Downsize Your Stuff Upsize Your Joy

One of the…“ahem”…charming facets of growing older is knowing that, eventually, you will need to face all those boxes, bins and basements in order to downsize your lifestyle. Despite our best intentions, most of us have amassed a rather significant amount of STUFF. Sorting through it can seem incredibly daunting, especially if the task is undertaken when the person is older and, perhaps, not in the best health.

Thus, enter the current phenomenon that has us downsizing earlier than ever before.

Adults are seeing the benefits of creating a more manageable lifestyle with a smaller home and yard in their 50s and 60s and not regretting a thing! Imagine reducing your weekly workload and freeing up time to do the things you love like travel, read and visit the grandkids!

According to a 2018 TD Ameritrade survey, 42 percent of Americans plan to downsize in retirement. And, the reasons make perfect sense for any age! • 25 percent plan on moving to a warmer climate; • 17 percent plan to move closer to family; and • Just six percent plan on moving to a senior living community

Deciding to downsize is a decision that requires planning, honest conversation and time. If you are considering getting started on a major life overhaul, here are some steps to make the transition less stressful for you and your family.

START EARLY

“Go through each item one by one,” says Alison Kero, CEO of ACK Organizing in Brooklyn. “It’s important to give everything you own your attention for at least a second or two. It will also help you develop a great decision-making system because you’re learning how to focus and then choose.”

START SMALL

You’re more likely to stick with a task if it’s not overwhelming. Laundry rooms and closets are a great jumping-off point.

ELIMINATE ROOMS THAT YOU WON’T HAVE IN YOUR NEW HOUSE

If your new home doesn’t have a formal dining room, then selling that big table, hutch and eight chairs is a logical choice.

PURGE DUPLICATES

Off the top of your head, how many cookie sheets do you own? Roasting pans? Sets of dishes? These are great opportunities to help a young couple that might be setting up their first home together.

“YES” OR “NO” ONLY, NO “MAYBE” PILES

Take a hard look at every item you pick up. If you use it regularly, keep it. But, it’s time to let something go if it’s been sitting in a closet or on a shelf for a year or more.

BY TABATHA RENEGAR

A CREATIVE WAY TO REDUCE COLLECTIONS

Take high-resolution photos of your snow globe or Hummel collection and have them made into a coffee table book!

BE YOUR OWN SALESPERSON

Consignments shops, yard sales, eBay and Craigslist all make it so easy to not only reduce but recoup a bit of your investments. Just remember, you don’t want to put things back in the house – price them to move!

PLAN LEGACY GIFTS EARLY

Wouldn’t it be nice to see your son, daughter or friend enjoying the family heirlooms you intend for them now rather than keeping them locked up for later TAKE TIME TO REMINISCE

Don’t beat yourself up if a day you intended to be productive turns into a tear-filled day of going through scrapbooks and photo albums! Some amount of nostalgia is healthy, and this is why you started early!

USE THIS AS A CHANCE TO BOND

Some of what you’re sorting through may have never been seen by your family. Invite them over and share the stories that your belongings inspire. Doing so might just turn this milestone into a truly joyful time for you and your loved ones.

Lewisville Laser

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Check our website for information on workshops and Pilates teacher trainings! www.InnerStrengthPilatesNC.com Amy@InnerStrengthPilatesNC.com • 336.813.5320 Where does YOUR Inner Strength come from? Philippians 4:13

BY BROOKE ORR

When I was pregnant with my first child, I read books, spoke to experts, made plans (and contingency plans) on how to keep my daughter safe and healthy once she arrived. This filled the 9 PLUS months of waiting for her to be born, but I soon realized life does not always go according to plan. That parenting lesson became abundantly clear as I tried to navigate parenting during a global pandemic (hint: there were no books, plans or experts on the subject). Thanks to other mothers’ wisdom and strong community support, I learned the most important tools in my “parenting handbook” are listening, empathy, empowerment and mindfulness. These tools take practice but can be used to raise healthy children who become thriving adults.

“The most basic of all human needs is to understand and be understood. The best way to understand people is to listen to them.” ~ Ralph Nichols

An important part of raising physically and emotionally healthy kids is learning to listen to their verbal and non-verbal cues. In the toddler phase, children often have a lot to say and will do whatever it takes to be heard. Practicing listening skills when kids are young makes it more likely they will continue to share the good, bad and ugly as they get older. This allows you to get them to experts like physicians or counselors if needed and give them advice and tools for handling tough situations. Regardless of your children’s ages, make a point to stop and give them your full attention. Make eye contact and repeat back what you hear to show you heard them and to clarify you understood. Listen and respond without judgment, increasing the likelihood your kids will continue to open up to you throughout the years.

“Empathy is when a person accurately communicates that they see another’s intentions and emotional state. It means watching our child’s frustration and focusing on how life feels in that little child’s body while putting our own agenda into the background.” ~ Andrea Nair

Good Start Early Learning says, helping young children develop a strong sense of empathy is beneficial for mental health, success, happiness and reduced stress. Taking the time to model and teach empathy sets the stage for a lifetime of physical and emotional health. The best way to teach kids empathy is to model it. Name your feelings to your child (as appropriate) and help them name theirs. When watching TV and reading together, pause to ask how they think the characters feel and why.

“Affirming words from moms and dads are like light switches. Speak a word of affirmation at the right moment in a child’s life, and it’s like lighting up a whole roomful of possibilities.” The dictionary defines empowerment as the process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one’s life and claiming one’s rights. Empowered children are more likely to be resilient children and adults who will advocate to meet their physical and mental health needs. Psychology Today says empowering children is guiding them to persevere when obstacles arise. Maureen Healy, the author of the article “Empowering Kids,” suggests parents reflect their child’s abilities, skills and qualities, so they see themselves as highly valuable, talented and capable. In addition, encourage your child to take appropriate risks and give him or her the opportunity to make age-appropriate choices. As they take risks and make choices, help them work through what worked and didn’t work, what they learned and, most importantly, what they will try next time.

“The path to a healthy body and happy soul is based upon self-study, mindfulness, love and awareness.”

~ Unknown

As a dietitian and mom, I have seen the positive effects of supporting mindful eating in children. Mindful eating allows children to recognize their unique physical needs and empowers them to meet them. They learn to decide what and how much to eat based on how their body feels in the moment, using basic nutrition as a guide while still practicing flexibility in their food choices. Learning to accept the present without judgment helps children accept their body size without comparison and shame. These important skills reduce disordered eating, yo-yo dieting and increase overall happiness. Jordan Harrold, LCSW says mindfulness is not about “doing it right;” it’s about paying attention while doing it. She suggests practicing the following mindfulness activities with your kids:

• Deep breathing. Breathe in through the nose (like smelling a flower) and out through the mouth (like blowing bubbles, not blowing candles out).

• Take time to notice. Name five things you see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell and one thing you can taste.

emerson designs

February 2021

Emerson Designs

2021

Move | Play | Visit | Live | Dine | Shop | Open a Business Celebrating Life in Lewisville-Clemmons graphic design services 252.558.2331 aron.emersondesigns@gmail.com

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