Life is what happens when you’re making other plans. We’re all so busy, so intent on getting to the next place, the next step, the next level, that often we miss out on the more simple, beautiful truths that this big ol’ game has to give us. A little slowing down, a little switching off, and suddenly spiritual awakening isn’t so far away. Yes, the secret is all in a sense of streamlining, and with that in mind, here are 5 IDEAL ways to simplify your life.
BE YOURSELF
It can be tempting to try to be what everyone wants you to be (or what you think everyone wants you to be, which can be very different to the reality), but that won’t make you happy, and it won’t make life easy either. Pretending to be something and someone you’re not will only make things more complicated. Keeping up appearances, and keeping that mask on, can be a very stressful thing indeed. Be yourself, and you’ll find that life is much easier. You’ll have true friends around you, you’ll do a job you enjoy, and you’ll find peace. Life is much simpler when you make yourself happy first, and work on other people later.
GO ON A TECHNOLOGY DETOX
We spend so much time plugged in that sometimes we forget to log out. Mentally that is. It’s an affliction we all suffer from. A bad habit we’re all guilty of. A curse on society which needs eradicating. Okay, maybe that last one is a touch excessive, but mobile phone use seems to have permeated every moment in life, from interrupting our sleep to taking precedent over our social interactions. It’s time to change not only your settings, but your habits, too. After time spent with your devices out of sight and mind, you’ll approach life with renewed clarity and vision. And we all want that, don’t we?
BE POSITIVE
There’s only two guarantees in life; death and taxes. Add to that, this; that something bad will befall you, at some point. Bleak, we know, but there it is. Everyone experiences disappointment, upset, grief, and more. How we respond, however, is how we shape our lives. Where possible, have a positive outlook, one full of optimism and good grace, and you’ll find the world an easier place to approach.
DON’T BUY STUFF YOU DON’T NEED
Collect memories, not things, as the mantra of the millennial mouths. Buying ‘stuff’ you don’t need, that you won’t use, that you can’t fit in your house, will only drag you down; a constant reminder of money which could’ve been spent on an adventure or something more worthwhile. We’re not saying spend nothing. That’s implausible, and impossible. But when you do need to spend some money, look at how you can save in the process. If you need to spend big, look for cheaper alternatives: a used Mini, instead of a brand new one, a charity shop not a department store one….you get the picture. Look at what’s available on Freecycle, too, for that feeling of finding a bargain is an uplifting one right there.
CLEAR YOUR MIND AND HOME
De-cluttering your home is helpful, but de-cluttering your mind is perhaps even more important if you want a simple life. The two are inextricably linked, of course. Creating space in your office and home can be as simple as identifying indispensables and throwing away item’s which aren’t. Decluttering the mind needn’t be any more complicated. Meditation can be a wonderful way to calm and soothe that overactive mind, as can practicing mindfulness, or yoga.
