The Year of Less and Bravery of Opting Out with Cait Flanders

What if the secret to more joy, presence, and meaning is actually… less? In this episode, we sit down with Cait Flanders, author, writer, and experimenter, who shares her radical journey of not buying anything for a year, opting out of defaults and drinking for a season and the surprising lessons she learned along the way.

In This Episode:

• [2:25] Why Cait decided to stop buying anything for a year—and what she was (and wasn’t) allowed to purchase
• [7:01]The emotional rollercoaster of facing feelings without the usual distractions of shopping, drinking, or scrolling
• How opting out of “more” led to deeper self-awareness, shifts in relationships, presence over possessions, and a new definition of success
• [11:00] The real ups and downs of minimalism (the honest disclaimer) and why true change is harder (and more rewarding) than it looks on social media
• Recognizing the invisible undercurrent of spending required just to "maintain" our identities.
• [26:00]How letting go of old ideals and habits can open the door to new experiences, opportunities, and joy
• The journey behind Cait’s books and writing - “The Year of Less” and “Adventure in Opting Out”
• [31:05] Life as an Experiment: Moving from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset where every decision is just data for your next adventure.
• [41:10] Takeaways from this conversation

--Favorite quotes from this conversation--

“I cried a lot. I had to feel my feelings because I could not numb out.”

“Spending became the thing I was reaching for next after quitting drinking.”

“Anytime you have a value shift, your relationships shift.”

“We have this grip on so many things…but as soon as we open this grip, we get to experience something new.”

“Did I enjoy the simple things today? Did I feel like myself today?”

“It is hard to change your life, you know? It can be incredibly isolating.”

“If you can find one person who loves you so much they’ll keep encouraging you, hold on dearly to that person.”

“Success is the ability to see what we already have and what’s all around us.”

Connect with Kate:

• Substack: The Lighthouse
• Instagram: @caitflanders

If this episode inspired you, please subscribe, rate, and review the show! Share your biggest takeaway and let me know what you’re letting go of next.