Simplify Your Life and Be Happy!

"The first step to being happy is simplifying your life!"

Oh, fuck off.

I've heard this quote, or words to this effect, so many times I've lost count. Any time I go to research or read about some aspect of my life I want to improve, there it is.

Minimalize your life. Get rid of all your stuff. Go and live in a van and travel the world with just your laptop.

Yeah. Right.

I don't even have the stuff to minimize and throw out. And I like the stuff I do. It means something to me.

Right now, as I write this, I look around and see my books and photos. They all hold value to me, so why would I get rid of them?

How would doing so make me happy?

OH

And for the first time in years of hearing those buzzword-motivational quotes, it clicked.

We live in a world that is constantly trying to complicate things and make us stressed out. We're told to buy as much as we can, and have all these hundreds or thousands of 'friends' on FaceBook and followers, and the new car, and house, and air fryer, and video games and computers and televisions and holidays.

Instead of just buying things over and over again, making the decision to simplify your life is a decision to cut out everything that you don't actually want or need, and instead only surround yourself and focus on the things that bring true, deep, and meaningful value to your life.

You can take control of your own happiness by keeping things simple.

In my own life, I've found that the less I have to worry about, the happier I am.

That's why, over the last two years or so, I've made a conscious effort to simplify my life as much as possible. Not so much in terms of throwing away all my belongings so I live in an empty house, but in a way where I'm conscious of my decisions, and only let what matters into my field of view.

With some reflection, a little bit of mindful coaching, and small, simple first steps, we can simplify our lifestyles and find happier and more meaningful ways to live.

After all, what is simplifying your life if not the process of cutting out everything that doesn't really matter to you, giving you the unique ability to focus only on what matters?

The first step in simplifying your life is to simplify your mind. Start with your own space, and I'm talking about your own space. The space no one else can get to.

Your temple.

We often complicate things by overthinking them or worrying about things that we can't control. If you can learn to let go of these negative thoughts, you'll find it much easier to simplify your life.

One way to do this is to practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is the process of being present in the moment and observing your thoughts and emotions without judgment.

Finding a quiet place to sit or lie down, close your eyes, and focus on your breath can be helpful. As you breathe in and out, notice any thoughts or emotions that arise, and then let them go. This may take some practice, but it's a great way to clear your mind and reduce stress.

You can also try journaling or brainstorming to get your thoughts out of your head and down on paper. Once you see them written out, you may find that they're not as complicated or overwhelming as they seemed in your head

The next step is to simplify your lifestyle.

Okay, this does mean you may mean decluttering your home, getting rid of unnecessary possessions, or streamlining your daily routine.

A great way to declutter your home is to purge every few months. Go through each room (I like to do a room every now and then) and remove anything you don't use or need. Donate or sell items that are in good condition, and throw away anything that's broken or damaged.

For me, even if it's broken, I like to find a creative way to reuse it or bring value to it, and this is a very fun and very valuable experience for me!

This will not only declutter your home, but it will also make it easier to keep things tidy, which in turn makes your mind 100x tidier because you don't have to look at all the things that don't bring value into your life.

You can also streamline your daily routine in many ways. For example, by simplifying your wardrobe.

Stick to a few basic colors and styles that you know you look good in and that are easy to care for. This will save you time and hassle when getting dressed each day.

Does it really matter what you wear in this sense? Do you need a dozen outfits?

Imagine how much time you could spend doing other more important things if you weren't just choosing what to wear and looking for clothes to buy that you'll wear once and exile to the closet with the rest of it.

Finally, try to streamline your schedule by eliminating unnecessary commitments. If there are activities that you don't enjoy, don't serve you, or that take up too much of your time, see if you can cut them out or delegate them to someone else. This will give you more time to focus on the things that are truly important to you. (I've delegated cleaning to my adult kid, to teach him responsibility and because it gives me time to do other things!)