How to become a filter of beauty rather than a net of gathering.
My husband and I decided to create a “lifestyle cleanse” this year it will go from August 2024-August 2025. Here are the nuts and bolts: No purchases of anything besides necessities, no dining out, no coffees out, and no desserts out. No going out to movies. We can go to a party to celebrate someone. We can buy anything we want to cook ourselves. We can spend on things that take care of us like massage, acupuncture, walking shoes, bike parts. If we are on a trip, we can eat out. If something comes up for the boys, we can take a beat and spend money on them.
Personally, this meant I had to stop spending money on education and dive in deeper to what I already have around me. I couldn’t buy any clothes. If I need sneakers for my walks to keep my feet healthy, I could get some. Otherwise, it’s about just saying no to things that come up and moving on.
Why We Did It
The decision to embrace this lifestyle cleanse came from a desire to simplify our lives and focus on what truly matters. Modern life is filled with endless opportunities to consume—to buy, to spend, to indulge—and while many of those moments bring fleeting joy, they often leave us craving more. By setting these boundaries, we hoped to:
Cultivate Gratitude: Learn to appreciate what we already have instead of constantly seeking more.
Strengthen Family Bonds: Shift our focus from external distractions to quality time together.
Align with Our Values: Live in a way that reflects mindfulness, sustainability, and intentionality.
The Challenges
As with any big change, the lifestyle cleanse has come with its challenges.
Breaking Habits: I’ve realized just how often I turned to small indulgences like grabbing a coffee out or clicking "buy" on an online course. Saying no has required both discipline and creativity.
Social Pressure: Saying no to dining out or entertainment has sometimes meant explaining our choices to friends and family. While most people have been understanding, it’s a reminder of how ingrained spending is in our culture.
FOMO (Fear of Missing Out): It’s easy to feel left out when you see others enjoying experiences or buying new things. But this feeling has also been a great teacher in recognizing what’s truly important.
The Rewards
The rewards of this lifestyle cleanse have far outweighed the challenges.
Deepened Creativity: Instead of buying solutions, we’ve found joy in making do, getting creative, and repurposing what we already have.
Financial Clarity: By cutting out unnecessary spending, we’ve gained a clearer picture of our finances and greater peace of mind.
Inner Growth: Saying no has created space for reflection and growth. I’ve leaned into what’s already in my life—whether it’s books I’ve yet to read, skills I’ve yet to master, or simply enjoying quiet moments with my family.
What We’ve Learned
This experiment has taught me that less truly can be more. It’s not about deprivation but about re-evaluating what brings genuine joy and fulfillment. Here are a few takeaways:
Abundance Exists in Simplicity: The more we simplified, the more we realized how much we already had—from clothes to kitchen gadgets to hobbies waiting to be explored.
Spending Reflects Values: Every dollar spent is a vote for the kind of life you want to live. By spending less, we’ve realigned our actions with our values.
Mindfulness is Everything: The act of pausing before making a purchase or indulging has made me more mindful not just about money, but about time, energy, and attention.
Moving Forward
While this cleanse is a year-long commitment, I can already tell that many of these lessons will stick with us beyond August 2025. We may not follow the rules forever, but the principles behind them—gratitude, simplicity, and intentionality—are here to stay.
If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed by the pace of modern life or are looking for a way to reconnect with what matters most, I encourage you to try your own version of a lifestyle cleanse. It doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing. Even small steps can lead to profound shifts.
What could you say no to, in order to say yes to something greater?
