Simplicity is ultimately a matter of focus. Ann Voskamp
Imagine what a simple life might look like...
Your mind is uncluttered as you live in the moment, noticing and enjoying the everyday simple pleasures in life...a beautiful red cardinal singing in a tree, new plants just springing forth from the Spring ground, the laughter of children and babies, the warmth of the sun, the beauty of color all around, rainbows after a rain, sunsets. You enjoy and are grateful for such beauty in the world and you feel blessed just to be alive! You embrace each day with eagerness and anticipation, offering thanks for this new day!
You can even enjoy the beauty of a winter day.
Your home is neat and tidy, not perfect but comfortable and inviting. It is filled with a wonderful scent and the warmth of candles. Flowers just picked from the garden grace a table. Everything is in its place and you can easily find what you want. There is no excess clutter so your home feels relaxed and welcoming. Your home is simple yet lovely with treasures that are important to you and that you love. Looking around, your home makes you smile and you feel content.
Your day is calm and unhurried. There is time for the important things in your life like spending time with family. And time for sharing with others, even if it's a simple smile and greeting. You even have time for relaxing a bit and enjoying yourself. You even have time for a spontaneous visit with a neighbor! You work together as a family in meal preparation and enjoy a relaxed and simple meal together. You have learned to balance the activities in your life so that you are not "too busy".
You don't feel the desire for more "stuff" as you have learned to be content and enjoy the things you have. Your focus is on relationships, giving of yourself, and experiences as opposed to having "stuff". You have learned that the best things in life are free. You don't feel the need to be always wanting "more".You are appreciating the little things in life that are the most important and your life is focused more and more on your priorities and values rather than accumulating more and being too busy.
Does this sound good to you? Or are you thinking, "this would NEVER be able to happen in my life"?Would you LIKE this to be more of a description of your life and home? Well, it can be, at least in part, if you are intentional and focused on making it happen. Obviously not EVERY DAY is going to be like this. Life happens. Things come up that are out of your control. But you can design your life to be closer to this scenario than it is now. And you can have more days like this than you thought possible.
In the first three paragraphs I described the ideals of living simply as it relates to your mind ( enjoying the simple pleasures in life), the stuff and spaces in your home ( decluttering ), and your time and priorities ( relationships vs. stuff ).
If you're interested in learning more, keep following along for ideas on how to design a life that you'll love...a more simple and serene life!
We are always getting ready to to live but never living. Ralph Waldo Emerson
Sandy
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