Oh my gosh, HI FRIEND!!! It's so amazing to see your name here! And ok! I'll be back with more on this topic next week... already looking forward to chatting about it with you! ❤️
HELLO! Fancy meeting you here and not on the hiking trails as we're used to connecting on. It's so wonderful to see you living life to the fullest—or at least the best we can. 💕 I'm excited to learn more about how you'll be doing this, and it looks like I'm not the only one!
I quit all things Amazon 6 years ago because the company is evil to its employees and to small business owners. It truly is easy to do. And you will feel so much better putting your money in line with your values.
I think it will be easy too, Heather! The truth is: I used to hardly use Amazon... until I moved to the UK, to a town in the middle of nowhere, and had no idea where to buy most things. So I used it to help me get setup in the house... and then I just... kept using it!? But I didn't before, and I don't want to again. Will share a lot more on this next week, and look forward to chatting about it!
I can totally understand getting hooked on Amazon while living in the middle of nowhere. We are about an hour and 15 min from any place with more than 8000 residents, so finding exactly what you need locally can be a challenge. However, you have inspired me to so NO to Jeffy Jeff. It's time!
I have been having this problem too! I was doing really well with avoiding Amazon and then I moved and needed things for my apartment. Things sort of spiralled from there. I definitely want to work on cutting back this year.
And leaving in a foreign country does not help either. I have been in Germany for years now, but still some things are not sold in the shops I thought they "should" be (where they are where I come from) and end up on amazon in frustration. I am in the process of getting a refund from Amazon because a product never arrived despite being marked as delivered... At least this bad experience helps me to reevaluate my practices!
It felt overwhelming, so I would put it down more often. I'm definitely finding myself scrolling more, and I'm not as attached to it at the same time. I'd definitely do a re-set again.
Hi. I just read this at my desk at work and started crying out of recognition and appreciation, thank you. After a couple of weeks of different people questioning my choices, I say 100 percent yes to this! Also I’d love a reading hour where people just give a quick blurb about what they’re reading.
I gave up IG in November. I haven't looked back. I'm officially social media free (unless you count this platform as social media) and it is indeed, freeing. I've tried to take breaks but I kept going back full swing, so deleting my account was the only option for me moving forward. I hope it goes very well for you!
I am off social media-does substack and YouTube count?- and I don’t miss it at all. It was so freeing once I retrained my brain and habits. Yes, there were some great people I found and learned from but the ugliness outweighed the good for me.
I'd say both fall under the category of social media, yes. Though without the apps, it feels a lot easier to avoid get sucked into the "social" part. 🙃
Thanks, Effie! I deleted FB + Twitter in 2018, so Instagram was all I had left. (Though Substack is definitely starting to feel like social media, but I don't use the app and find that helps.) I didn't think it would be a big deal, thought walking away would be easy... but there's one addictive behaviour I had with it that's really showing up and it feels awful. Being off there will be a very good thing for me.
When we recognize those addictive behaviors it's like you can't unsee them. I completely understand. I also understand how awful it can feel. We can pat ourselves on the back for recognizing it, seeing it for what it is, and choosing to step away from it. That's some good progress!
From Australia. I too have chosen to not support Jeffy Jeff. IG is also on the list but i have been able to connect to new innovative start up businesses based in Australia which has been nice. Would miss this. Jury is out! I enjoy seeing your posts come up Cait and can feel your excitement for the year ahead.
All of these ideas sound amazing! I too am someone who has no less than four books going at the same time. I haven't really figured out my relationship with IG, but I am taking a break from Goodreads (it has been SUCH a distraction) and see how that goes.
I can relate to so much of what you share! I’ve been one hell of a journey towards living a life of full self expression. I’ve also been in hiding in this lifetime and ones past! This year my theme is around being “ready to be seen”.
I loved sharing stories but I’ve also come off Instagram because the people I am here to serve aren’t there. Though I was randomly inspired to share a post rattling around my head on New Year’s Day so I went for it. Perhaps someone was meant to read it? It feels like it’ll be a long while before that happens again.
I’m also a slow reader!!! And I read multiple books at once. I couldn’t join a book club for the exact reasons I wouldn’t want to read the same one at the same pace.
Thanks for all you've shared here, friend! I definitely resonate with feeling ok being seen. Maybe not "ready" yet, but more ok with it. And re: books - YES! I don't want reading to feel like homework! And that's what book clubs feel like to me... homework. We don't need more work!
I can feel your excitement Cait for all of your ideas in 2025! Whoot! Hoot! I would also love to give up Amazon...but not sure how exactly...I actually just subscribed to Audible because Katherine May's book club choice for January was not at our library and I found it on Audible! I'm intrigued by your idea that intentional living is really creative living and look forward to more thoughts about this from you! ☺️☺️☺️🥰🥰🥰
I definitely plan on sharing more thoughts on this soon, friend! And I hope you enjoy the book, however you got it! (I do love audiobooks, but I also have many titles I still haven't listened to yet... haha)
I’m not sure where you’re located, but Libro FM is an option that supports local bookshops (similar to Bookshop website but for audiobooks). Similar pricing, similar structure, but instead of supporting Jeff’s Jeff, you can choose your local (or another) bookshop.
Your intention to be the most Cait you can be reminded me of a quote from an ancient Greek poet (which I admittedly first came across in the book LIFE AFTER LIFE):
Become such as you are, having learned what that is.
It's stuck with me for easily a decade now. Because yes, that's it. 🕯️
Oh that's beautiful, Hannah. Thank you so much for sharing! And is that LIFE AFTER LIFE by Kate Atkinson? I still haven't read any of her books, but her name keeps making appearances...
This is the newsletter I race to open. Cait, thanks for sharing your thoughts and ideas. It makes your community feel excited to do the same. I am wishing you a supportive new year. Sign me up for the "read what you want" book club or free creative/journaling hours! :)
Hollynn, that first sentence is the most incredible feedback a writer can get. Thank you for your generous words ❤️ and ok, YAY to reading + creating + journalling whatever we want in 2025! Maybe I'll "see you" on Zoom sometime soon then ☺️
Cate, you have inspired me to give up most social media altogether, and spend more time trying out my fledgling writing wings. I don't support Jeffy Jeff either....
Hoping this year is astoundingly inspirational for you.
I have an idea for a book - "Needing to Grow" - wandering through the journey of how both I, and my one acre self-sufficiency garden, have grown together, helping each other flourish.....
Thanks, Cait, for this recent addition to the lighthouse. I so enjoyed reading the year of less. My question is, do you have any workbooks related to that, or do you have any recommendations or blog posts for stay at home moms who are juggling kids cooking husband housework etc etc. Would love to hear your thoughts on this. Thank you, Cynthia
Hmm that's a good question, Cynthia! I'm sure you could search/find loads of them here on Substack! Truthfully, I'm pretty out of touch with blogs... though my friend Laura writes a newsletter I LOVE where she touches on most of those topics--except for the husband! Single mother by choice ☺️ https://laurajanewilliams.substack.com/
As for workbooks, I haven't made any for shopping bans specifically, no. My advice is listed at the end of TYOL instead. But I do have one workbook filled with journal prompts that might help you understand how you feel about money, if that's helpful. Might not be what you're looking for, which is ok too! But that's the closest thing I have right now: https://www.caitflanders.com/shop/p/explore-money-workbook
I do think other people have since written their own books about no spend years, which might be more of a workbook/guide. I haven't read them, so I can't say for sure. But something else you could look into!
I am looking forward to all your creativity in 2025.
One of my goals is to buy less, which of course includes amazon. Funny story - I needed some gluten free flour. I went to several stores, they were out. I went to a few no -Amazon sites - they were also out. After this search - for something I need - I ended up buying the flour, for less than the usual price st the store from Amazon. I tried!
I can definitely understand that the search for where else to buy things isn't always easy! I'm curious if you have any specific "buy less" goals? Or things you'll be tracking/measuring? Thanks for sharing, and happy new year, Kristen!
It is just so easy to have things shipped to my house. It is easy to buy impulsively things I do not need. (I would put gf flour in a need). I am not saying I can’t buy anything or anything from a specific retailer - but I am being mindful of it. When I feel the desire to buy a non- essential (not food, not household items), I write it down. I don’t put it in the cart. We will see if I go back to any of these.
I have made a list of things I know I will need this year (new running shoes, new AirPods), and when the time is right, I will purchase them. I have had a credit card I have been using just for the online shopping so I know how much I have been spending and I am guessing only 1/3 is truly necessary. (We live fairly remotely so there is an ease to having products come to my house - some products we use that fall in the need are hard to find locally).
❤️ ALL OF THIS! I’m a long time reader/follower and would have continued either way but I’m super excited about the wardrobe updates and day in the life of money posts. Those more personalized posts help put the concepts you promote (i.e. conscious/mindful living) into real life examples!
Ok this is great feedback, Kelly, thank you! I think with the wardrobe ones, I'm still sitting with the question of WHAT I want to share exactly... because I don't really want to share WHAT I buy (you know, brands, specific products, links, etc.). Knowing there's an influence to buy that occurs. I'm more thinking about the process... like how does a person figure out what their style is!? And figure out where to buy things for their new style? These are the questions I'm asking, at the start!
"Less money to Jeffy Jeff" is something I can join you in! Loved this newsletter, Cait. 💜
Oh my gosh, HI FRIEND!!! It's so amazing to see your name here! And ok! I'll be back with more on this topic next week... already looking forward to chatting about it with you! ❤️
HELLO! Fancy meeting you here and not on the hiking trails as we're used to connecting on. It's so wonderful to see you living life to the fullest—or at least the best we can. 💕 I'm excited to learn more about how you'll be doing this, and it looks like I'm not the only one!
I quit all things Amazon 6 years ago because the company is evil to its employees and to small business owners. It truly is easy to do. And you will feel so much better putting your money in line with your values.
I think it will be easy too, Heather! The truth is: I used to hardly use Amazon... until I moved to the UK, to a town in the middle of nowhere, and had no idea where to buy most things. So I used it to help me get setup in the house... and then I just... kept using it!? But I didn't before, and I don't want to again. Will share a lot more on this next week, and look forward to chatting about it!
I can totally understand getting hooked on Amazon while living in the middle of nowhere. We are about an hour and 15 min from any place with more than 8000 residents, so finding exactly what you need locally can be a challenge. However, you have inspired me to so NO to Jeffy Jeff. It's time!
I have been having this problem too! I was doing really well with avoiding Amazon and then I moved and needed things for my apartment. Things sort of spiralled from there. I definitely want to work on cutting back this year.
And leaving in a foreign country does not help either. I have been in Germany for years now, but still some things are not sold in the shops I thought they "should" be (where they are where I come from) and end up on amazon in frustration. I am in the process of getting a refund from Amazon because a product never arrived despite being marked as delivered... At least this bad experience helps me to reevaluate my practices!
I took an 8-month Instagram break and it was great! I found the first month challenging, and then moved on. Hooray for micro breaks!
This makes me curious how it felt to go back on after 8 months, Marlena! If you feel like sharing ☺️
It felt overwhelming, so I would put it down more often. I'm definitely finding myself scrolling more, and I'm not as attached to it at the same time. I'd definitely do a re-set again.
Hi. I just read this at my desk at work and started crying out of recognition and appreciation, thank you. After a couple of weeks of different people questioning my choices, I say 100 percent yes to this! Also I’d love a reading hour where people just give a quick blurb about what they’re reading.
It sounds like this one touched you, Margaret, and I'm grateful that's true. And thanks for the feedback re: the reading hour! ☺️
I gave up IG in November. I haven't looked back. I'm officially social media free (unless you count this platform as social media) and it is indeed, freeing. I've tried to take breaks but I kept going back full swing, so deleting my account was the only option for me moving forward. I hope it goes very well for you!
I have been thinking about this more and more, especially after the donation to the inaugural fund. I think it is time!
I am off social media-does substack and YouTube count?- and I don’t miss it at all. It was so freeing once I retrained my brain and habits. Yes, there were some great people I found and learned from but the ugliness outweighed the good for me.
I'd say both fall under the category of social media, yes. Though without the apps, it feels a lot easier to avoid get sucked into the "social" part. 🙃
Thanks, Effie! I deleted FB + Twitter in 2018, so Instagram was all I had left. (Though Substack is definitely starting to feel like social media, but I don't use the app and find that helps.) I didn't think it would be a big deal, thought walking away would be easy... but there's one addictive behaviour I had with it that's really showing up and it feels awful. Being off there will be a very good thing for me.
When we recognize those addictive behaviors it's like you can't unsee them. I completely understand. I also understand how awful it can feel. We can pat ourselves on the back for recognizing it, seeing it for what it is, and choosing to step away from it. That's some good progress!
From Australia. I too have chosen to not support Jeffy Jeff. IG is also on the list but i have been able to connect to new innovative start up businesses based in Australia which has been nice. Would miss this. Jury is out! I enjoy seeing your posts come up Cait and can feel your excitement for the year ahead.
All of these ideas sound amazing! I too am someone who has no less than four books going at the same time. I haven't really figured out my relationship with IG, but I am taking a break from Goodreads (it has been SUCH a distraction) and see how that goes.
Good for you for noticing the distraction and figuring out what would help, friend!
I can relate to so much of what you share! I’ve been one hell of a journey towards living a life of full self expression. I’ve also been in hiding in this lifetime and ones past! This year my theme is around being “ready to be seen”.
I loved sharing stories but I’ve also come off Instagram because the people I am here to serve aren’t there. Though I was randomly inspired to share a post rattling around my head on New Year’s Day so I went for it. Perhaps someone was meant to read it? It feels like it’ll be a long while before that happens again.
I’m also a slow reader!!! And I read multiple books at once. I couldn’t join a book club for the exact reasons I wouldn’t want to read the same one at the same pace.
Thanks for all you've shared here, friend! I definitely resonate with feeling ok being seen. Maybe not "ready" yet, but more ok with it. And re: books - YES! I don't want reading to feel like homework! And that's what book clubs feel like to me... homework. We don't need more work!
I can feel your excitement Cait for all of your ideas in 2025! Whoot! Hoot! I would also love to give up Amazon...but not sure how exactly...I actually just subscribed to Audible because Katherine May's book club choice for January was not at our library and I found it on Audible! I'm intrigued by your idea that intentional living is really creative living and look forward to more thoughts about this from you! ☺️☺️☺️🥰🥰🥰
I definitely plan on sharing more thoughts on this soon, friend! And I hope you enjoy the book, however you got it! (I do love audiobooks, but I also have many titles I still haven't listened to yet... haha)
I’m not sure where you’re located, but Libro FM is an option that supports local bookshops (similar to Bookshop website but for audiobooks). Similar pricing, similar structure, but instead of supporting Jeff’s Jeff, you can choose your local (or another) bookshop.
Your intention to be the most Cait you can be reminded me of a quote from an ancient Greek poet (which I admittedly first came across in the book LIFE AFTER LIFE):
Become such as you are, having learned what that is.
It's stuck with me for easily a decade now. Because yes, that's it. 🕯️
Oh that's beautiful, Hannah. Thank you so much for sharing! And is that LIFE AFTER LIFE by Kate Atkinson? I still haven't read any of her books, but her name keeps making appearances...
Yes! That's the one!
Thank you! I'll see which books of hers the library has this year!
That's actually the only one of hers I've read, report back if you read and enjoy any others! 📚
Ooo ok, will do! I've ordered this one, should be able to pick it up on Monday!
This is the newsletter I race to open. Cait, thanks for sharing your thoughts and ideas. It makes your community feel excited to do the same. I am wishing you a supportive new year. Sign me up for the "read what you want" book club or free creative/journaling hours! :)
Hollynn, that first sentence is the most incredible feedback a writer can get. Thank you for your generous words ❤️ and ok, YAY to reading + creating + journalling whatever we want in 2025! Maybe I'll "see you" on Zoom sometime soon then ☺️
Happy New Year. Can’t wait to see more paintings!
Ooo a vote for paintings! Thanks, friend!
Cate, you have inspired me to give up most social media altogether, and spend more time trying out my fledgling writing wings. I don't support Jeffy Jeff either....
Hoping this year is astoundingly inspirational for you.
X
Ahhh this feels so exciting to read, Chel! Specifically the "fledgling writing wings" part. It makes me wonder what you might want to write... ☺️
I have an idea for a book - "Needing to Grow" - wandering through the journey of how both I, and my one acre self-sufficiency garden, have grown together, helping each other flourish.....
Thanks, Cait, for this recent addition to the lighthouse. I so enjoyed reading the year of less. My question is, do you have any workbooks related to that, or do you have any recommendations or blog posts for stay at home moms who are juggling kids cooking husband housework etc etc. Would love to hear your thoughts on this. Thank you, Cynthia
Hmm that's a good question, Cynthia! I'm sure you could search/find loads of them here on Substack! Truthfully, I'm pretty out of touch with blogs... though my friend Laura writes a newsletter I LOVE where she touches on most of those topics--except for the husband! Single mother by choice ☺️ https://laurajanewilliams.substack.com/
As for workbooks, I haven't made any for shopping bans specifically, no. My advice is listed at the end of TYOL instead. But I do have one workbook filled with journal prompts that might help you understand how you feel about money, if that's helpful. Might not be what you're looking for, which is ok too! But that's the closest thing I have right now: https://www.caitflanders.com/shop/p/explore-money-workbook
I do think other people have since written their own books about no spend years, which might be more of a workbook/guide. I haven't read them, so I can't say for sure. But something else you could look into!
Happy New Year Cait!
I am looking forward to all your creativity in 2025.
One of my goals is to buy less, which of course includes amazon. Funny story - I needed some gluten free flour. I went to several stores, they were out. I went to a few no -Amazon sites - they were also out. After this search - for something I need - I ended up buying the flour, for less than the usual price st the store from Amazon. I tried!
Wishing you all the best!
I can definitely understand that the search for where else to buy things isn't always easy! I'm curious if you have any specific "buy less" goals? Or things you'll be tracking/measuring? Thanks for sharing, and happy new year, Kristen!
It is just so easy to have things shipped to my house. It is easy to buy impulsively things I do not need. (I would put gf flour in a need). I am not saying I can’t buy anything or anything from a specific retailer - but I am being mindful of it. When I feel the desire to buy a non- essential (not food, not household items), I write it down. I don’t put it in the cart. We will see if I go back to any of these.
I have made a list of things I know I will need this year (new running shoes, new AirPods), and when the time is right, I will purchase them. I have had a credit card I have been using just for the online shopping so I know how much I have been spending and I am guessing only 1/3 is truly necessary. (We live fairly remotely so there is an ease to having products come to my house - some products we use that fall in the need are hard to find locally).
So far I have not bought clothes I don’t need, a 4th winter jacket, a new game, a magnet calendar, a desk calendar . . . And it is Jan 9.
I have used my Christmas money to purchase a new rug, which may be more of a want, but my parents want me to buy things I wouldn’t buy myself.
❤️ ALL OF THIS! I’m a long time reader/follower and would have continued either way but I’m super excited about the wardrobe updates and day in the life of money posts. Those more personalized posts help put the concepts you promote (i.e. conscious/mindful living) into real life examples!
Ok this is great feedback, Kelly, thank you! I think with the wardrobe ones, I'm still sitting with the question of WHAT I want to share exactly... because I don't really want to share WHAT I buy (you know, brands, specific products, links, etc.). Knowing there's an influence to buy that occurs. I'm more thinking about the process... like how does a person figure out what their style is!? And figure out where to buy things for their new style? These are the questions I'm asking, at the start!