Not many of us need an excuse for another holiday, but if you’re suffering from the post-Christmas blues this week, you’ll be happy to know there is a NEW holiday being celebrated quarterly called “Discardia”. What? You’ve never heard of it? Until this morning, I hadn’t heard of it either, but the concept is perfect for this time of year, when everyone is making resolutions and trying to improve their lives. Too bad the next Discardia event doesn’t take place until March, but at least we can start planning.
So what is Discardia? It’s a movement started by a woman named Dinah Sanders in 2002, who wanted to celebrate something that didn’t involve massive consumption of bad foods, wild spending or strained relationships. With that in mind, she came up with Discardia which is celebrated quarterly and focuses on “unconsumption, the slow-movement, downshifting and voluntary simplicity”. Basically, she wanted to enjoy life without all the excess. And what she found was that she became happier when she cleared off her shelves and her personal and professional relationships.
Now she’s penned an ebook called Discardia : More Life, Less Stuff which gives an in-depth look into how to rid yourself of gathering more stuff and really stop and enjoy life. She even has a blog with regular posts on how to prepare for the holiday and how to enjoy life in between. The idea is great, and could work for a lot of people, but I’m not sure the idea of a “holiday” at specific times of year is necessary. It seems to me that it’s just scheduling one more (or four more) things into an already hectic life. Discarding should be undertaken whenever the urge hits, probably. But at least she’s got the right idea.
While my husband and I have already started an exciting clean-out venture to maximize our space, we’re not officially following a plan. Will you celebrate Discardia this year?
Tales From An Open Book 