I recently returned from a 17-day adventure in Paris. And I can’t stop thinking about my carry-on.

I took a compact 20″ hardside spinner that fit with room to spare in the overhead. In it were my favorite clothes and must-have essentials. Even with only 20 x 14 x 9 inches, I packed more than I really needed.

  • I took only one book—because that was enough.
  • I packed only my favorite dresses—because who wants to be in the City of Light in something you don’t love?
  • I spent money on mouth-watering meals and memory-making experiences, not on the stuff of souvenirs.

The stuff of “real life”

Returning home, I was struck by the disconnect between my carry-on adventure and my “real life” with decidedly more stuff.

At home I have bookcases full of books—many more than enough, and some I’ll never read. My closet is full too, but not everything in it sparks joy or matches my current vibration.

And while experiences, not things has been a mantra for a while, I look around our apartment and see stuff—less than some, sure, but more than would ever fit in a carry-on.

Living light, living aligned

It’s not that I want to live out of a suitcase.

But when 17 days with a carry-on felt so freeing and functional, so light and liberating, it got me thinking about the kind of life I want to create and carry with me.

A carry-on life.

One where enough is truly enough. Where everything supports my energy. Where there’s so much more in less. Where every item, every choice, every yes delights and aligns.

A carry-on life not weighed down by too much to manage. Not cluttered with the tending and caretaking of possessions. Not about organizing and arranging for the sake of keeping.

Not about stuff—and all the struggle that can come with it.

Simplicity and ease

Because when you have less to choose from, it’s easier to choose. Picking which dress to wear is simpler when there are 8, not 38.

When everything around you is useful and essential, it creates its own kind of flow and ease.

When you have just what you need—no more and no less—there’s a simplicity that invites alignment.

When you deliberately handpick what earns a place in your life—physically and energetically—you feel more clear, more grounded, and more true to yourself.

Maybe even ready for an adventure.

What would earn a spot in your carry-on?

Take a look around your life. What delights you? What uplifts your energy? What feels aligned with who you’re becoming?
And what’s just weighing you down?

What would earn a coveted spot in your carry-on—and what would you gladly leave behind?