Life feels unnecessarily complicated sometimes. More than it needs to. Especially when you struggle with anxiety and you’re already worried about literally a million things.
But it’s important to take a step back every once in a while, look at your life and really decide what matters to you and what doesn’t. You know, do an inventory of some sort.
You don’t need to make some crazy changes. You don’t need to sell all your stuff and go full-on minimalist.
Deciding to live a simple life doesn’t have to be a complicated process (pun intended!). It’s just about adjusting certain aspects of your life in order to make it more peaceful and more aligned with the things that actually matter to you.
I am done feeling unnecessarily stressed out by the everyday demands of life and things I think I “need” to be doing. I want to reclaim my peace and I’m sure you do too. So here are 7 ideas I use to simplify my life when it becomes a bit too overwhelming. I hope they help you too.
1. Clean your room
Honestly, cleaning up your space can go a long way in helping you simplify your life.
Decluttering has a multitude of benefits for your mental health like reducing anxiety, boosting your productivity and improving your sleep.
Last week, I did a proper cleanup of my room. My least favourite part was sorting through things I needed to donate because I’m honestly such a hoarder. Basically everything has sentimental value for me!
I had been delaying it for months because I knew it would take me almost the whole day to complete. But after I was done, I can’t lie, I felt so much better. Lighter even. Tbh, I can’t fully describe it but it was just a really good feeling lol.
So if you feel like your life is a big mess right now and you have no clue how to even start to sort through it, why not start by cleaning up your environment?
It can make a bigger difference than you think and can really help lighten your mood and refresh your perspective so you can better tackle the bigger stuff eventually.
2. Re-define your priorities
In order to really simplify your life, it is so important to re-evaluate your values and priorities.
Take some time to think about this:
– What makes you the happiest?
– What matters most to you in the world?
– What are some things you really don’t think you could do without in your life?
Once you’re clear on the points above, find ways to consider them a little bit more in your everyday decisions.
For instance, I’ve realized that I really value my peace of mind and my relationships and spending time with friends and family makes me the happiest. So now I always make sure to schedule quality time with them however I can. I also try to not take on too many obligations because I know this stresses me out and prevents me from being present.
If you currently work as an accountant and you realize that being a painter is the career that would have made you happiest but now you’re a grown-up and you have responsibilities, I’m not saying you have to completely uproot your whole life to now pursue painting. But you could start by signing up for a weekly painting class or ordering some art materials and experimenting with them at home.
With the hustle culture that’s so pervasive in our society today, it feels like there’s so much to do and prioritize. But that’s not true.
Besides the legitimate stuff( like your job or your health), you don’t have to prioritize everything. That’s one sure way to get yourself sick and stressed AF!
Instead, determine what’s important for YOU! Define success and happiness for yourself and ignore what everyone else has to say about it.
This will allow you to clear out all the extra noise so you can live a more intentional and peaceful life.
3. Take things one day (or even one hour!) at a time
There’s no need to rush.
I know the rest of the world and this hustle culture we live in want to say otherwise. But there really is no need to rush!
This was a very difficult pill for me to swallow. All throughout college, I felt like I was in this never-ending race with my peers to achieve more, get the best grades or get the job offer first. So much so that I can barely remember some parts of those years because I was not present at all and so busy doing and doing and doing.
I had to wake up and realize that this race was created in my mind and emphasized by the society we live in.
I strongly believe that everyone needs to go at their own pace to achieve whatever they need to achieve in life. As long as you continue to do your part, God will make things happen at the right time (make it a bit more neutral). Be consistent with your efforts every day and you WILL get to where you’re going.
Remember slow and steady wins the race. So let go of this idea that there’s not enough time. There’s plenty of time and no need to rush!
4. Not every problem is your problem
Plain and simple.
I’ve struggled with this for so long but now I realize that I don’t need to solve everybody’s mess. And it feels so darn liberating. I feel soo much more at peace now!
Growing up, I was the emotional “caretaker” in my family. I felt like I always had to be available to help out and put out all the fires around me. I also got a lot of praise and validation for that so of course I kept doing it. That’s probably why I spent so long subscribing to that identity.
But the reality is that it left me feeling stressed and resentful of the people around me. Until I realized that people are grown-ups and they can deal with their own mess!
Don’t get me wrong, I will lend a helping hand and am willing to listen whenever possible but I no longer feel obligated to do it every time for every single person around me. I prioritize my peace now.
5. Find joy in the little things in the present
It sounds a bit cheesy but there is so much beauty in the simpler things in life.
– The feel of the sun on your skin
– Having a laugh with some friends
– Enjoying a delicious meal with your family.
When you take a step back from the craziness of everyday life and decide to focus on the little things, you’ll realize that you already have so much to be happy and grateful for and the other stuff doesn’t actually matter that much!
6. Let go of control!
This one’s for all the control freaks out there (including yours truly).
Let go of control. JUST LET GO!
Life is full of surprises. There’s no amount of planning or worrying or anticipating or analyzing that can help you avoid that.
The sooner you accept that the sooner you’ll be able to live a more peaceful life.
Besides, worrying about the future is pointless. It just gives you the illusion of control but it’s not like you can “worry” your way to a certain outcome. All it does is it leaves you physically exhausted and mentally drained.
I am learning every day to focus on the things I can control and let go of the rest. I always remind myself that no matter how tough some circumstances may seem, as long as I continue to do my best while focusing on what’s within my control, God will work things out in my favour.
I hope these tips help you learn to live a simpler life!
