Want To Simplify Your Life? - 3 Tips On How To Do It
With kids, work, commuting, email, cell phones, and all of our other responsibilities, it seems like the world keeps getting faster and more complex. Sure, a lot of the new conveniences are great, but they can also leave you wanting to slow down and make things simpler.
If you feel like your life has turned into a rollercoaster you have no control over, there are ways to simplify things. If you're looking for a way to calm down and relieve the stress, start by following these 3 tips:
1. Choose quality over quantity.
When's the last time you looked in your closet, basement, or garage? Chances are, it's full of stuff! There are plenty of things we accumulate over the years - things we think will make our lives easier, happier, or more exciting. However, most of that stuff winds up collecting dust. Then, instead of feeling happy from your purchases, you've just created another chore for yourself - cleaning out the garage. It's certainly not a way to relax!
Organize your home and get rid of all the stuff you don't want or need. You'll immediately feel better, because a cluttered home can make your entire life feel cluttered. As the space around you starts to get neat and tidy, your attitude will soon follow.
And, if you really want to feel better, donate all of that unwanted stuff to charity - and give it to people who really need it!
2. Learn to say no.
It's a tiny word, but a tough one to say! If you have a huge project at work and the PTA wants to you to be in charge of the 3rd grade bake sale, politely decline. By trying to fit too much onto your plate, you'll make yourself feel stressed and anxious.
If you absolutely don't have time for something, don't heap it onto your pile of responsibilities. You'll either wind up draining yourself trying to get everything done or you'll feel like a failure when you can't do it all.
3. Devote a little bit of time each day to silence.
Whether it's actual noise - like the kids playing in the living room - or figurative noise - like all of those nagging thoughts racing through your head - you'll never be able to simplify your life without spending time in silence.
Take a nice bath, go for a long walk, or read a few chapters of a great book. No matter how you shut off the noise around you, it doesn't have to take long - and it can work wonders. Devoting a little bit of your day to silence is a great way to feel relaxed and peaceful.
No matter how you decide to do it, simplifying your life means actively slowing things down! It may take work at first, but soon, it'll feel like second-nature.