Sparking Joy

By Ana Borden

As a minimalist, I have gravitated towards one of the most talked about shows on Netflix – the highly organized Marie Kondo, who helps clients transform their cluttered homes into spaces of beauty, peace and inspiration.

If you are familiar with this new series, then you know that when a household member is in doubt of what items to keep or pass along, she asks one simple and direct question, “Does it spark joy?”

But, what if we considered this very question as we navigate through the moments of everyday life, in lieu of items, and evaluated the long-term effects?

With age and life experiences, I have appreciated even more focusing on celebrating moments and sparking joy from experiences versus from material things.

Instead of purchasing gifts for our children and extended family, I have opted on experiences, for example zoo trips, restaurant outings, volunteering and spending time with family and friends.

I feel like a weight is off my immediate family’s shoulders not spending money, time and stress juggling items.

So, instead of lugging and spending time and energy just figuring out what to do with outdated, broken or items that no longer fit our needs or desires, I find beauty, peace and inspiration in the memories we have created that will be with us for years to come, which is what truly sparks joy in my life.

So, what sparks joy in your life?