21 Things I Quit to Simplify My Life | Minimalism, slow living, mum lifestyle

Summary

In this video, the speaker shares a personal list of 21 things they've quit to simplify their life, ranging from reducing recipe variety and grocery shopping to minimizing skincare routines and avoiding trends. They discuss the impact of these changes, such as saving time, reducing waste, and improving mental health. The speaker also touches on more profound topics like dealing with infertility, the pressure of social media trends, and the decision to stop using credit cards. The video is a reflection on intentional living and invites viewers to consider their own habits that could be simplified.

Takeaways

• 🍽️ Stopped seeking new recipes constantly and simplified meals with familiar ones.
• 🛒 Quit in-person grocery shopping for home delivery to save time and reduce impulse buying.
• 🛍️ Stopped using disposable plastic bags in favor of reusable ones to reduce waste.
• 🥘 Stopped storing Tupperware without lids to declutter and simplify kitchen storage.
• 🧖‍♀️ Stopped frequently testing new skincare products and stuck to a few basics that work.
• 👖 Quit following fashion trends and focused on personal style and comfort.
• 💸 Stopped buying things just because they're on sale to avoid unnecessary purchases.
• 🛍️ Quit using shopping as a coping mechanism for dealing with emotions or stress.
• 👕 Quit ironing most clothes and opted for air-drying to reduce household chores.
• 👙 Quit buying clothes that require special bras and found alternatives for comfort.
• 🩸 Quit using tampons due to health concerns and switched to a menstrual cup.
• 🏡 Quit buying excessive decor without a specific use or place in the home.
• 🧺 Stopped letting household chores pile up and implemented routines to manage them.
• 👶 Quit keeping too many hand-me-downs for children that may not get used.
• 📱 Turned off non-essential notifications on the phone to reduce distractions.
• 📺 Quit watching or listening to the news constantly to protect mental health.
• 🤗 Stopped trying to please everyone and focused on personal well-being.
• 📝 Stopped making overly long to-do lists and focused on a few key tasks each day.
• 🏖️ Quit feeling obligated to take expensive family trips every year to focus on quality time over cost.
• 💳 Quit using credit cards to avoid overspending and live within means.
• 🎁 Quit exchanging gifts with spouse to focus on the essence of the relationship beyond material things.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the video script?

The main purpose of the video script is to share personal experiences and strategies for simplifying one's life by quitting certain habits or practices that the speaker has found beneficial.

How does the speaker suggest simplifying meal planning?

The speaker suggests simplifying meal planning by creating a list of familiar recipes that can be made by heart, and selecting a few for the weekly meal plan without constantly seeking new ideas.

What is the speaker's view on grocery shopping?

The speaker prefers grocery deliveries over in-person shopping to save time and reduce impulse buying, mentioning a Tesco delivery service they use that offers unlimited deliveries for a monthly fee.

Why did the speaker quit using plastic bags?

The speaker quit using plastic bags to reduce waste and simplify their shopping routine, opting instead for reusable carrier bags.

How does the speaker organize Tupperware?

The speaker stores Tupperware with their lids to avoid the chaos of searching for matching lids and to reduce clutter in their kitchen.

What skincare routine does the speaker advocate?

The speaker advocates for a simple skincare routine, using a few basic products that work well for their skin, rather than constantly testing new products.

Why did the speaker decide to quit keeping up with trends?

The speaker decided to quit keeping up with trends to focus on their personal style and avoid the pressure to constantly update their wardrobe.

How does the speaker approach sales and bargain shopping?

The speaker avoids buying things just because they are on sale, recognizing that sales are frequent and instead opts for pre-loved items found on platforms like Vinted.

What has the speaker done to manage their feelings about their fertility struggles?

The speaker has quit using shopping as a way to cope with their feelings during their fertility struggles, realizing it led to unnecessary clutter.

How does the speaker handle ironing?

The speaker has quit most ironing by opting to hang dry their clothes and only occasionally ironing items that are wrinkle-prone.

What changes has the speaker made regarding clothing that requires special bras?

The speaker avoids buying clothes that require special bras, instead finding alternatives or modifying their wardrobe to suit their comfort.

Why did the speaker switch to a menstrual cup?

The speaker switched to a menstrual cup to reduce waste from disposable tampons and to improve their personal health, despite initial reservations.

How does the speaker approach home decor purchases?

The speaker has quit buying decor items without a specific place in mind, opting for a minimalist and functional approach to home decor.

What is the speaker's strategy for managing household chores?

The speaker tries to keep on top of household chores like laundry and dishes by implementing small routines to prevent them from piling up.

How does the speaker's approach to keeping hand-me-downs for children differ?

The speaker has quit keeping many hand-me-downs due to the age gap and gender difference between their children, instead opting to donate unused items.

Why did the speaker turn off notifications on their phone?

The speaker turned off notifications to reduce distractions and maintain focus, only checking social media when they choose to.

What is the speaker's stance on consuming news?

The speaker has quit actively seeking news to protect their mental health, recognizing that they can still stay informed without constant exposure.

How does the speaker approach people pleasing?

The speaker is working on quitting people pleasing to preserve their own energy and happiness, recognizing the importance of self-care for their family.

What changes has the speaker made to their to-do list habits?

The speaker has simplified their to-do list by focusing on only a few key tasks each day to reduce overwhelm and increase productivity.

Why did the speaker decide against taking expensive family trips?

The speaker decided against taking expensive family trips to prioritize saving for a house and recognizing that quality family time can be had without high costs.

What financial decision did the speaker make regarding credit cards?

The speaker quit using credit cards to avoid overspending and manage their finances more responsibly, opting for debit cards instead.

How has the speaker's approach to gift-giving changed?

The speaker and their husband have quit exchanging gifts for each other to avoid unnecessary purchases and focus on the quality of their relationship.

Outlines

00:00

🍽️ Simplify Meal Planning and Reduce Waste

The speaker shares their experience of quitting the constant search for new recipe ideas on Pinterest, which led to excessive and wasteful grocery shopping. They now rely on a list of familiar recipes, simplifying meal planning and reducing food waste. They also mention quitting big in-person grocery shops in favor of online deliveries, which saves time and reduces impulse purchases. Additionally, they discuss the decision to stop using single-use plastic bags and the preference for storing Tupperware with lids, which declutters their kitchen space.

05:01

🛍️ Curbing Consumerism and Finding Personal Style

The speaker talks about the temptation of trying out numerous skincare products and the realization that sticking to a few trusted basics works best for their skin. They also discuss the pressure to keep up with fashion trends and how they've chosen to focus on their personal style instead. The speaker shares their past habit of bargain shopping and how they've moved to buying pre-loved items to reduce consumption. They also mention quitting shopping as a coping mechanism for dealing with emotional struggles, opting for healthier ways to manage feelings.

10:03

👚 Streamlining Wardrobe and Household Chores

The speaker shares their decision to quit ironing most of their clothes, opting for a more laid-back approach to wrinkles by hanging clothes to dry. They discuss the annoyance of clothes requiring special bras and their preference for simpler alternatives. The speaker also talks about their switch to using a menstrual cup instead of tampons, citing health and environmental reasons. They mention the decluttering of their home by not accumulating decor without a designated space and the importance of keeping up with household chores to maintain a clean and organized living environment.

15:06

📱 Reducing Digital Distractions and Prioritizing Mental Health

The speaker discusses their decision to turn off notifications for social media to reduce distractions and maintain focus. They also share their choice to quit watching or listening to the news to protect their mental health, finding a balance between staying informed and not being overwhelmed by negative news. The speaker talks about their journey to quit people-pleasing and the importance of prioritizing their own happiness and energy. They also discuss the simplification of their to-do list to avoid feeling overwhelmed and the decision to quit taking expensive family trips, focusing on creating meaningful memories without the pressure of social media comparisons.

💳 Financial Prudence and Rethinking Gift-Giving

The speaker shares their decision to quit using credit cards to avoid overspending and the potential financial strain of interest payments. They discuss the importance of living within their means and saving money. Additionally, they talk about their choice to quit exchanging gifts with their partner, except for special occasions, to reduce unnecessary spending and focus on the essence of their relationship rather than material gestures.

Keywords

💡Simplify

Simplify refers to making things easier to understand or deal with by making them less complicated. In the context of the video, the speaker discusses various activities or habits they have quit to simplify their life, such as reducing the use of social media and cutting down on unnecessary shopping. The term is central to the theme of the video, which is about decluttering one's life to gain more time and mental space for things that truly matter.

💡Pinterest

Pinterest is a social media platform where users can discover and save creative ideas by pinning images or videos to their boards. In the video, the speaker mentions quitting the habit of looking at Pinterest for new recipe ideas constantly. This is an example of how the speaker has simplified their life by reducing the time spent on social media and focusing on what they already know and have.

💡Grocery deliveries

Grocery deliveries refer to the service of having groceries delivered to one's home. The speaker mentions quitting big in-person food shops in favor of grocery deliveries, which has saved them time and reduced impulse buying. This change is part of their effort to simplify their life by making practical adjustments to daily routines.

💡Tupperware

Tupperware refers to plastic food storage containers. The speaker discusses the issue of storing Tupperware without lids, which led to disorganization in their kitchen. They resolved this by storing each container with its lid, simplifying the process of finding matching sets and reducing clutter.

💡Skincare

Skincare pertains to the practice of maintaining the health and appearance of one's skin. The speaker mentions quitting the habit of constantly testing new skincare products, instead opting for a few basics that work for them. This decision reflects a broader theme in the video of reducing consumption and focusing on what is truly beneficial.

💡Trend

A trend refers to a general direction in which something is developing or changing. In the video, the speaker talks about quitting the pressure to keep up with fashion trends, choosing instead to develop their own personal style. This illustrates the speaker's effort to simplify their life by not conforming to external influences.

💡Sales

Sales refer to the activity of selling products, often at a reduced price. The speaker discusses quitting the habit of buying items just because they are on sale, emphasizing the importance of need over price. This is an example of how the speaker has simplified their life by making more mindful purchasing decisions.

💡Shopping as a coping mechanism

Shopping as a coping mechanism refers to the act of using shopping to deal with negative emotions or stress. The speaker shares their experience of using shopping as a way to cope with feelings of sadness or anxiety, and how they have quit this habit to simplify their life and reduce unnecessary clutter.

💡Ironing

Ironing is the process of using heat to remove wrinkles from clothes. The speaker mentions quitting most ironing, opting instead for line-drying clothes to reduce wrinkles. This change is part of their effort to simplify daily chores and save time.

💡Menstrual cup

A menstrual cup is a reusable device used to collect menstrual fluid during a person's period. The speaker discusses quitting the use of tampons and switching to a menstrual cup, which is a more sustainable and potentially healthier option. This decision is an example of how the speaker simplifies their life by making choices that align with their values and health.

💡Hand-me-downs

Hand-me-downs are items of clothing or other goods that are passed down from one person to another, typically from an older sibling to a younger one. The speaker talks about quitting the practice of keeping many hand-me-downs for their children, as they found it led to clutter and unused items. This decision reflects the speaker's effort to simplify their life by reducing possessions and focusing on what is immediately necessary.

💡Notifications

Notifications are alerts or messages that inform a user of an event, such as incoming messages or social media updates. The speaker mentions quitting notifications on their phone as a way to simplify their life and reduce distractions. This change allows the speaker to focus on what is important without being constantly interrupted by alerts.

💡Credit cards

Credit cards are a payment method that allows cardholders to borrow money to pay for goods and services. The speaker discusses quitting the use of credit cards to simplify their financial life and avoid overspending. This decision is part of the speaker's broader effort to live within their means and reduce financial stress.

💡Gifts

Gifts are items given without payment as a sign of goodwill, often on special occasions. The speaker mentions quitting the exchange of gifts with their spouse, except for special cases where it feels meaningful. This decision is an example of how the speaker simplifies their life by focusing on the essence of relationships rather than material expressions.

Highlights

The author quit looking for new recipes on Pinterest to simplify meal planning.

They now rely on a list of familiar recipes to reduce cooking time and ingredient waste.

The author quit doing big food shops in person, opting for grocery deliveries to save time and reduce impulse buying.

They stopped buying or keeping plastic bags, using reusable bags instead to reduce waste.

Storing Tupperware with lids has helped the author organize their kitchen more effectively.

The author simplified their skincare routine by sticking to a few basic products that work for their skin.

They quit trying to keep up with fashion trends, focusing on their personal style instead.

The author stopped buying things just because they are on sale, to avoid unnecessary purchases.

They quit using shopping as a way to deal with negative emotions, to reduce clutter and focus on emotional well-being.

The author quit ironing most of their clothes, opting for hang-drying to reduce time spent on laundry.

They stopped buying clothes that require a special bra, to simplify their wardrobe and reduce unnecessary purchases.

Switching to a menstrual cup has helped the author reduce waste and improve their menstrual experience.

The author quit buying excessive decor without a specific place for it, to maintain a minimalist home.

They stopped letting household tasks pile up, implementing routines to keep on top of chores.

The author quit keeping many hand-me-downs for their children, to reduce clutter and make space for new memories.

They turned off most phone notifications to reduce distractions and improve focus.

The author quit watching or listening to the news to protect their mental health and reduce negativity.

They are working on quitting people-pleasing to preserve their own energy and happiness.

The author simplified their to-do list to reduce overwhelm and increase productivity.

They quit feeling the need for expensive family trips, focusing on quality time over cost.

The author quit using credit cards to avoid overspending and better manage their finances.

They stopped exchanging gifts with their spouse to reduce materialism and focus on the essence of their relationship.

Transcripts

these are 21 things I quit to simplify

my life and just a quick disclaimer I am

in no way saying this is the right way

to live your life this is simply me

saying these are some of the things that

I quit that I didn't even think about

before but I don't do anymore and

they've actually improved my life and

simplified my life gave me some of my

time back and maybe you might benefit

from some of these as well so feel free

to go through this list and see what

applies to you and what might be useful

for you cuz a lot of times we feel like

we're just going to really fast through

our days we're just you know one day

rolls into the next and we're so used to

some of these things either seeing them

on social media or just in society in

general and so we don't even second

guess them but some of these things we

actually could quit and simplify our

life have more time for other stuff that

actually means something to us maybe

save some money so I do think you'll

find a few helpful things in this list

number one I quit looking on Pinterest

for lots of new recipe ideas all the

time this is something I used to do and

if you go back to my you know food

videos recipe videos you will see that I

was always kind of looking for new ideas

new recipes to try I just felt like I

had to bring a lot of variety to our

meals but I have found that actually I

don't need to have all of these fancy

recipes that require 20 different

ingredients that I don't even have in my

cupets I go out and buy and then I use a

tiny amount of that ingredient and then

I'm left with that ingredient that I

never use again and it's just it feels a

bit wasteful and then also it requires a

lot more time for me to go through the

recipe make make sure I follow the steps

and so what I'm doing now to simplify my

meals and recipes is just just make it

easy I created a list on my phone of

some of the recipes that I use on a

regular basis recipes that I've made for

maybe years and I know how to make by

heart so I don't need to have the recipe

in front of me and when I meal plan

every Sunday I sit down go through that

list and pick five dinner recipes and

that's it quick and easy simplified my

life takes way less time number two I

quit doing big food shops in person now

ordering grocery deliveries can be

expensive I guess in depending on the

area or the service that you use but for

our family we use Tesco delivery they've

got this subscription thing I think it's

about £8 per month and you can get

unlimited deliveries this is not

sponsored by the way it's just what we

use but for us since we order one big

food shop every single week that means

it comes down to about2 for each

delivery so that's really convenient for

us it doesn't cost too much and it

saving me so much time and headache like

honestly I have a baby and a

six-year-old and I honestly feel like if

I go with them I can't focus to get

everything on my list there's a lot more

impulse buy going on as well and so it

just saves me time and money it's just

brilliant I do still go in the shops you

know throughout the week to get bits and

Bobs here and there but having the

stress of that big food shop that's gone

because I just do that online number

three is buying or keeping plastic bags

I don't really tore plastic bags any

anymore we have two or three carrier

bags like reusable ones that we use over

and over again and those are the ones I

take with me when we go shopping very

rarely you know something just come in

plastic bags and it's inevitable but for

the most part I don't buy them yeah

that's simplified a lot as well and they

don't take up that much space in my

house either hands up if you got a

plastic bag of bags I used to do that

too number four storing Tupperware

without lids felt like I was saving

space in my cupboards because I had the

topper wear you know just kind of

stacked into each other but then you

have all of these Lids on the side of it

that kind of fling around in the drawer

you make a mess you can't find the lid

when you need it it's just chaotic so

now I just store each one of them with a

lid on it actually doesn't take up that

much space because honestly how much

Tupperware do we really need in our

lives I have this one drawer with you

know kind of different sizes of

Tupperware and that's it and they're all

glass um containers for us number five

is testing skin in care it can be so

tempting right you go into the shops

they're beautifully displayed they all

have these amazing claims on them you

know removing wrinkles making you look

young making your skin looks nourished

and pretty and it can be very tempting

to buy a lot of skin care but what I

have found is that having less and kind

of testing less skincare on my face

makes a big difference so I am just

sticking to a few Basics that I've Loved

for years and that's what I use every

single day and honestly it's just a few

items mostly cavey cavey cave products

because they don't have fragrance

they're very plain are they the best for

you I don't know but they work really

well for my skin and I don't feel the

need to be constantly testing new skin

care on myself number six is feeling

like I constantly have to keep up on

Trend this is something that I've had to

be a bit more conscious about and kind

of maybe unfollow a few accounts that I

was following on Instagram and on

YouTube as well because it can be so

easy to fall into the Trap of oh I need

this new trouser that's in right now

because the old jeans that I have are

not in and for me it's more about

finding my own style and the things that

I love to wear that make me feel good

that feel flattering on myself yeah so I

don't look out for specific Trends I

just try to stick to what I know makes

me feel good to wear number seven is

buying something because it's on sale I

used to love bargain shopping and It's

Tricky you know cuz you feel like oh

it's a good sale and if I don't buy it

right now I'm going to miss out but for

the most part it's usually stuff that we

don't really need or we don't really

want and just because the price TX says

it's on sale doesn't mean we have to buy

it you're not missing out if you're not

buying that item and honestly sales in

shops and wherever sales come again and

again you'll always find things for that

price you can always go on Vinted and

buy pre-loved which is what I do now and

I feel like that's taken a bit of

pressure off of you know feeling like I

constantly have to get that bargain cuz

you can find most things un vented for a

bargain anyway number eight shopping as

a way of dealing with feelings if you

you know my story we have gone through

quite a few years of infertility baby

loss and just a lot of struggles when it

comes to that I'm so grateful now we

have our second baby I will honestly

never take that for granted but during

those years of infertility I do feel

like I relied on shopping as a way of

kind of covering up my feelings or you

know whenever I felt down or sad or I

had something anxious going on like

fertility testing I would go and buy

something new because it made me feel

good in the moment but looking back

maybe it was have been more useful to

kind of deal with those feelings in a

different way if you're in a situation

that's bringing you down and you're

using shopping as a way of dealing with

that you know no judgment because I know

it can be tricky to find a different way

to deal with that kind of stuff but for

me I realized I was actually just

filling my house with a lot of clutter a

lot of stuff that I didn't really need

and yeah that's something I'm a lot more

mindful about these days number nine I

quit most of the ironing sorry Mom if

you're watching this I very very L iron

our system for the laundry is that once

clothes are out of the washer we hang

dry them and for anything that's more

wrinkle prone I will put it on a hanger

like t-shirts jumpers you know shirts

dresses I will put it on on a hanger to

dry and I always kind of like stretch a

bit the fabric if I feel like it's got a

bit of creasing in it and then the

hanging it to dry I think the weight of

the T-shirt kind of Smooths it out a bit

as it dries and so when you put it on it

actually looks fine to me like honestly

I don't need my clothes to be like stick

straight on me I know it's personal

preference you love ironing your clothes

no judgment but I feel like for myself

I've gone a lot of time back by not

having to iron every little thing in my

wardrobe so yes I might iron a shirt

here and there but for the most part

ironing is not for me number 10 is

buying clothes that need a special bra I

am so done with that part of my life

like you know the strapl list things or

the things that have a weird cutout here

that you need to have a special bra

because otherwise it's showing the strap

I'm just all about that I either don't

buy items like that or I find an

alternative for that and even like for

example my bodysuits that I love to wear

I actually don't wear a bra with them I

just put these little insert pads that

you can buy on things like Amazon I put

them in like on the inside of the

bodysuit and sewed them there and that

works perfect but honestly for the most

part I don't buy anything that requires

any special type of raw number 11 sorry

if you don't want to hear any sort of

period talk feel free to skip ahead but

I quit using tampons and I switched to a

menstrual cup personally I chose the

better cup I think we all know plasticky

tampons are not really great for you and

they can mess up with your hormones and

having my condition endometriosis I've

become a lot more aware of these things

and I'm trying to be more intentional

about stuff like this and so I switched

to batter cup honestly I was so

terrified by it and it also sounded so

weird to me for the longest time but I

gave it a try and honestly I'm never

going back it's amazing it's a lot less

messy than tampons depending on your

flow you only have to empty it out in

the morning and at night and it's just

amazing because honestly sometimes it

feels like you're not even on your

period that's if you don't have a

condition like endometriosis but it just

makes the whole experience every month a

lot easier for myself number 12 is

buying lot of De cor without a special

place in mind I used to go into the

shops and buy things that I thought were

cute things that oh I saw this on

Instagram and I felt like it would look

nice and aesthetic but I didn't really

have a space for it in my home or I

didn't have a designated area where I

wanted to put it and I definitely feel

like I was over buying decor items

nowadays I keep my Decor quite minimal

and simple only a few things that you

know kind of bring a little bit of

something to our house but I don't have

a ton of knickknacks or anything like

that number 13 that I quit is letting

things pile up and whether that's

laundry or dishes I'm trying my best to

keep on top of it and you know I have

two small children so it's not like I

can spend all day cleaning my house but

I can Implement small routines here and

there I did a separate video on a one

minute habits that you know take such a

little amount of time and effort but

give you such big results but being more

minimal and having less stuff actually

means you don't have that many things to

pile up anyway number 14 is keeping lots

of hand me down from one child to the

next now it might be because there's

quite a big age gap between my children

there's a 5-year age Gap and also I have

a boy and a girl and their seasons are

kind of a bit off I did initially keep

some baby items for my first baby for my

second and for one when we were going

through infertility that kind of made me

feel sad a lot of the times just kind of

thinking that I have those clothes that

I may or may not ever use again and

second when we did have our second baby

I realized a lot of them actually did

didn't fit when they were supposed to my

second baby is also a lot tinier she's a

tiny girl yeah a lot of things don't

really match up the seasons and I've

kept clothes for over 5 years to then

never use them again and just pass them

on to a charity shop with friends and so

it made me realize it's kind of wasteful

and you know just a waste of resources

for me to keep in my loft a whole bunch

of baby clothes or children's clothes

that they may or may not ever wear again

and so now I don't really keep a lot of

hand-me-downs if I have certain items

that I really love and I do want to pass

on I do keep some on in the Loft but

there's not that many oh and also it

takes a lot of mental load for you to

remember what clothes you have up there

to go through them every time they grow

or season changes it just takes a lot of

effort to keep up on top of that number

15 is notifications on my phone I've

mentioned this before and I think people

were surprised because I am on Instagram

you know I'm on social media obviously

but I actually don't keep notifications

on on my phone whether that's Instagram

or YouTube YouTube or whatever social

platform might it might be I do keep you

know phone calls and messages and things

like that because I might get you know a

friend message me or I might get phone

calls from school or whatever but for

the most part my notifications are off

and if I do have the time to go on

social media I can always go and and

check my messages or likes or whatever

on Instagram social media is always

there for you when you want to go and

spend time on it but I don't need it to

constantly distract me and pull my focus

away number 16 is is watching or

listening to the news I have quit trying

to keep on top of the news for quite a

while now I realized what a negative

effect it was having on me I think maybe

because I'm quite empathetic and so

things that happen in the world can

affect me a lot and make me feel really

down and I think there's a fine balance

here cuz of course you want to be

informed and be aware of what's going on

in the world but at the same time I

don't feel like I need to be constantly

on there reading every news because it's

just going to affect my mental health

and I do feel like I need to be

like a strong good mental health for my

children and for my family so I can't

really afford to do that and even though

I don't really watch the news anymore I

do hear all the news anyway because

inevitably you will see it on social

media you will see it on Instagram you

will hear from your friends it's not

like you're going to be out of the loop

completely you're still going to hear

about the important things going on in

the world it's just going to impact your

mental health less if you are not

constantly exposed to it number 17 is

people pleasing and I say I quit this

but but I still feel like it's in

progress maybe I'm not quite fully there

but it's something I'm trying to do I'm

definitely someone or I used to be

someone who did care a lot about what

other people thought of me and trying to

make other people happy even if it's at

the expense of your own happiness and so

I've definitely been more intentional

about that and trying to preserve my own

energy and kind of My Own Strength

because I feel like I needed to have

that in order to be able to take good

care of my children and to be a present

mom number 18 thing that I quit is over

topping my to-do list I used to make

this huge to-do list on my phone and it

would honestly make me feel overwhelmed

and it would also make me feel less

inclined to go and Tackle things or I

would tackle two or three things and

then it kind of makes you feel like a

failure cuz you didn't check all of them

or most of them and so what I do now is

for my daily to-do list I pick usually

about three maybe four tasks that are my

main things that I want to accomplish

for the day like today I'm filming two

videos and I've got a real going on

Instagram so those are my three main

tasks that I'm doing for my work

simplifying my to-do list helps a lot

number 19 is feeling like we need to

have expensive family trips every year

and I know this is something that can be

such an easy thing to compare especially

on social media because when people go

on holiday they will always post

pictures because I mean why wouldn't

they right they're having fun and I'm

not saying it's a bad thing but they're

having fun they want to share that and

it's probably one of the times where

they get to spend a lot of quality time

with their family so that's something to

celebrate but we do need to be mindful

when we go on social media and see all

of those pictures to remember that you

don't have to do that you don't have to

go on expensive family trips every

single year in order to make fun

memories and for our children I do think

spending time with us and doing

something fun together whether that's

you know in the UK or a different

country they're not going to care that

much as long as they're with you for us

also since we were trying to buy a house

and we bought this house five six months

ago we had been trying to save up for a

deposit which can be a huge chunk of

money right and so we had to prioritize

that over taking a lot of family trips

and this is not to say I don't want to

travel of course not I think it's a very

enriching experience and we do want to

travel in the future but it's also okay

not to compare and to feel like you're

missing out just because you're not

going on five family trips this year

number 20 is this going to be

controversial I don't know but we quit

using credit cards a while ago we're

actually never really big credit card

users but I feel this is the thing in

the financial space they tell you that

having a credit card and you know having

a good credit score is going to help you

buy a house get a mortgage or whatever

and I don't feel like that's the case

now I'm not a financial expert I'm just

speaking from our experience but I think

having a credit card can actually impact

you negatively because it's way more

likely that you will spend money that

you don't have that's what credit cards

are supposed to do right and so for us

we stopped using credit cards altogether

we don't own one anymore we only have

debit cards so I we only spend the money

that we actually have and we actually

make and it saves a lot of money anyway

because having a credit card and

possibly you know having overpayments if

you have to pay the interest on that

that's going to be huge it's going to

cost you a lot of money that's just

something we quit using number 21 we

quit exchanging gifts my husband and I

just because we have to right just

because it's Christmas just because it's

your birthday or whatever occasion it

might be we do exchange gifts sometimes

like if I have an idea of something I

think my husband would really like and I

know he would use maybe I will buy that

for him but the thing is once you're

like a grownup I feel like I don't need

to buy him stuff cuz he will usually buy

it for himself and the same for me like

obviously he's not going to know what

dress I want or what book I want to read

or you know unless I specifically tell

him and I feel like sometimes there's

this thing that you know the strength of

the relationship is how much your

partner knows you know exactly what to

buy for your birthday where I think

there's more to a relationship than that

and for us it's not about that so we

quit buying random gifts for each other

I'm really wondering what you thought of

my list I'm wondering if you can relate

to any of these and let me down in the

comments below what you would add to

this list what have you quit that

simplifi your life I would love to hear

from you cuz maybe I'll grab some of

your tips to implement in my life yeah I

hope this was helpful and I will see you

in my next video bye guys