The Less Is More Mindset

I sold our Sapulpa, Oklahoma home back in 2010 when my late husband passed away. That’s when the “less is more” mindset first started tugging on me.

I’ll never forget opening the attic, boxes of receipts, lumber scraps, holiday décor enough for the Macy’s parade, and keepsakes stacked to the heavens. I stood there thinking, “Lord, deliver me from this mountain!”

Over the years and several moves later, the lesson has stuck. Well -- maybe, not entirely. Though I love our cozy apartment, I still have a garage that could star in an episode of Storage Wars. Clearly, I’m still learning.

But here’s what I’ve realized: “less is more” isn’t only about what’s in the attic or garage. It’s about what’s in the heart -- and what’s on the calendar.

We often say “yes” and end up weighed down by responsibilities that steal the joy right out of us. That’s why this verse is so wise: “Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind” (Ecclesiastes 4:6).

Think of it like jellybeans. One handful is sweet and satisfying. Two handfuls? Sticky, spilling everywhere, and impossible to manage. With both hands crammed full, we can’t shake a hand, hug a friend, or help someone in need.

The same is true of life. When our days are jammed with “stuff,” there’s no room left to give, to breathe, or to notice what matters most.

So here’s my new motto: one handful is enough. With one handful, I have the margin to lift a hurting friend, to slip a few dollars into the palm of someone in need, or to fold my hands in prayer.

Less really is more. More peace. More presence. More space to love well. And that’s the life I want to live -- hands open, heart open.
Too much “stuff” = no room for love. I'll take that one handful with peace than two with stress!

#LessIsMore #OpenHandsOpenHeart