What do you like to put on bread?

I have now lived much slower life outside of my workdays. By this I mean I have been more present and no multitasking.

I have spent last days after the sunset in the candle light on my room and just listened music (because of sleep issues I have avoided LED lights and any other artificial lights - so far difference has been huge and I have slept a lot better).

One thing what I have noticed that when I have slowed down and just been "in the moment" so to speak, my mind have started to pop up random memories from my childhood and from my paster on my younger years (or young adult years) like never before. Of course I have got random memories from my past always from time to time, but frequency of these have been increased significantly.

Note that those memories are not mostly even bad or terrible memories only and they do not have any significance related to music I have listened, at least directly. So memories what I get might be "I remember I listened song X when I was on that small building when I was young" even I am not listening that song or even same band. Or I might get memories of my grandmother or something what I have feared when I was a kid or whatever.

Point is, those memories are memories I have not mostly got previously in my mind but now those memories just start to appear there and there. Those also pop up my memory on daytime, but this "unlocking the memory" have started to happen after I have started to slow down my life after workdays and be more present.

That made me wonder, have any of you noticed same? When you slow down and be more present, have you also started to get random memories of your past much more frequently?

I am living alone for the first time in my life at 46. Divorced last year. Two teenagers who live with their dad.
I am a people person, but can be awkward with social anxiety after meeting people 2-3 times. and the friendship sours. So I tend to be alone most of the time even if I try to reach out to activities. While I used to kill at selling software, my personal life is lacking.
I am now disabled and have too much free time.
I exercise. Try to maintain a very simple routine, but I am always in my head. I am being alone mostly, but hate being my own best friend all the time, if you know what I mean?
I keep telling myself to keep going. It’s fine, but it’s not. I am ok mentally, but maybe someone recognizes it and has some thoughts?

Hello my friends,

I am not a productivity guru, I am simple human being trying to find joy wherever I go

I created a morning routine that defines who I am, nothing fancy , just

* a cup of freshly brewed coffee, I manually grind the coffee beans to dissociate

* journaling,writing sentences here and there

* learning Italian A1 level for 30 min

I am seriously not asking for more, I feel fulfilled

I get my work done, cook for myself then watch youtube

I would love to know about your morning rituals❤️

Simple living has helped me with a lot, like less stuff, fewer apps and a slower routine. News is still the chaotic part. Every time I check in, I get pulled into endless updates, opinion pieces and drama that adds nothing to my life.

I still want to know what's happening in the world, just in a slower, calmer way. Do any of you have a gentle routine for this, like a weekly paper, a single trusted source, a weekend catch-up, or something else? What does staying informed look like for you now?

Life’s problems come one after another, leaving me in a constant state of discouragement. There are times when I have absolutely no idea what to do. What words have helped you navigate the various ups and downs of life?

My partner and I are planning to move with our two kids to another community to be closer to the office we both work at.

We live in a fairly high-cost-of-living area. So with our upcoming move, I've been thinking about what it would be like to rent an apartment or a townhouse for a couple of years to see if we can handle less space. It would free up a tremendous amount of money to help pay off our student loans more efficiently. And we could also save up for a bigger down payment down the road.

We bought a moderate-sized home 4 years ago - 2,100 sq feet, 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms. Our previous home was a similar size: 2,300 sq feet, 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms.

Before we had kids, we lived in studio apartments, small townhouses, etc. It was more than ok. I was a minimalist a heart, but my partner struggled. And I struggled with their mess more in smaller spaces. The mess felt like it accumulated faster in our smaller spaces before we bought a home. But since having kids, we've always had multiple bedrooms to easily hide any mess when friends and family come to visit.

Has anyone with children gone from a single-family home to a smaller apartment or townhouse?

How was the transition to a small space and little to no yard?

I would miss the easy access to a yard, obviously. When my kids are being a bit loud or rambunctious, it's nice to have them go blow off steam. But we really only use the yard for 5-6 months a year when the weather is nice.

I really enjoy getting out and doing activities like going down to the ocean or going for a hike more than hanging out at home.

Another big quandary is that we all sleep in our own bedrooms right now.

I'm sure if we downsize we can get creative with sleeping arrangements. But I am worried about mine and my youngest child's sleep quality getting worse if/when we need to share a room. My oldest child and my partner unfortunately both snore - even with various ENT surgeries- which is why I happily don't share a room with my partner. But my youngest child and I are nose-breathing, quiet sleepers, and we both wake easily when we all share a hotel room with each other.

I would love to hear about anyone's lived experience with downsizing with kids!