Creating a simple life isn’t supposed to be overwhelming. It isn’t supposed to happen overnight, and it won’t look the same for everyone. Small changes with the greatest impact are the best way to start.
Where you begin your simple life plan will be different from mine, which is why we’re going to focus this week on exactly what we want our simple life to look like and what small steps we can take to make it a reality that lasts.
Small steps create momentum, and they set us up for the kind of success that lasts. Share on XAs we become increasingly confident in our small steps and see progress, we will be less likely to return to the same place we began. And with each small step, we will find ourselves closer and closer to where we want to be.
A good way to take determine what we want our simple life to look like is to identify the area of our greatest source of anxiety and frustration.
Where our greatest source of anxiety or frustration lies is where our greatest impact awaits. And this is where we can take our first small steps to create the simple life we most want.
My wardrobe has been a source of frustration for me which is why I am taking small steps to simplify. I don’t want to spend a lot of time ironing and figuring out what to wear. I need to dress professionally during the week and I also need easily mixable and versatile options. So, I want to simplify by building a capsule wardrobe which requires very little upkeep and gives me plenty of different looks with much fewer pieces.
My first small step has been to eliminate anything that isn’t practical or meaningful. Next, I created a list of items and chose a base color palette of gray, blue, white and tan to build my wardrobe. I’ve determined the pieces I want to include which will take me through an entire season. This has eliminated the guesswork as I’m becoming more intentional in shopping for durable and versatile items.
I’m working toward one pair of flats to go from workweek to weekend, one everyday purse, one wallet, one pair each of blue, black and neutral heels, one pair of sandals and tennis shoes, one workout outfit, two scarves, a couple of dresses, 4 pairs of slacks, one dressy jean and one everyday jean, a jacket, a cardigan and some basic layering tops along with a few patterned blouses and a couple of belts. I’m having a blast mixing it up and I’m realizing how fun and energizing simplifying can be.
What area creates the most anxiety or frustration for you?
Is it school lunches, meal times, grocery shopping?
Is it your closets or cabinets, or drawers?
Is it your morning or evening schedule?
Is it too many clothes, shoes or purses?
Is it piles of papers, mail or receipts?
Is it no time for friends, hobbies or creativity?
Is it your garage, utility drawer or laundry room?
Is it your pantry, refrigerator or medicine cabinet?
Whatever it is, let’s identify it and start there. This is a great first step. It’s okay to start small and build slowly. I started with the glove compartment and trunk of my car. And every day, I make a habit of whatever I take into the car leaves the car at the end of the day… jackets, mail, cups, etc.
A good way to determine what we want our #simplelifestyle to look like is to identify the area of our greatest source of anxiety and frustration. Share on XNext, determine what it will take to eliminate the anxiety and frustration.
This doesn’t mean moving to a place of perfection. It simply means taking action. Maybe it’s developing a small habit or changing a bad habit to help us put things back in their designated place each day. Perhaps it’s coming up with 5 simple meals and a crock pot to simplify family dinners. Maybe it’s packing school lunches in the evening or getting up 30 minutes earlier to make time for workouts. Maybe it’s tackling the pile of family shoes at the door or organizing the pantry so we don’t keep buying what we already have stored.
Whatever your simple life looks like, it’s important to determine what small steps are necessary to get you there and what small habits will keep you there.
What is a reasonable timeframe to complete the goal?
If we don’t set a timeframe for ourselves, it’s just too easy to get distracted and give up. I am a huge fan of beginning with something that can be completed in a short amount of time When I decided to start with my car, it wasn’t that the car was dirty, but the two areas that needed attention just never made it on my radar. Because it took such a short amount of time, it was super empowering and created the momentum I needed to keep going.
With each area of success, the thought of tackling a larger goal with a longer timeframe becomes more manageable and appealing. So, before long, we find we’ve given attention and detail to areas we once found overwhelming. All because we identified what was most urgent to our well-being and we started small.
What area do you most want to begin simplifying?
Let’s start today as we give ourselves grace, dig a little deeper into intention and move a bit closer this week toward more joy, freedom, and balance as we experience success through small, simple life steps.
“The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks and starting on the first one. ” ~Mark Twain
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