*If you would rather listen than read – PODCAST is AVAILABLE for DOWNLOAD HERE
I believe a lot of stress and unhappiness is caused by the pursuit of stuff. More money, a bigger house, a better car, more clothes, more jewellery, more this, more that. Do we really need it? What if all that is just an illusion, a conditioning we have been living under?
[Give Up the Need For Happiness: Timeless Wisdom For Enjoying Your Life]
“The first step in crafting the life you want is to get rid of everything you don’t.”
– Joshua Becker
Simplicity – something that is simple or ordinary but enjoyable.
“Simplify, simplify, simplify ”. That has been my mantra for the past few months. This is what I have learned thus far – Simplicity is a process. A journey that develops, unfolds and grows as we go on. Along this journey you will uncover more freedom. You will clear out time, feel lighter, happier and less stressed.
If this sounds appealing to you I encourage you to explore simplicity.
You can listen to our Podcast episode here:
Today I would like to share with you some basic habits that I have personally found helpful. You can apply them to your own life as you find fit and start to appreciate the quality of less.
Start by evaluating the following 4 areas of your life and then apply as many habits as you find fit.
YOUR HEALTH:
Love yourself enough to live a healthy lifestyle as health is the foundation for happiness.
• Clear out your fridge and pantry
Don’t stop here, move onto all the cabinets. Throw away any foods, beverages and products that are either expired or not beneficial to your health.
• Plan your meals
I am not suggesting to obsess about each and every meal you eat, however regular Food Prep is an awesome way to plan ahead, save time and ensure a healthy, balanced diet. For a simple guide, read Easy Plant Based Meal Planning.
• Eat Slower
We live in a face paced world. Many of us don’t even stop and take the time to enjoy meals. Cramming food down our throat is not only unhealthy, it also contributes to stress, weight gain and many other health issues. On the other hand creating the right meal atmosphere, slowing down and connecting with food has a profound positive impact on the state of our well-being. Leo Babuta from the Zen Habits wrote a nice article on this topic here .
• Exercise
What does Exercise have to do with simplicity?
It’s a big deal!
Total game changer.
Here is the thing, once you’ve adopted the habit of a regular fitness schedule, you will start to notice all sorts of good things – your body will get lighter & more toned, your mood will improve and you will gain an amount of confidence that motivates you to keep on going.
YOUR HOME:
Make your home your sanctuary. A place where you are able to rest, relax and reconnect.
• Declutter
Take the time to clean and organized your living space. Look around and make a decision to get rid of, donate or give away anything that no longer serves you. Old appliances and gadgets, knick-knacks that collet dust, anything that is broken…You get the point, right?
• Stay Organized
Decide where things go, give them a home. Knowing where things belong, putting them back when you have used it and easily find an item when you need it saves time and frustration.
• Minimize your Wardrobe
I love opening a closet without clutter. It creates a sense of liberation and ease. Plus it saves time and could contribute to less chaotic mornings.
• Clear out your computer
Completely free your desktop of icons. Not only that they create a visual clutter, they also slow down your computer, which limits you from being able to get the work done efficiently.
YOUR RELATIONSHIPS:
Motivational speaker Jim Rohn use to say that “We are the average of the five people we spend the most time with.”
• Reflect
Take a look at the people you surround yourself with.
Reflect on your relationships. Ask yourself “how does it feel like to be around that person?” Do you fell energized, uplifted and motivated by them? If the answer is “no”, perhaps it’s time to part ways. Surround yourself with amazing people who inspire you to evolve and grow and do your best to be a great friend for them.
• Seek Solitude
Be able to be alone. No TV, phone or computer. It might be hard, but it’s worth it. Sitting quietly and taking your attention inwards brings this beautiful sense of peace and calmness. You start to understand that happiness is a state of mind and has very little to do with what is around you.
• Limit your media consumption
This tip won’t be for everyone, so if media consumption is important to you, please skip it (as with any of the other tips). However, I believe that the media in our lives — TV, radio, Internet, magazines, etc. — can come to dominate our lives. Don’t let it. Simplify your life and your information consumption by limiting it. Try a media fast.
YOUR SCHEDULE:
Out of control schedules are now the norm. Most of us associate being busy with sense of accomplishment and success. It’s so easy to get overwhelmed and create unnecessary stress. So what can we do about it?
• Prioritize
Re-evaluate and say no to certain obligations. This is actually the key habit for anyone trying to simplify his/her life. Sure it might be hard at the beginning and will require a little bit of effort and diligence, but the end result will be well worth the efforts! I highly suggest you check out Passion Planner, it made a huge change to my life.
• Unsubscribe
You know what takes up unnecessary time? Emails you don’t care about. Simply dedicate 10 min each week to go over your recent emails, watch for the ones that you didn’t sign up for, or signed up for but don’t need/want/like anymore, scroll to the bottom of the email and click “unsubscribe”. Get that nonsense out of your life!
• One thing at a time
Mluti-tasking might sound like a good idea but actually our brains can really only handle one thing at a time. Constantly switching from one task to another creates chaos in our mind, making us less efficient. On the other hand single-tasking is a healthier, more productive and all around better practice.
Ok that is enough to get you started. Now choose one tip at a time, and focus on that task. When you’ve mastered it, expand your focus on the next thing. Simple. 😉
With love & respect,
PS. There is no time like the present time. If you want to make a change in any of the above mentioned areas, do not wait. Start today, do it NOW.
