Simple Truths to Acknowledge and Embrace When Simplifying Your Life
Simplifying your home is an act of deciding what to keep andwhat not to keep.
Simplifying your life is an act of deciding what gets yourtime and attention and what does not.
Two simple truths in this are:
- We can’t have it all or do it all.
- Decisions are hard.
These are often hard truths to accept. And they’re often reasons people either shyaway from simplifying altogether or they get stuck along the way and don’tsucceed in their efforts.
Acknowledging these truths and embracing them are criticalsteps to simplifying your life and finding joy along the way.
To help acknowledge and embrace them, consider the following:
Think big but focus on today. The world is filled with opportunities. Technology has brought the unreachable within reach and it continues to pave the way for bigger, better things. I believe that creativity and curiosity are keys to simplifying your life and that you should always be thinking outside the box when pursuing your goals. If you really want it, you can achieve it. But you can’t do it ALL, today, right now.
As someone who coaches others to set goals, define next steps and establish accountability plans, I suggest only thinking out about 12-18 months. Who do you want to be and what do you want to achieve between now and then? Define these then establish your benchmarks and go for it. Stay aware of where you are as you move forward (a coach or mentor can help) and continue looking out at that horizon of 9-18 months. You don’t know what life will look like in 5, 10 or 30 years. While it’s always fun to imagine where you’ll be in the future, remember that action happens with what you choose to do today.
Seasons of life change. Life changes fast. While some seasons seem longer and more challenging than others, things will eventually change. Keeping this in mind can help you enjoy the season you’re in now. Maybe you’re itching to move on from the diapers stage with your children. Keep in mind that someday these moments will be a memory to look back on. If you’re in a stage you love, soak it in and live it up! If you’re in one that’s got you down, reach out for support from others who are in it or have been through it. I promise you are not alone. It takes bravery to reach out, but there’s no sense in trudging through it alone if you don’t have to.
Today’s “enough” will look different than tomorrow’s “enough.” Just as simplifying the stuff in your home is a delicate dance between choosing what stays and what goes to eventually arrive at “just enough,” so is simplifying your life. Remember, you can’t do it all right now. If playing tennis with your girlfriends once a week is a non-negotiable (it fulfills your workout goals and social needs) but serving at the food pantry twice a week is too much right now, let it go. Letting go is hard, but when you do it intentionally and gracefully you’ll feel good about your decision and you'll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner. Stay aware of where your time and energy are going and make changes when activities no longer bring you joy. And don’t forget to savor every second of the ones you absolutely love doing right now.
Living simply isn’t always easy. I’ve learned along the way that the easy way isn’t often the most fulfilling way. When the difficult moments arise along your journey, remember that by working through the tough decisions now, you’re making space for fewer decisions later. To have fewer decisions is one of the major reasons I simplified my life. I wanted fewer distractions, fewer demands on my time, more brainpower for creativity and more mental space to notice simple joys. Stay focused on why you wanted a simpler life and know that hard work and effort pays off.
There’s no magic formula for a simple life. That’s the challenge and the beauty of it. You get to choose what your simple life looks like. Acknowledge and embrace these truths and enjoy your journey!