Take Action

With all the holidays being celebrated this time of year, Christmas-oriented and otherwise, you may be quick to think that the last thing the world needs is another holiday; we think there's room for at least one more. Discardia is a cyclical, floating holiday (it happens several times per year) designed to celebrate letting go. Says the site, "It doesn't involve obligations or expense or overblown expectations of specialness" -- it just involves thinking about using less and paring down that which we don't need. Discardia is the time to get rid of things (by recycling, FreeCycling & giving away, rather than pitching it, of course) that no longer add value to your life, shed bad habits, let go of emotional baggage and generally lighten your load. Based on ideas like "You Need Less Than You Think" and "Compared to Most of the Rest of the World, I'm Rich," the holiday is particularly fitting this time of year, when much of the developed world gathers to celebrate through giving while consuming too much: eggnog, new stuff, and the list goes on. The latest Discardia started December 21 (with the winter solstice) and continues through January 18 (the next new moon), and we think it's a pretty good way to reflect on 2006 and start 2007 off on the right foot. Check in with the site devoted to the holiday for a new Discardia tip each day, and see if you can pare down your stuff and your life and live more with less. ::Discardia via ::Apartment Therapy: San Francisco