Why Does It Feel So Much Better to Remove Than to Add?
Why is it that whenever I add too much to my life—whether digitally or physically—I always feel an urge to start removing things, piece by piece? It feels so good, like it sparks a sense of lightness in me. It makes me feel like my life is becoming “better,” “lighter,” and “more optimized.” I’ve tried so many times, but the more I add, the more stress I seem to feel. It’s strange because even something as small as a hand cream can make me stop and think, “Do you really need this in your life?” It’s almost absurd to question myself over something as simple as hand cream—haha.
It’s strange how clearing out just a few apps, selling a couple of shirts, or deleting 50 photos can have such a huge impact. In the long run, those things wouldn’t have mattered much, but the feeling of decluttering is powerful. I love that sensation, and it can hit at any time—even at 1 a.m., when I suddenly feel motivated to go through unused clothes and decide what to sell or throw away.
Maybe it’s because I convince myself that the apps I’m using could be more efficient, or that I should consolidate everything into fewer, better apps. Or perhaps it’s the thought that a particular shirt or pair of jeans no longer fits my current style, so I feel the need to let them go altogether. And often, I end up trying to do just that.
Just yesterday, I felt the need to clean up my RSS feeds and podcasts because I realized I’d subscribed to way too many. Don’t get me wrong—I want my RSS reader to provide a streamlined flow of handpicked content, so I can enjoy a few articles, videos, or podcasts each day. I shouldn’t feel pressured to go through everything, read every article, watch every video, or listen to every podcast episode. Yet here I am, feeling guilty for leaving some RSS feeds unread.
I know that RSS is the best way for me to consume content, but I need to cut down on the number of feeds. I should be more selective when adding new ones. Right now, I tend to subscribe after reading just one interesting article or watching one video from a creator—and that’s not enough to decide if I truly want to follow them long-term.
In an ideal world, I’d love to do a complete digital reset—where everything is wiped clean. No purchase history, no accounts, no apps. Just a factory-reset iPhone and Mac. With the knowledge I have now, I’d rebuild everything from scratch, setting up my devices in the most optimized way for me.
For now, I’m going to continue cleaning out more feeds and hopefully feel some relief when I’m done. I just wanted to share this because it’s funny how clearing things out of your life can be so incredibly satisfying and freeing.