A Simple Life

Overwhelmed, stressed, unmotivated, feeling as if something is missing in your life? Maybe it is not because of having too little, but rather too much. We are a society of abundance but why then do many of us often feel unhappy, unsatisfied and unable to enjoy what we have? Much has been written about simplifying one's life i.e. decluttering, downsizing, etc. We have heard about it but are we paying attention? As a therapist I hear frequent complaints of no time for me, poor quality of life, excessive stress, ill health. Maybe it is time to take a pause and reevaluate, to reprioritize what is of value. What is the most important thing right now in your life? Are you spending enough time with your loved ones or engaged in activities that give you pleasure and meaning? And if not why not? What obstacles are in the way?

There are many reasons in favor of taking a pause and a self inventory of how you spend your time. According to Lose 200 lbs in a Weekend by Don Aslett, time scientists say " at least 40% of all our home cleaning, care and maintenance time is spent on junk and clutter - cleaning it, and cleaning around, under, and through it. Not to mention all the time we spend buying it, storing it, moving it around". Polls and measurements reveal "we spend 5 years in lines, 3 years in meetings, 6 years eating, 5 years doing housework, 4 or 5 hours a day watching TV, and so on".

There are many avenues to simplifying one's life. Decluttering is one.  A great resource to get started was created by Leo Babauta. Check out his Simple Living Manifest - 72 Ideas to Simplify Your Life, on line. It is full of suggestions from evaluating how you spend your time each day, commitments, & work tasks to learning to say no, limiting communications, media consumption & buying habits. Babauta suggests you ask yourself, am I doing what I love, do I eat & drive slowly, can I appreciate the present moment, do I know what enough is?

The classic Chinese text,  the Tao Te Ching,  teaches us the principle of simplicity. We live in a world of complexity and "much". The result of too much of anything; material possessions, food, drink, technology...... makes us numb, lose our sense of hunger, desire and zest for life. Everyday we are bombarded with sensory overload. Fortunately, there are ways to help us remember our simplistic nature. Think of all the choices we have in beverages for example. Consider taking a beverage fast and just drink water, the ultimate image of simplicity. Wait until you are really thirsty before you drink & savor the sensation of replenishment. When was the last time you took a long, slow walk? Walking is another exquisite example of simplicity at its finest, to restore balance and harmony to the body. So when you are ready there are many resources to help. Here are a few suggestions:

Lose 200 lbs in a Weekend by Don Aslett
http://zenhabits.net/simple- living-manifesto-72-Ideas-to-simplify-your-life by Leo Babauto
Walden, by Thoreau
Simplify Your Life, by Elaine St. James
The Tao of Daily Life  by Derek Lin

So go forth declutter, simplify, reclaim your life!