7 Notes of Encouragement as You Simplify Your Life

If you are trying to simplify your life, you’ve probably discovered that it’s not an overnight adventure.

I’ve accepted that I will be simplifying for a lifetime. That realization has removed a lot of pressure to “get there” or to “do it the best way” and allowed me to turn my focus to enjoying it instead of finishing it.

If you are realizing this journey is more than decluttering and that simplicity takes time, these notes of encouragement will help you continue to simplify your life.

7 Notes of Encouragement as You Simplify Your Life

1.

With all of the focus around minimalism, simplicity, decluttering, and capsule wardrobes, it’s easy to believe that a simple life is the dream, but a simple life is not the end goal.

I’ve been simplifying my life since 2006. I didn’t know that’s what was happening in the beginning. At first, I was only focused on eliminating as much stress as I could so I could feel better and live well with multiple sclerosis.

Even when I finally saw the simplicity path I was on, I knew the finish line wasn’t a simple life. We don’t remove clutter, reduce stress, and boycott busyness to have a simple life. We do it to have a life. Not a beautifully organized life, or a completely calm life. Not a perfect life or one where we know all the answers but a life that we have room for, a life we can notice, a life we can enjoy and a life we can show up for.

Today, I do feel better. I am living well with MS. I don’t have a simple life but I laugh a lot more. I enjoy the work I do and I have the presence to be in my life instead of racing around trying to keep up with it.

Don’t simplify for a simple life but instead so you can be in your life.

2.

I want my legacy to be how I loved while I was here, not meaningless stuff I left behind. 💕

art: @maxfieldjacqueline

3.

Whenever I share that I’m taking a break from the news, someone always tells me that it’s important to stay informed. I agree. Kind of.

It is important to stay informed but not on an hourly basis or even a daily basis.

It’s also important to consider how you are informed. I don’t “watch” the news or news clips or video shared online. I read the news. I choose what I let into my heart and soul and how I let it in.

If you are feeling overwhelmed, take a break from the news, social media and the internet whenever you want. Being uninformed for a minute allows you to feel the way you want to feel instead of living in a reactionary state 24/7.

Breaking up with breaking news will simplify your life.

4.

Simple right?

5.

You aren’t going to have the same amount of interest, time, energy and other resources to actively simplify your life. What’s available to you is going to change based on how you feel, what your family needs and what season of simplicity you are in.

6.

If catching up worked, you’d be caught up by now. Let’s be honest, the to-dos are never ending so catching up is a game we continue to lose.

What if we just stopped catching up and instead did what we could with the time we had without stressing out about what doesn’t get done.

Oh, then we’d be relaxed.

7.

Identify abundance by what fills your heart and lights you up.

You may not connect with all of these notes, but if one resonates with you, write it down. The next time you are feeling overwhelmed or frustrated as you simplify your life, revisit the words you wrote down and use them to help you create momentum and inspiration.

P.S. For more notes and quotes, and simple inspiration, join me on Instagram.