Wonderful message and reminder. Thank you, Justin. I'm removing people-pleasing from emptying my energy tank and replacing it with improving my guitar playing and writing good songs.
yeahhhh, i 100% agree. less is always, always, always more. i wish more people understood this.
this is why my life's work is specifically focused on deep cellular cleansing + detox.
most people try to add supplements, biohacks, and peptides to achieve optimal health and waste a shit ton of money doing so, but TRUE health + vitality actually comes from removing what's holding you down (waste, blockages, toxins, parasites, mold, heavy metals). it’s much more simple than people think.
your body is a self-healing, self-regenerating, self-cleansing organism under the right conditions. you just need to give it those conditions. :)
andddd, the physical body is the first doorway. when you clear the physical body, you elevate your mental, emotional, spiritual, and energetic frequency. i work with so many high performers, CEOs, founders, entrepreneurs, and so on who experience quantum leaps in so many more areas of life because of this work.
i do regular attention audits (pretty much weekly) to look at any apps, people, places, activities, things, relationships, mindsets, behaviors, etc. that are draining me of my energy and ruthlessly eliminating them. that requires intentionality + focus.
Incredible article. I'm going to post this on my desk: "Your phone is built to interrupt you. Social media is built to addict you. The news exists to make you worried. Even the way most businesses work is designed to add complexity, not remove it."
Great post, thank you. For me, it’s the love-hate with Facebook. On the one hand I like it because I can see what’s going on around me and our friends’ kids, etc., but on the other it can become a comparison game with rage bait sprinkled in. I think once my kid graduates from high school I’m deleting my account.
Hey Justin, great read. Did you accidentally delete a part? I'm not sure what you were saying with the tweet thing.
Other than that - I hear you. I always say "what you own, owns you" because everything takes time and energy, and if you're stretched between too many things, you're just gonna get drained.
Focus on fewer things. A job, one hobby, fewer (but more valuable) possessions, and you're gonna be great!
It’s refreshing to think of luxury not as more - but as less: less noise, less mental clutter, fewer things pulling at our attention. Asking ‘Does this add life?’ is such a grounded way to live.
Going through a period of mindful minimalism really changed everything for me. You realize what you truly need for fulfillment, which in my case was epic experiences with people I care about.
Great read Justin! I’ve deactivated my FB / IG accounts, being more intentional with my time, energy and health. I really want to create a spacious environment for me to serve others who really need that extra love on their nervous system. 🙏🏻
Thanks Justin. I dismantled my business and am in transition taking it slow. Podcasting, writing. Lead by what aligns with my values, what brings me joy and living by ‘enough is plenty’. It’s incredibly freeing. Axx
This was great! It reminded me of a core mantra in my life -- which I'm doing my best to pass down to my children for their future decision-making. And that is...
"You can own things, but things can own you."
Point being, the old saying "less is more" is usually right from a contentment perspective -- at least for me. For example, I live in a waterfront neighborhood where so many people tend to want to "keep up with the Jones'". It seems so exhausting. The boats. The pools. The jet skis. The condo on the beach. Whatever it may be. But all those things come with a cost. Many people don't see all the background requirements and capital that go into all of those -- both of which require more time, money, and energy to offset. Now, I'm not demonizing having nice things. Not at all. It's just about finding true joy, peace, and contentment. And for me, "things" don't fulfill that. My wife, children, and seeing them full of joy, peace, and content is what truly fulfills me.
Anyhow... Sorry for the rambling. This just really hit home with me and I wanted to share the above for what it's worth.
P.S. I also sometimes wonder if this topic of "subtraction" vs. "addition" is being too generous. I almost feel like it becomes more of a "multiplication" game when one thing gets added. I'll save that rant for another day.
One of the greatest gifts you can give your children is an appreciation of things that dont cost anything and an understanding of the true cost of all those material things your neighbours have (financial stress, relationship issues, time lost with loved ones while they are slaving to pay the bank loans). Hard to do in a wealthy area but keep doing it!
Less is more. As someone who traveled and lived abroad for a couple of years I learned this personally. I always felt light with just the stuff that could fit in two suitcases. Now, back in Germany and with a permanent place, the stuff automatically accumulates. It’s a heavier feeling and I miss the lightness sometimes. On the other hand a lot of the stuff I own is supporting my craft or the creation of my dream business so it has its upsides as well. Thank you for this thoughtfully written piece.
Wonderful message and reminder. Thank you, Justin. I'm removing people-pleasing from emptying my energy tank and replacing it with improving my guitar playing and writing good songs.
Great idea. I'm also a people pleaser.
yeahhhh, i 100% agree. less is always, always, always more. i wish more people understood this.
this is why my life's work is specifically focused on deep cellular cleansing + detox.
most people try to add supplements, biohacks, and peptides to achieve optimal health and waste a shit ton of money doing so, but TRUE health + vitality actually comes from removing what's holding you down (waste, blockages, toxins, parasites, mold, heavy metals). it’s much more simple than people think.
your body is a self-healing, self-regenerating, self-cleansing organism under the right conditions. you just need to give it those conditions. :)
andddd, the physical body is the first doorway. when you clear the physical body, you elevate your mental, emotional, spiritual, and energetic frequency. i work with so many high performers, CEOs, founders, entrepreneurs, and so on who experience quantum leaps in so many more areas of life because of this work.
i do regular attention audits (pretty much weekly) to look at any apps, people, places, activities, things, relationships, mindsets, behaviors, etc. that are draining me of my energy and ruthlessly eliminating them. that requires intentionality + focus.
i know which steve you're talking about, ps!
I love this comment, and it's so interesting to see how connected business and health are. Ya know? And yeah, Steve's a good dude :)
ps i wrote about this theme a few weeks ago too https://open.substack.com/pub/meghanswidler/p/the-signal-the-year-of-less
always the most connected! yes, he is!
This is so true. We are constantly bombarded with more noise and FOMO. Less is more in the world of information overload. Calm is the new cool.
"Calm is the new cool." That's good stuff right there, Michael.
Shared on LinkedIn and I’ll restack as well.
Excellent newsletter Justin, soustraction adds more value than compiling layers of « happiness ».
Incredible article. I'm going to post this on my desk: "Your phone is built to interrupt you. Social media is built to addict you. The news exists to make you worried. Even the way most businesses work is designed to add complexity, not remove it."
Too much spending made my life a lot harder. It would just cause finacial stress without many returns.
Cutting back on excess and focusing on what is truly important is something more people should do.
Thanks for sharing Justin!
Great post, thank you. For me, it’s the love-hate with Facebook. On the one hand I like it because I can see what’s going on around me and our friends’ kids, etc., but on the other it can become a comparison game with rage bait sprinkled in. I think once my kid graduates from high school I’m deleting my account.
Hey Justin, great read. Did you accidentally delete a part? I'm not sure what you were saying with the tweet thing.
Other than that - I hear you. I always say "what you own, owns you" because everything takes time and energy, and if you're stretched between too many things, you're just gonna get drained.
Focus on fewer things. A job, one hobby, fewer (but more valuable) possessions, and you're gonna be great!
This perspective really lands.
It’s refreshing to think of luxury not as more - but as less: less noise, less mental clutter, fewer things pulling at our attention. Asking ‘Does this add life?’ is such a grounded way to live.
Thank you for this.
Going through a period of mindful minimalism really changed everything for me. You realize what you truly need for fulfillment, which in my case was epic experiences with people I care about.
Being disconnected is now my default state outside of my job.
Even there I am blocking as much time as possible for uninterrupted work.
My private phone has no notifications other then when someone actually calls me.
It's so peaceful now.
Great read Justin! I’ve deactivated my FB / IG accounts, being more intentional with my time, energy and health. I really want to create a spacious environment for me to serve others who really need that extra love on their nervous system. 🙏🏻
Thanks Justin. I dismantled my business and am in transition taking it slow. Podcasting, writing. Lead by what aligns with my values, what brings me joy and living by ‘enough is plenty’. It’s incredibly freeing. Axx
This was great! It reminded me of a core mantra in my life -- which I'm doing my best to pass down to my children for their future decision-making. And that is...
"You can own things, but things can own you."
Point being, the old saying "less is more" is usually right from a contentment perspective -- at least for me. For example, I live in a waterfront neighborhood where so many people tend to want to "keep up with the Jones'". It seems so exhausting. The boats. The pools. The jet skis. The condo on the beach. Whatever it may be. But all those things come with a cost. Many people don't see all the background requirements and capital that go into all of those -- both of which require more time, money, and energy to offset. Now, I'm not demonizing having nice things. Not at all. It's just about finding true joy, peace, and contentment. And for me, "things" don't fulfill that. My wife, children, and seeing them full of joy, peace, and content is what truly fulfills me.
Anyhow... Sorry for the rambling. This just really hit home with me and I wanted to share the above for what it's worth.
P.S. I also sometimes wonder if this topic of "subtraction" vs. "addition" is being too generous. I almost feel like it becomes more of a "multiplication" game when one thing gets added. I'll save that rant for another day.
One of the greatest gifts you can give your children is an appreciation of things that dont cost anything and an understanding of the true cost of all those material things your neighbours have (financial stress, relationship issues, time lost with loved ones while they are slaving to pay the bank loans). Hard to do in a wealthy area but keep doing it!
Well said, Pauline! And I promise to do my best. Thank you so much for the reply and encouragement. Stay blessed!
Things I removed from my life in 2025:
a) I stopped watching news all the time -> Made me calmer
b) I stopped ordering food on weekends -> Learned to cook at home
c) I stopped picking up calls after work -> Learned to get my own solo time
Things I want to remove form my life in 2026:
a) Figure out what all subscriptions I want to stop
b) Figure out all the bad habits I need to stop and actually do it(P.S. Not enough exercise while sitting behind the table with my laptop on)
c) Disconnect from needy people who don't serve my future life
Less is more. As someone who traveled and lived abroad for a couple of years I learned this personally. I always felt light with just the stuff that could fit in two suitcases. Now, back in Germany and with a permanent place, the stuff automatically accumulates. It’s a heavier feeling and I miss the lightness sometimes. On the other hand a lot of the stuff I own is supporting my craft or the creation of my dream business so it has its upsides as well. Thank you for this thoughtfully written piece.