Less is More

As summer ends and the school year begins, we return to the season of stocking up on school supplies, new clothes, and all the new must have accessories to make life “easier.” We fill up our target carts, receive weekly or daily amazon packages on our front step and sign our children up for sports, dance, tutoring, and clubs.

Eventually, we look up and our calendars are full, our wallets empty and our stress at an all time high. We are inundated with ads telling us we need the latest back to school styles and watch as people around us fall into the same routine as years before.

As the fall season kicks into gear, we have the chance to reflect back on 2020 when we had an opportunity to slow down and do less. We were provided a gift of slower pace and empty space as the world closed down and forced us to slow down. Although the last year and a half has been challenging and full of loss, we can take with us the gift of less being more.  

Less on our schedules allows more quality time with our children, partners, and friends. Less items in our carts allows for deeper engagement with what we have. Less gadgets in our homes allows for less time managing things and more time doing what we love.

We have the chance to do back-to-school differently this year and set a slower, healthier pace for the next 9 months.  As the summer comes to an end and the weather cools down, I encourage you to find the joy and beauty in less.

 Written by: Denise Migliorini, LCSW-C