Why Simplify?

Are you someone who thinks about -- maybe even wistfully dreams about -- a simpler, less stressful, more meaningful life? But associate simplifying with giving away everything you own, and going back to baking your own bread?

Unfortunately, that attitude can scare you away from making the simple (pardon the pun) kind of changes that can make your life so much easier and less stressful.

Instead, let’s agree that simplifying means whatever you want it to mean in your own particular life. For me, it means eliminating the stuff around me that I find neither useful nor beautiful, and trust me, other people would not always agree with my definition of useful or beautiful.

To me, simplifying means simply making my life easier. It simply looks at the problems of everyday life, then poses creative, simplified solutions.

And what do I get in return for my simplifying efforts?

1. Less Stuff, Fewer Problems: With less stuff cluttering up your life the benefits are easy to see. You’ll have less stuff to clean, (yippee!), less stuff to have repaired (more cash flow!), less stuff to dispose of (environmentally good!), and less stuff to find (hallelujah!) Just pick one room in your house and look around it. How much of that stuff are you really enjoying and getting use from? How much of it is an aggravation for cleaning, repairing, losing, fixing, disposing of? I’ll bet you a paycheck (not really!) that it’s at least 75/25.

2. Less Effort, More Energy You’ll have less fear and worry associated with carrying around a lot of stuff. It will simply require less effort. When you begin combining things into one (aerobics and weightlifting at the same time), or setting up a system to do the work for you (a bill paying system), or even eliminating a task altogether (dump it, delegate it), you’ll be calmer, there’s just not as much day to day logistics. Less effort automatically gives you more energy. An example I love to use is the freedom that comes from not smoking. It’s not the freedom from the habit that most people notice first. It’s the no more worrying about having enough cigarettes, no more fears of not being able to find a lighter. You’ll feel more in control of your time, your space, your energy.

3. Less Baggage, Better Relationships: “Stuff” refers to not only material things, but mental and emotional clutter as well. By cleaning out the “needto”, “haveto”, and “oughto” attitude of your own life, you’ll have better relationships because there’s not as much “stuff” in your life to fight about. Put the past in the past by returning anything you borrowed, by apologizing to whoever you need to, by getting your bills up to date, by sending the card or gift you forgot to send, by making the phone call you need to make. You get the idea. Anything that you “should” have done, but neglected to, has you “Tied To The Past”.

4. More FUN! Having a simplified, easier lifestyle means having more time for the things you dream of like reading, or traveling, or entertaining, starting a business, playing with the kids, or visiting with friends. You’ll feel more in control because the clutter -- physical, emotional, and mental -- will no longer dictate how your space is arranged, or how your time is spent (looking for things), or how your energy is used (frustration, aggravation). Need I say more?

Simplifying your life is not a dirty word. It can mean anything you choose it to mean. From hiring a handyman to ditching the PTA, start simplifying your life and see what benefits you find along the way.
====================
Kathy Gates is a Certified Emotional Intelligence Coach in Scottsdale Arizona who specializes in focus and motivation, and believes that happiness is where self-acceptance and self-improvement meet. She can show you more secrets for living a happier life at www.reallifecoach.com