I ran into a former client recently and she said, “Deciding to live a simpler life, was the best thing I ever did for myself!”
She went on to say that she had absolutely no regrets about choosing not only to declutter her stuff but to also downsize to a smaller home.
She said that in the process she had come to embrace living with less and has learned to be grateful and content.
Take Back Control in Your Life
While it took time, she said that one of the most important lessons she learned was that in order to take back control of her own life so she could live life on her own terms, she had to stop worrying about what others would think or what society might be telling her she should do.
It had been 2 years since she got fed up with the constant stress and being overwhelmed by too much stuff and she said she never looked back on her decision to live that simpler life with less.
If this sounds vaguely familiar to you and you are craving to live a simpler and more abundant life with less stuff and less stress, maybe it’s time for you in 2024 to stop talking about it and just do it! To intentionally embrace, having enough and being enough.
While it’s tempting to jump right in and say let’s get started, there are a few very important steps that you need to take to achieve the best results and reach your goals. They will also help you stay focused on the areas of life that you need the most help in simplifying.
Follow the step-by-step method to get the results you want so you can gain momentum and build confidence on your journey to living more with less.
Step 1: Take time to assess all areas of your life to determine what needs to change to make life simpler.
The more we become aware and understand what needs to change on the inside, the faster and easier it will be to make changes on the outside.
In other words, we need to confront what’s going on the inside before we can make changes that will impact our life.
For example:
- You might want and need to declutter your home, but why do you continue to buy more stuff?
- You might want and need to reduce your debt, but why do you keep using credit cards to buy more?
- You might want and need to lose weight and get fit, but why do you hold onto bad eating habits?
- You might want more time to relax and enjoy your life, but why do you keep saying yes to everything and needlessly filling up your calendar?
If you want to make positive lifestyle changes that will improve the quality of your life, you must first understand and become aware of why you continue to struggle with… excess clutter, excess debt, overeating, busyness, etc.
Once you realize so much of what goes on the inside is directly tied to your emotions:
I.e., loneliness, stress, overwhelm, fatigue, etc.
Once you start to realize that we all try to distract ourselves, maybe even deny and hide from the pain of those same emotions that will help us feel better at least momentarily. I.e., buying those shoes or eating that chocolate.
Then, the underlying cause of consuming too much begins to make sense. We can see what’s going on, why we do what we do and why we continue to live a life with excess.
Only after you take the time to assess the root of the problem is, only then can you start to take back control of your life and set the stage for living a simpler life with less so you can live more.
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Step 2: Clearly define what a simpler life looks like for you.
Create a vision for what you want and don’t want, for what you want more of and less of.
For example:
- A Simpler Schedule: With white space on your calendar:
- One that is less busy to have more time and freedom to pursue what matters more to you.One with less to do and with less stress.One with more time to rest and even to do nothing.
- One that is balanced.
- A Simpler Home: A home that is uncluttered, organized, peaceful, calm, and welcoming.
- One that you look forward to coming home to.One where you can focus and be productive.
- One where you have less to do so you could have more time to simply enjoy your life.
- A Simpler Financial Life: A life that is free from debt where you make fewer impulse purchases, and where you are mindful of how you spend your money
- One where you live well within your main budget and we have all you want and need so you consume much less
- Simpler and Healthy Relationships: Quality relationships that are easy, uncomplicated and meaningful where you prioritize time together to make memories with family and friends.
- Simpler Routines and Habits: These help you prioritize and maintain a clutter-free home and happy, healthy, relationships, and financial life.
- Simpler Healthy Lifestyle: A lifestyle that doesn’t feel good, it’s good for your physical and mental health and well-being. One that is filled with contentment and gratitude for having enough.
Step 3: Prioritize the areas in your life that need to be simplified first.
Start with those areas when simplified, will make the most immediate and greatest impact.
For example:
- Decluttering your home for peace and calm, reducing stress and overwhelm.
- · Decluttering your calendar for more time for what matter most, reducing busyness and stress
Step 4: Commit to the changes that will simplify your life.
For example:
- STOP
- Wanting and seeking more
- Doing more
- Consuming more
- START
- Saying yes to what you want more of.
- Saying no to what you want less of.
- Prioritizing the simplification of each area of your life.
- Living each moment.
When making these small, but meaningful changes daily, they will evolve into lasting changes that will have an impact the overall quality of your life so you can begin to experience and appreciate the little things that matter most
The paradox of living a simpler life:
When you do less… you will live more!
Know that I am with you on your journey to living a simpler life with less.
Don’t wait! Let the decision to live a simpler life with less be the best thing you ever did for yourself!
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