No pictures this week for my yarn along post. Why not? Well, thank you dear reader for asking! The short answer, I haven’t knit anything since last week, and I figured you didn’t need to see ANOTHER picture of the front of Emma’s sweater 🙂 The longer answer? It is absolutely beautiful outside, and has been for the last week. With temps projected to be near 90 the rest of the week, I am most definitely outside in my garden!
I have been reading though. Today I want to introduce you all to a GREAT book by Lorilee Lippincott of Loving Simple Living. It is called 321 Stop – stop running and start living.
From the book site:
3-2-1 Stop is a how-to memoir of learning to love simple living. Lorilee uses personal stories, as well as tips learned along the way, showing how to create a life that makes space for what is most important. Embracing minimalism, she tackles and teaches how to make the hard decisions of simplify the home as well as the schedule. She understands that a full life, really doesn’t need to be that ‘full’ at all. Beyond that, Lorilee addresses the hidden emotional hoarding that keeps our souls running.
I really enjoyed this book. I have been going through a purging phase recently by way of Organized Simplicity, but this book goes beyond becoming clutter free. It puts the *stuff* out of your life, but also out of your thinking. 3-2-1 Stop allows you to take a look at your whole life, and what you want to accomplish. What is important to you? She is not saying get rid of everything you own, although you may want to when you finish this book! Instead, she is giving you permission to let go of what may not be healthy in your life right now.
I had the opportunity to ask Lorilee a few questions:
What was the biggest driving factor for such a drastic
change from the normal American lifestyle?
change from the normal American lifestyle?
It doesn’t seem near as drastic now. When we really decided
to make a change I was very overwhelmed and stressed out with everything I was
trying to balance. As a family we really
wanted to travel and have more time with the kids but we never had money and we
were always to busy. We can’t grow a
money tree and play all day, but making the changes we did made a huge
difference to both finances and time.
to make a change I was very overwhelmed and stressed out with everything I was
trying to balance. As a family we really
wanted to travel and have more time with the kids but we never had money and we
were always to busy. We can’t grow a
money tree and play all day, but making the changes we did made a huge
difference to both finances and time.
How would you encourage someone just starting on this path
of simplicity/minimalism?
of simplicity/minimalism?
It isn’t as big of a deal as it seems right now. When we first started getting rid of stuff
and talking about moving it seemed like this huge thing to us. It was hard to figure out what we actually
wanted to keep and getting rid of stuff was hard. We thought that people might think we were
going broke or crazy. Looking back
months later I hardly remember the stuff we got rid of. People probably still think we are a bit
crazy, but most people are curious and interested. I would rather be a bit crazy and interesting
than normal anyways 🙂
and talking about moving it seemed like this huge thing to us. It was hard to figure out what we actually
wanted to keep and getting rid of stuff was hard. We thought that people might think we were
going broke or crazy. Looking back
months later I hardly remember the stuff we got rid of. People probably still think we are a bit
crazy, but most people are curious and interested. I would rather be a bit crazy and interesting
than normal anyways 🙂
So go for it! Keep on. It is worth it!
What was the hardest part of your journey?
In the minimalism journey it was the fear of what people
would think. I still struggle with
it. With writing the book the whole
thing has been scary as well. People
talk about the problem of writers block but I think it is much harder to get
over the fear that no one will want to read what I have written.
would think. I still struggle with
it. With writing the book the whole
thing has been scary as well. People
talk about the problem of writers block but I think it is much harder to get
over the fear that no one will want to read what I have written.
How have your kids reacted to the change in their lives?
Well, they were little when we did our dramatic change and
move last year. Ages 4 and 7. They want time and space to play, they want
attention and love and family time.
Stuff or no stuff isn’t much of a deal to them. They are enjoying less stuff when it comes
time to clean up 🙂 My daughter talks
about wanting her own room again someday and my son wants to live in a hotel…
so we can never make them both happy.
move last year. Ages 4 and 7. They want time and space to play, they want
attention and love and family time.
Stuff or no stuff isn’t much of a deal to them. They are enjoying less stuff when it comes
time to clean up 🙂 My daughter talks
about wanting her own room again someday and my son wants to live in a hotel…
so we can never make them both happy.
What overall message do you want people to take away from
your book?
your book?
I want people to understand that they are in control of
their life. If we are stressed or
overwhelmed it is because we have allowed to much to get in. I want people to realize that they can choose
the life they want instead of just living the life that society has handed
them. Intentional living is the core.
their life. If we are stressed or
overwhelmed it is because we have allowed to much to get in. I want people to realize that they can choose
the life they want instead of just living the life that society has handed
them. Intentional living is the core.
Lorilee has been gracious enough to offer THREE copies of her new e-book! Please leave a comment on this post in order to enter the give away. For extra entries you can do the following – just leave a comment saying you did it:
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I am of course linking up at the yarn along, hopefully everyone else made more progress on their knitting than I did 🙂
I follow you, of course!
Added it to my Barefoot by the Sea page on FB
This looks like a great book! Thanks for the chance!
I'm intrigued….
Sounds interesting! We are in the process of searching for a new home and the thought of moving all our 'stuff' is concerning me. Would love to receive '3-2-1 Stop' for some help!
Enjoy your time in the garden. There are always enough times for knitting when the sun is not shining. And the book sounds great 😉
Ah the garden calling. I'll be downing my knitting sticks and heading for the bean sticks as soon as its warmer. The book sounds interesting.
This sounds like a great book.
sounds like just the book I am needing right now. Thanks for the chance.
Sounds like a great book! Would love a chance to win! 🙂
That sounds like an amazing book. Sign me up for a chance to win, please!
At first, from the cover, I thought the book was about exercising! 🙂 But minimalism? Now that's something I'm interested in!
This looks like a great find and so in tune with where I am at these days. Now if I could just convinced my husband…..
It sounds like a lovely book and that it matches watch we try to achieve in our lifestyle.
Sounds like a wonderful ebook – we have embraced a similar lifestyle.
I know just what you mean about not knitting as much – the weather is amazing!
Wow that sounds like a great book. That is exactly what my husband and I are trying to achieve in our lives as well. Great post!
sounds like my kind of book!!! we downsized nearly 14 years ago–now live in 1000 square foot bungalow/got rid of over 1/2 of our possessions and it was THE BEST THING WE EVER DID!!! I know we could do more. Keep on track—you'll never regret it!!!
It sounds like a very interesting book! Not much knitting going on over at my house either! I've found I like embroidery (and I can't do 2 things at once) and I can't find a knitting pattern that is inspiring me right now….could be because we've had high temperatures here this week and the though of knitting wool isn't very appealing at the moment!
not a lot of knitting going on over here either……spring has sprung!! Thanks for the book review it looks really interesting!!!
That is a book I could really use– I will check it out. Thanks for reviewing and for interviewing the author–great questions!
Sounds like a very interesting book :). I am sorry your knitting hasn't progressed further! But I completely understand the reason 😉
What a thoughtful giveaway and something I think many of us could benefit from in this day and time. Thank you.