(Un)Subscribe

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! 

The Holiday season is almost upon us (and if you're a fan of certain fancy coffee drinks it's already here)! And with that comes great gatherings of friends, family and co workers, to celebrate what we're thankful for and to make resolutions for the new year ahead. It can really be a magical time of celebration, love and friendship. A chance to reconnect and appreciate what we have, who we know and where we've been the last 11 months. 

For many it seems like great times ahead and, of course for others, it's not so festive. But this post isn't about the family, friends or the gatherings. It about that one thing that might be on the back of a lot of minds. These people, who, instead of living in the present moment, enjoying the warmth and companionship around them are thinking about something else. I speak of course about Black Friday. 

And more specifically even, Black Friday ADVERTISING. In this incredible, digital age of mass information and email marketing we are constantly receiving messages telling us to buy this, do that and live differently (as long as we shop for it). And pretty much everyone is receiving the same message. According to a Mailchimp article, in 2015 they sent 1.2 billion marketing emails on Black Friday.

Wow. That's a lot. 

So, Even with my die-hard resolve to work on my own personal minimalist/artist lifestyle, I recently found myself clicking links to online deals and thinking about what gifts I'd like to get myself over the holidays. And that's how advertising works, with over 250 email marketing options for sellers to choose from, it's tough for the average Joe to think logically in the face of so much that's new and shiny. 

"If you want a golden rule that will fit everybody, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful." - William Morris

So today, before I get ready to head over to a friend's house for good food and good company, I have taken the time to go through my emails and click Unsubscribe from almost everything. Most of the lists were things that I signed up for with the best intentions. Thinking I would be receiving artist exhibition opportunities, information on classes for personal and professional development and other emails list that seemed like a good idea at the time. but I don't read them and I tend to feel overwhelmed with the amount of things I could be doing. The sheer amount of opportunities to try something, buy something, is too much and it;'s impossible for me to try and buy everything and still have a quality experience. 

So no more.

I encourage you to do the same. One of the best ways to avoid temptation and distraction is to cut those things out entirely. Keep to the lists you find useful and focus on the things you actually read that feel worth your time. But otherwise, let it go.

My next goal is to sort though other digital clutter, including my unread emails, how many tabs I have open at any given time and all my unsorted photo files. But for now I am going to celebrate this little victory and drink a cup of coffee. Cheers!

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Thank you for reading Mininal(art)ist). Please check out my instagram for more consistent updates on my process and progress. Mahalo!

Please feel free to leave a comment below! How do you celebrate the holidays without consuming? How have you simplified your life this week?