sarah anne connects: vol. 10
learning what matters, pruning, and life offline.
on friday, one week after the thought first popped into my head, i officially made the decision to permanently shut down my online business.
you may or may not know that for the last few years, i’ve run an online business. i ran it actively from july 2017 - september 2020, and passively in the months since then. but two days ago, a little less than a month since the business officially turned four, i pulled the website down, closed the shop, and began taking the other steps necessary to formally and legally close the business.
the reasons for this decision are many, but it comes down to one primary thing: it didn’t matter anymore.
if you’ve been around for any length of time, you know my aim is to live a simple life. i’ve been in the process of simplifying various aspects of my life since 2014, and in my experience, the more you simplify, the more you see how few things truly matter.
if you’re new to the idea of minimalism, you might think it’s just about getting rid of as much stuff as possible, but that isn’t true. the true heart of minimalism, or simple living, is to intentionally remove things that do not matter in order to make space for the things that do.
but what i’ve continued to learn is that just because something matters now doesn’t mean it will matter forever. such was the case with my business. it mattered greatly for the 3+ years i ran it actively, it mattered some for the last 9 months or so, but it became clear that it no longer matters enough to keep it in my life.
we’ve all experienced a lot of change over the last year and a half, which means things that mattered in february 2020 may not matter so much anymore. the key is asking yourself regularly… does this still matter?
when i was single and wanted the flexibility self-employment offered, running my business mattered greatly. four years later, as i work full-time in a traditional job again and my husband and i talk about our plans and goals for the future… not so much.
so my question for you today, friend, is this: what used to matter that doesn’t anymore? what are you holding onto that’s holding you back from spending your time, energy, and life on the things that matter most to you?
don’t be afraid to let something go that used to matter, but doesn’t anymore. that’s how you grow. like a plant needs to be pruned in order to experience healthy growth, you also need to prune things from your own life to be the healthiest, best version of yourself. yes, pruning is hard, scary, and can definitely hurt… but the beautiful growth that comes after the fact is always worth it.
🖋 recently written
more love letters: living life offline.
the first photo i have of my now-husband was taken on a late december sunday. it shows him, with a rather cheesy grin, standing next to his brother, both holding cell phones that look much more like the first phone many of us had in the early 2000s rather than the mini-computers that reside in our pockets today.
while it’s unlikely i will ever forgo my smartphone (finally having GPS in my pocket was a dream come true), the truth is, i’ve learned a lot from my husband and the way he lives his life largely offline.
📚 currently reading
the last month has been filled with more activity and less reading than i’d like, but i’ve started a couple new books recently that i’m loving. here’s a few of the ones currently on my nightstand!
the paper solution by lisa woodruff
i read an article by lisa in the most recent issue of simplify magazine, and was fascinated by her “binder method” for paper organization, so i decided to pick the book up and dig into all the details even further.
the little french bistro by nina george
i read the little paris bookshop back in 2015 and really enjoyed the lovely coming-of-age story (a couple decades late) combined with a love letter to books. i saw this one at the used bookstore recently and am hoping it will help me get out of my fiction rut!
secret thoughts of an unlikely convert by rosaria champagne butterfield
i saw rosaria speak at my church a few years ago and she was incredible. her books have been on my radar since then, and lo and behold, my husband owns this one (and her second). she has a witty, honest, and challenging way of writing that i'm absolutely loving so far.
💕 recent delights
this new podcast from christianity today. i'd seen it floating around the internet, and a friend asked recently if i'd listened. i'm only a couple of episodes in, but so far the discussion and investigative nature of the content is fascinating!
this concealer from kosas cosmetics. i recently picked up my second tube and y’all, it is legit the best concealer i've ever used. plus, it lasts for ages. my first tube lasted over a year and i use this stuff basically every single day.
you need a budget (aka ynab). i’m not kidding when i say i’ve tried basically every budgeting app out there and this one is officially my favorite. my husband and i started using it in january and i love how simple it is to keep track of everything and stay on top of our finances day-to-day and in the longterm.
friend, as we step into a new month, may you find the courage to let go of the things keeping you from growing and moving forward, and may you invest deeper into the ones that truly matter.
until next time!
