Simplicity is often one of the greatest strengths.
—Erik Spoelstra
Simple Joys: No More Extra-Extra
https://choiceliteracy.com/article/august-1-2025-simple-joys/
Summer is wrapping up, and I wonder where it went and what I did. If I’m really honest, I’m actually wondering if I fell short. It seems that there is constantly more to do than I can possibly get done. Just a few months ago, as the school year was winding down, I saw summer on the horizon and thought: Soon I’ll be able to catch up.
Now summer is in the rearview mirror, and I’m wondering how I will ever be ready to start the new school year. I already feel like I’m behind. I know I am not alone. I know too many of us are heading into the new school year with the feeling that rather than being on the verge of a fresh start, we need a nap and a few more weeks of summer to be ready for school.
Here’s what I’ve decided—I’m going to cut the extra-extra. I was inspired to do this when I heard a statistic about new home sizes. In 1950 the average size of a new home in the U.S. was 983 square feet. In 1970 the average size of a new home in the U.S. was 1500 square feet. Today, the statistic is 2300 square feet.
As I thought about the extra space, I also thought about the extra cleaning and the extra decorating and the extra repairs. There’s a lot of extra-extra, and I wondered about the simplicity that could happen by cutting the extra-extra.
To cut the extra-extra, I first have to decide what is basic and what is extra. These things are good to keep. A little extra can make things special. A little extra can bring joy and energy. It’s the extra-extra that I’m looking to slash.
Take a moment to slow down and breathe. Look around your classroom or office or school, and consider what brings you joy. Don’t make it more complicated than it needs to be. Enjoy the simplicity of noticing joy. Now consider all the other things you are scrambling to make happen. Rather than rushing to get them done, ask yourself if they might be extra-extra. Linger with this consideration.
Then be willing to let go of the extra-extra. This has been difficult for me to release, so I expect it will be for you, too. However, I promise that it is worth it. I’m finding that joy comes more easily without all the extra-extra.
