The month of April has been a month of simplification for me. In fact, I plan to work on this through to June. For today’s blog, I wanted to get real and extra personal, so I’ve written it as a diary. To be more specific, I’ve written it as a diary of a woman trying to do less through simplification. Welcome to the inner workings of my mind.
If you know me, you know that I have a habit of making things a bit more difficult than it needs to be. Why? I’ve got a big family, businesses, myself and my husband and there are always so many moving parts, I can hardly keep up. But in order to continue to grow and not crash and burn, I had to make some hard choices, some no brainer choices and some much needed choices.
Choice Number One- RECOGNIZE THE GREATER ISSUE
I’ve got to ask, why does life get so freaking complicated in the first place? It’s not even a me thing. Everywhere I turn I see people that are juggling family, work, a busy schedule, and life’s many curveballs plus a myriad of other adulting issues. It can feel complicated, heavy and overwhelming.
What’s worse is the world seems to be celebrating the practice of DOING MORE, BEING MORE, RESTING LESS. What’s that about simplification? *Crickets*. Yep, it’s not a priority. Instead we add MORE to our plate in order to feel like we are worthy or successful or accomplished.
After doing some reflection, I got to admit to myself that this isn’t just a society issue, but an internal issue. We don’t feel worthy unless we are completely burned out and exhausted from what we have given of ourselves. Damn it.
Choice Number TWO: I CHOOSE SIMPLIFICATION
Picking up from my introduction, I’m going to now deliberately choose simplification.
Simplifying is focusing on what is important to you. Not what you have to do, but what you want to do. Sometimes the path to getting more, requires us to do less.
Read that again.
It is important to note here that simple doesn’t always equate to easy. You may simplify something in your life, but the path to doing so may require some hard decisions, hard choices and hard work in order to make it happen.
For instance, I had to make some hard choices as I mentioned. And I have a few more hard ones to make.
One of the hard choices is to eliminate some business partnerships and relationships that no longer lined up with where I am heading as well as provided too many obstacles and hardships that just didn’t need to be in my life. Feels very freeing to do so, but not easy.
I also had to add in some new positions in my company that may seem like I am adding things rather than simplifying, however the goal in doing so was to simplify MY responsibilities and roles so that I am not just working IN my business, but on my business.
A Few Simplification Strategizes You Can Borrow
Some things that are a bit easier for me to simplify, but still require effort and time to get it done are:
Organization of Space
- Cleaning up my spaces! Organize, eliminate and simplify. From kitchen drawers, closets and more. I use an abbreviated version of some popular methods by asking three questions:
- Have I used it in the last year?
- Does it bring me joy?
- Is it necessary?
- If I answer yes to all three, it stays. If I answer no to one or more, I consider tossing it or donating it. I am pretty damn quick to toss shit.
- Clean up the digital world too! Computer files and emails! When an email comes in, answer it and delete it or file it. Clean up files. Unsubscribe for the entire month of May. I know, I know, you may even unsubscribe from me, and I totally cheer you for it if it is taking up energetic space that needs to go.
Plan for the Necessary, not the Many
- Write a to do list before bed. I actually use the notes app on my iPhone and just update it for the next day along with my calendar.
- Which, speaking of calendars, I am being SUPER PICKY about what goes on it.
- Meal plan and pack lunch the night before. Do you do this? Holy shitballs I hear it makes a difference. I intermittent fast for most days so my first meal is lunch and having it already ready is a game changer and I am wanting to incorporate it into the rest of our meals.
- Have a solid morning and evening routine. This I have always been fairly good at. Just continuing to fine tune it and honor it.
- Make fitness and health easy..and fun.
Create Comforting Silence
- Pause more. Declutter your mind more. Mediate, breathe, just find moments where quiet time is ok.
- Get social media off your phone. I said it yes. Take the apps off your phone and schedule your time on media (limit it to two times, 10 minutes a day, and not the first and last things you see).
- Consider distancing yourself from toxic relationships. It is ok to send love from a distance.
- Ditch the shit that brings you down. Period. I have no tolerance for it, and neither should you.
Sometimes the simple answer is NO
- Say no more often. I say yes to all the things most of the time. My husband has called me an OC- over committer. I am making a very pointed effort of saying no and cleaning up my calendar as well as things I commit to. If it doesn’t:
- Bring me joy
- Bring me closer to my ultimate goals
- Then I say no or remove it altogether. Period.
BTW, many of these things are dependent on you knowing your WHY in life. What is that ultimate thing you that gives you purpose to live and breathe? In order to do the necessary clean up- you have to know this. Spend some time figuring this out if you have not already.
I’ve shared, now I’d love to hear from you, what are some ways you simplify your life?
XOXO Shannon
