Last updated on May 12th, 2023 at 08:40 am
Living a life beyond our basic needs is wonderful. Being able to afford the car you’ve always wanted not only feels good but realistically saves you a lot of stress (and time) when commuting to work. If all we could do was eat and pay for housing and clothing then we may not be able to maximise our living experience even though these aforementioned things are a priviledge.
Our desires can absolutely add to the quality of our existence. But if the desire for more is not checked or reevaluated, then this quickly becomes a problem—the bane of our existence. Wanting good clothes is nice, and wanting to appear stylish is cool, but repeatedly buying the clothes you don’t need? That soon becomes an issue, financially and mentally. This is where simplifying our lives becomes significant.
To simplify is to simply consider your personal values and align your life and decisions to match the same values. This means that you give less energy and attention to things that don’t matter to you so you can fully experience and immerse yourself in those that matter. For instance, simplifying your routine can imply reducing the items on your to-do list, thus, giving more time for you to get the well-needed rest.
Starting from one point is a good idea, but the act soon trickles down to other aspects of your life and you’ll be glad you took the step. Here are areas to consider:
Finances
Money anxiety is real, we’ve all been there. But one way to tackle this head-on is to simplify our finances, especially our expenses. Say you’ve been trying to pay off a debt so that you can breathe easy and eventually go on a trip, you need to look at your income and expense to see what you can adjust in other to make this goal a reality. Simplifying your finances can inspire you to create a budget which will then help you track your expense and decide on what you need to cut out.
Possessions
This involves clothing, kitchen items, shoes, jewelry, handbags, and any material thing. It’s funny how we look at our wardrobe one day and there are so many clothes there that you can’t even trace their origin. Was it thrifted or a gift? If it’s a gift, is it from Tracy or Grace or Penelope? Make up your mind about where you want to start. You can give out the clothes you don’t want or even find your favourite blouse from five years ago that you’ve been looking for which can still be worn. Do you really need all the jewelry you currently own?
Diet
Less is more especially when it comes to what we eat. Sometimes, we focus more on our nutrition ignoring other aspects of our life that can incite as much change. This just creates an imbalance in our diet lifestyle. Feed your body with the necessary and remove the burden of constantly digesting and feeling heavy.
Realistic Ways to Develop a Positive Attitude Towards Eating
Skincare
As someone that’s constantly had acne breakouts, I towed this part thinking that a lot of skincare products or a seven-step routine was the solution. Unfortunately, I succeeded (at least there was a success) in drying out my face. I had to gradually wean myself off the obsession to have a glass skin. It’s not an action I regret considering how much I’ve saved. Identify your skin goal and get the products to assist with it but ask yourself if you need as many as ten products in the night and six in the morning.
Media and information
It’s safe to say that we’re overwhelmed with information and there’s a sensory overload epidemic. One thing that you can do to simplify your life in this aspect is to take a digital detox. Go straight for the jugular—what medium are you almost addicted to? Try a day’s break, then reduce the time you spend on the medium, then try a three-day break… If it means deleting the app for a bit, do it!
Social circle
The truth is that we can outgrow our social circle, and it’s fine. This is not from a place of being better than anyone. Trimming your social circle seems like the harsher synonym for simplifying your social circle. But if your immediate circle is toxic to you, then it can be an impediment to your growth and peace. Consider talking to such friends, if it doesn’t work then you can cut them out amicably (let them know this rather than just avoiding them).
You get the idea!
Is there any aspect of your life that can do with an immediate cleanup? Remember that we have the responsibility to create the life we want. We complicate things because change is not so easy, but sometimes these things are relatively simple.
Simplifying your life doesn’t imply living in deliberate austerity. There is a fine balance and that’s what you want to aim for. Give yourself grace and compassion as you figure out this relevant step in your life.
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