Soulful Simplicity

Chapter One

An Ironic Diagnosis

I could feel the gadolinium contrast pushing through my vein. A wave of warmth rushed up my arm, and then through my entire body. I knew my face was flushed. Then, as they slid me back into the MRI machine, nausea hit, and then the panic. "There is no room to sit up. I am going to throw up and choke on my own vomit." My head was in a plastic cage snapped tightly shut, my arms were down by my side, and the machine started to shake and sounded like ten thousand jackhammers. I hadn't let myself get really scared until now. For months, I'd been fighting vertigo, fatigue, and other symptoms, chalking it all up to stress and an ear infection. I was training for the Harmon's MS 150, a cycling event in Salt Lake City, in the spring of 2006. I was going to our local recreation center for indoor training sessions because it was still too cold to ride outdoors.

I didn't know much about multiple sclerosis, but my boss had it. I worked for a publishing company and the owner was in a wheelchair. When I first started working for him, I didn't know what was wrong with him and I was too intimidated to ask. Even though he was in a wheelchair, he was a powerhouse. He was committed to his company and enjoyed the stressful nature of the business, and made it more stressful whenever he could. Eventually, I found John's softer side. I had great respect for him and his wife even though we couldn't be more different. That stress they thrived on twisted me up. Once I got to know them better and had been with the company for almost two years, I decided to raise money for MS research by participating in the 150-kilometer ride. I wasn't sure if I'd ride the whole thing but I was looking forward to trying. I wanted to raise money for MS research, but I was really riding for John, for his softer side.

It was a stressful spring, and there were several events that likely triggered the exacerbation that led to my diagnosis. I was working long hours and

Courtney Carver launched her blog "Be More with Less" in 2010 and is one of the top bloggers in the world on the subject of minimalism. She has been featured in countless articles, podcasts, and interviews on simplicity, and is the creator of the minimalist fashion challenge, Project 333, which was featured in O Magazine and Real Simple.

"There's an age-old fallacy that more stuff equals more happiness. Research and Carver's beautiful new book lead us to the truth: happiness, joy, and love can very much derive from a whole lot less.

Shawn Achor, happiness researcher, New York Times bestselling author of The Happiness Advantage

"Soulful Simplicity encourages conscious minimalism from the inside out. It's a heartfelt yet practical guide for making life simple again. Courtney's story is relatable in so many ways she lets you walk in her shoes so you can see the mental and physical steps she took to escape a stressful life that literally almost killed her. This book has made me laugh, smile, and take action towards living a life uncluttered by most of the needless things people fill their lives with, leaving me with space for what truly matters. A life that isn t constant busyness, rushing, and stress, but instead contemplation, creation, and connection with people and projects I love."

Angel Chernoff, Author and Coach, Marc and Angel Hack Life

"Courtney Carver reminds us that simplicity isn't just about being organized, it's about getting back to love. With simple genius, Marie Kondo taught us how to declutter our homes, now it's time to let Courtney Carver take us to a deeper place. To refine our lives, and reconnect with what matters most."

Jonathan Fields, author of How to Live a Good Life and Uncertainty: Turning Fear and Doubt into Fuel for Brilliance

"Courtney Carver s new book Soulful Simplicity is a practical roadmap for embracing the beauty of less and making room in our lives for what matters most."

Ali Edwards, Craft the story.

"In a world where so much of the messaging around radical simplicity is just about living with less stuff, Soulful Simplicity prescribes a lifestyle filled with a lot more of one thing: love. What our heart needs is a huge part of the equation, and Courtney teaches us how to make