The Simplified Life
Historically, I've been a bit of an overcomplicator. I have always done a lot with my time, my space, and my commitments to others. I even boasted my love for a book called: The Joys of Much Too Much, for much too long in my twenties. From elaborate dinner parties, to daily must-do lists, to workshops, to vacations, I'm a maximizer and I love to suck the marrow out of a day, a workshop, or an event.
That said, I'm learning that the joys of much too much can be short-lived. They can shine and dazzle and then flame out with as much intensity as the first flint's spark overdoing it.
A few months ago a wise friend encouraged me to design my day around this new, personally radical mantra: Simplify. She told me to think like Theo - be present, be focused, try easy.
Simple enough, right? But how does it work? How does one truly embody the less-is-more paradigm? And how does this work (especially) around the holidays?
I'm sharing a few ways I've learned to try easy, surround myself with less, and relax into the simple flow of this life:
TAKE STOCK OF WHAT MATTERS: This is a process I often do with my one-on-one clients where we identify what truly - at the heart of it all - matters. What the values one treasures REALLY are. Here's a hint - they're usually something like, true human connection. Or creating something for the greater good. Or finding a way to feel and share love. Once identified, the distracting details become less important to focus on or fret about.
TACKLE CLUTTER OF MIND, BODY, + HOME: Oh the daily battles of this one. Some of us (me!) are highly sensitive to clutter. We need a daily opportunity to cleanse, to clear, and to start with a fresh slate. Meditation is a fantastic way to do this for the mind. Bathing the body can take on a ritual and symbolic reverence for refresh, and though this book and this movie can seem dramatic, they're a wonderful kick in the butt to organize how you value objects.
SIMPLIFY THE GIFTING PROCESS: I am a person who (these days) loves a practical gift. Buy me a 32 oz tub of grass-fed-ghee and I'll love you forever. While not everyone in the world shares these sentiments, I think there are ways to simplify the gifting process. The DIY section on this site is simply amazing. I love gifting ideas that involve an experience like a movie date, a home cooked brunch party, tickets to a concert or sporting event, a hike and picnic, etc. Or, one could even go with the good old-fashioned house plant. Snake plans or jade are great, hearty ones to gift to loved ones.
UNSUBSCRIBE: We are all inundated with way too many emails. Manage your virtual clutter - whether it's pictures, far too many sale notifications from J.CREW or quite honestly even well-intentioned newsletters (like this one) that for one reason or another add to your overwhelm. If it's not making you feel better, it's time to delete or report spam. Your virtual health thanks you.
CREATE DAILY MITS: The concept of most important tasks is a beautiful one. I shared a bit about visioning your day in this post, but a morning essential to simplifying an overwhelming to do list is to get clear, and seriously honest with yourself about the three MITs or most important tasks to accomplish each day. If you're like me, three can initially seem way too low (can we PLEASE start at 30 extremely important tasks, I can hear my old self saying...), but truly the art of forced-distilling of essential dos sets you up for a day of success. Then, by all means, if you cruise through them and keep on going, the rest is just gravy.
A life of simplicity doesn't have to be boring, aesthetic, or evangelist in nature. In my humble opinion, it's just a beautiful way to do more magic with less background noise. Here's to a life of simplified love, joy, and contentment.
To work on these concepts one-on-one, I look forward to connecting over a session.
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