This past year has been an incredible one.  I met Jason, worked on a cruise ship for 6 months doing what I love, got engaged, visited 6 new countries and countless new cities, and did quite a bit of learning and growing on a personal level.  180+ nights at sea in a row really give you time to soul-search and contemplate your life's direction.  It also requires you to pack your whole life up into two large, very overstuffed, suitcases.  As you might have gathered, my minimalism journey began a bit against my will.  But something incredible happened when I was packing up my cabin to return home:  I realized I could have lived with even less than two suitcases worth for those 6 months.  That I could have lived on FAR less.  Maybe for some of you that doesn't seem like anything earth-shattering, but for me?  That was a big deal!  I've always had trouble letting go of things as I'm very sentimental yet practical (meaning I love the memories attached to material goods as much as their possible utility later on), so this realization surprised me.  I lived out of two suitcases, a backpack, and a tiny guitar case for 6 months?  And I could have done without almost half of what I brought?  Me??  

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