Most of us live comfortably with excess things that we don’t need or use. These things usually clutter up our lives and make us feel stress and anxiety that we might not even realize is related. Simple living is the perfect solution to a more clear and stress free life. Living simply can happen with material things as well as emotional baggage. Chipping away excess guilt, stress, grief, and worry can help you live a healthier and longer life.
Get rid of the excess
No one needs excess in their lives and the more you can let go of, the better you will feel. Start by going through your closet and removing any item you haven’t used in the past year. There are plenty of places to take your unused clothes to sell or donate (remember donations get tax write off’s).Those super cute heels that you haven’t worn since you bought them? Toss them. Those books that you’ve read several times? You don’t need them anymore. Do this with shoes, clothes, accessories, books, papers, and anything else you think it applies to, and organize the rest. Be honest to yourself about how much you use these items and imagine not having them. Will your life lose quality if these items go? For the majority of things, NO! This is the hard part for me. I always think that “some day” I’ll use it. The truth is, even if that day comes you most likely won’t remember the item, so just get rid of it. You will feel a big weight being lifted off your chest when the clutter is gone.
Try this
Choose thirty items that you will use for the next three months. This includes undergarments, shoes, accessories, and clothes. You may feel uncomfortable at first, but no one will notice you recycling the same items. Get creative with your combinations! After the three months are up, decide which items were not used that you can throw out.
Don’t Stress the Small Stuff
As Americans we have a tendency to over analyze things and think about things that are out of our control until it makes us sick. There is a simple solution to this problem: just let the small stuff go. Acknowledge that it’s happening, notice how it makes you feel, and let it pass. Do not hang on to things that are literally out of your control. This includes other people’s feelings towards you, side comments, or judgments. Just be yourself and the people that matter the most will love and accept who you are- authentically. Put down the masks and allow yourself to feel the raw emotions as they come. Once you experience them, remember to let those feelings go- good or bad. This can also help you stay in the present moment. Worrying about yesterday or tomorrow is pointless and creates anxiety and unnecessary stress. Deal with situations as they present themselves. It’s ok to plan, but allow for flexibility in your plans. Allow life to happen naturally and organically. Remove judgment of yourself and others from your life and replace it with love, curiosity, and understanding. Be easy on yourself. Whenever removing something from your life, remember to replace it with something else so to not deprive yourself of emotions and feelings. Don’t only say these changes, live and practice them. Choose positivity and BE A YES!
Exercising these new habits will help you live a life of lightness, curiosity, understanding, and true happiness.