Is it Time to Simplify?
It’s a new year-a blank slate with new opportunities ahead. Although there’s really nothing different about 12/31 and 1/1, welcoming a new year brings optimism, hope, and possibility. It provides the opportunity to let go of what’s no longer serving you and is a fresh beginning for you to welcome more what you want in your life.
If simplifying your life is something you’ve been considering, this might be the time to get started. It might be just the time to break the cycle of living with too much-too much stuff, too many commitments and too much stress.
But how do you know if it’s the right time for YOU to simplify?
I’m asked this question a lot and the answer I give is this…The right time to start simplifying your life is when you’ve wholeheartedly DECIDED that it’s time for a change. That it’s time to let go of what’s making you feel stressed, burdened and overwhelmed. That it’s time to create more space-literally and figuratively.
In the spirit of honesty, know that it’s not easy to simplify your life. If it was, you probably would have already done it.
Simplifying takes energy, time and sometimes money. But I can tell you from personal experience and from what I’ve seen in my work with others, that choosing to simplify your life and facing the challenge to do it can provide life-giving benefits. More time, more energy, more money, more joy, more ease, less stress, less
If you’ve been contemplating this decision for a while, let’s shine a light on what’s gotten you to this point. Because the more clarity you have, the easier it is to move out of being stuck.
Let’s examine what the cycle of your life might have looked like so far and how it got “unsimple.”
If you’re reading this article, you’re likely to have had a journey somewhat like this…
You came into this world with ultimate simplicity, no clothes on your back and no “things” for which to be responsible. As you grew up, stuff crept in-some necessary, some probably not so much. Fast forward to adulthood and you’ve added on to your physical possessions, a variety of responsibilities-from work, to appointments, and bills, and the list goes on...
While adulthood likely brought certain freedoms, life began to speed up and likely fill with more “things.” Opportunities to choose “fast,” “easy,” and “convenient” showed up everywhere. Stuff was easy to acquire, and life continued to speed up even more as the years continued. Along with the of possibility that was in front of you, the temptations of more crept in-more success, more money, more things…
You undoubtedly learned lessons along the way and hopefully you found many blessings and fulfilling experiences for which you’re grateful. But somewhere along the way, when you didn’t seem to be looking, your life became too full-with too much stuff in your home, too many things to take care of, and not enough time or energy to manage it all. Which brings you to today…the point at which you are feeling the need to simplify your life.
If this feels like where you’re at, I invite you to spend some time thinking about if it’s finally time for you to break the cycle and to simplify.
Give yourself the gift of uninterrupted time to ponder these few questions:
- SIMPLE is ____________________.
- A SIMPLE week for me looks like___________________________________________.
- Do I spend too much time dealing with “stuff”? (clothes, toys, paper, clutter, digital clutter, cleaning, etc.)
- Am I sacrificing sleep because my days are too full of appointments, errands, tasks, work and other commitments that don’t fulfill me?
- Do I feel like I can’t ever get ahead?
- Are there meaningful things that I REALLY want to be doing with my life that I’m waiting for “someday” to do?
These are big questions, so I encourage you to really spend some quiet time answering them. Being honest is the best way to get through them.
If answering these questions brings you to the decision that it’s finally time to, simplify, congrats! A simpler life is possible. Simple looks different for everyone and YOU get to choose what your “simpler life” looks like and you get to craft steps toward it that work for you.
If, on the other hand, pondering these questions helps you realize your life is already simpler than you thought, congrats-celebrate your already simple life!
Or maybe you’re somewhere in between and you decide that you want to simplify but right now is not the time. Simplifying takes focus and if you aren’t able to focus on it now, that’s okay. Celebrate this awareness and clarity and set a reminder to revisit these questions in 6 or 12 months and see what comes up then.
In the 5 ½ years I’ve been working with people to simplify their homes and lives, I haven’t met anyone who has regretted choosing to simplify their life. Often, it’s been something they’ve pondered for a while. Eventually, as they dug deeper into their vision of what a simpler life looks like, and as they reflected and planned, they decided it was finally time. They decided that the possibilities ahead outweighed the stuff that kept them stuck. And they moved forward, at their own pace, choosing to embrace the simplifying process and making decisions they don’t regret. They let go of what was heavy to receive more of what matters most.
I hope that the year ahead brings you all that you envision. And if a simpler life is part of that vision, know that I’m here to help you with that process and to celebrate your successes with you!
To Simplicity & Joy,
Lisa