What, exactly, does the word “simplify” mean? According to Merriam Webster, it’s to make simple or simpler as to reduce to basic essentials. We can go in a few directions with this definition

1. Commitments: Are we over-committed to activities that take precedence over our families? Or are all these activities preventing us from adequate self-care?

When we have no time for what we may consider important in life, or to re-energize ourselves because we’re on the run much of the time, eventually our lives will fall apart. Whether it’s our families that become estranged or we burn out ourselves, this is something to be aware of and concerned about.

Simplify by reducing those commitments to spend more time with family and taking care of ourselves.

2.

• Reading: Surprisingly, reading material that impacts our psyche can have a negative effect on us as well. In years past, I would read news magazines from cover to cover and one day I realized I was living in unnecessary stress. When I traced those awful feelings to what I was reading, I tossed those magazines and replaced them with books that were uplifting.

The same can happen if we have a constant diet of TV or radio news. There’s seldom anything happy there. I’m not advocating ignoring what’s going on in the world, just reducing the amount we consume. If anything earth-shattering happens, someone will certainly inform you.

Actually, any single input can create tunnel vision to our detriment.

Simplify by consuming positive reading and media. Find a comedy program on TV that you like and watch it regularly. Laughter is really the best medicine.

3. “Stuff”: By simplifying our surroundings, we can easily affect our outlook on life. Clutter in our physical space is directly related to clutter in our minds. The two are so inter-related that they cannot be separated. One does not exist without the other.

When we reduce the material goods around us, we will notice that our thinking becomes clearer. And conversely, when we get out thoughts in order, we will be proactive about eliminating things around us.

Simplify by asking what all those things mean and answering honestly, we can usually figure out ourselves what’s happening. Then by taking the next step to simplify that, we will find peace of mind. The key here, though, is to be brutally honest with ourselves.

4. Thoughts:  How can thoughts be simplified? Aren’t they just there? Not really. For example, by holding onto negative thoughts or replaying the negative self-talk tapes, we can very easily become a negative person. By holding onto old grudges we can become angry, depressed, or both.

Part of clearing the negative thoughts is changing our input, like number 3 above. Another way is to forgive those who have hurt us. Remember that forgiveness isn’t for the other person, it’s for us. We don’t want to allow others to control the space in our heads.

Simplify by focusing on positive, happy thoughts, even if you need to pull away from your current pattern.

By working on these four areas to simplify, we’re actually downsizing the negatives in our lives and replacing them with positives. I guarantee that by doing this, your life will be happier.

What will you do today to simplify? Please tell us in the comments box below? We’d love to hear from you.

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© 2013 Moreen Torpy

We would be honored for you to reprint this article. If you do, please include the resource box below with the hyperlinks intact.

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Moreen Torpy is the De-Clutter Coach, a Trained Professional Organizer, Author, and Speaker. Her new book is Going Forward: Downsizing, Moving and Settling In. See http://www.GoForwardDownsize.com for more about the book including where to purchase it, and http://www.decluttercoach.ca to learn about her organizing services and other books.

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