“Keep it Simple, Stupid”

Leonardo Da Vinci once said,

"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."

Nothing makes me happier than simplifying things. Perhaps that’s why I enjoy the Container Store, iPhone apps, and label makers.

While that’s true for many of us, we also seem to crave MORE. More friends, more possessions, and more work.

Yet what makes us happy is never those things that fall into the “more” category. The over-indulgence is what blocks us from seeing ourselves as we truly are or dealing with situations are they currently are.

Instead, we project, we futurize, and we distract.

For many, the thought of cutting back may send us into an instant panic, thinking, “I don’t want to live like a monk!” But, when we dig a little deeper we see that simplicity is where we find our true happiness and peace. 

The good news is that we don’t have to continue to keep our minds and lives overly cluttered!

Here are 3 Tips to Simplify Your Life and Realign with Peace:

1. Give the world the silent treatment.

It’s amazing how much we stress ourselves out by being overly connected.  Try 24 hours off the grid. If that’s unreasonable, try 1 hour: No phone, no email, no Facebook. Personally, I stopped bringing my cell phone when I walk my dog. It forces me to connect with nature and be fully present. (which, with Ollie, can be a blessing and a curse!)

2. Clean out your closet.

Seriously, when’s the last time you wore that old T-shirt? I kept a lot of things for “sentimental” reasons, until I realized it was keeping me connected to things I needed to let go of. It’s freeing to let go of things that don’t serve us so that we can create a future filled with the things we want. Besides, how many sleep T-shirts do you really need?

3. Choose quality over quantity.

Whether it’s food, friends, or clothes. It’s all about investing your time and resources in what you love. If you accept whatever comes your way, you’re telling the Universe, “Meh, I’ll just take what I can get.” Your time is a precious commodity. Valuing yourself means choosing what’s right for you over what’s convenient.

What are your strategies for simplifying your life? Share them with the Community!