What’s stopping you from simplifying your life?

I found a quote from an unknown author who said ‘When things aren’t adding up in your life, start subtracting.’ It started me questioning my own life, and whether it’s become too cluttered.

Simplicity is a bit of a buzzword at the moment. Most people aspire to stripping back the non-essentials in order to create some space for the important stuff. Time is our most precious resource, and we tend to fill our days to the max. And if it’s not your time that’s being treated so casually, then it’s the physical clutter you begin to amass in your life.

Why would you want to simplify? Perhaps it’s recognition of respect for yourself. Respecting your time, and using it in the best possible way to make sure you achieve what you need to.  It could also just be a sign that you are changing, and what you want from life isn’t the same as it was before.

What is stopping you? For me, it’s a few things.

• Not being able to say no. I have a habit of saying YES when I really mean no. So I end up doing things that play no role in my goals, and take my time from doing what I’ve set out to do. It’s something I’m working on.
• Over-thinking it. Sometimes you just have to rely on your intuition, and run with it. As Thomas Edison said, ‘I have not failed. I have just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.’ (Note - As part of the induction for my new job, I was given a book Fail, Fail Again. Good call).
• Not starting. Just start! I learnt this from a great mentor. She always said to me when I was struggling with a problem or a project, ‘Just start writing’ and as simple as this is, it really works.

Everyone will have a different way to approach simplicity, but the best thing to do is just start with one thing. Break it down into little parts, even just one thing a day. Write them down and then look back and appreciate what you’ve been able to achieve.

 

I’m going to start by saying no more, and getting myself a Gumtree account. What about you, is the concept of simplicity on the radar for you, and how are you achieving it? Would love to hear from you.

#thesimplelife