connected deeply in the beautiful summer night. Knowing it is important. Knowing there is love. Sharing ideas, stories, emotions, getting to know each other's children, laughing, and sharing bottles of really nice red wine.

More of that, please. And less stuff to rummage through to find what I am looking for.

Love and light

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Cecilie Conrad

Thank you for reading
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Unschooling and Parent consulting, conversations, blogposts, and podcasts on family life and learning

Hi, I'm Cecilie Conrad. I'm a trained psychologist, mother of four, radical unschooler and full-time traveller. I have lived with unschooling for over a decade and help other families find their own path – whether it is about homeschooling, unschooling, or the bigger question of how you want to live as a family.

I offer guidance, conversations and talks. I call my work grandmothering – not coaching in the traditional sense, but presence, professional insight and concrete help navigating motherhood and finding your way home to your own values.

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