What are you ready to shed?

It’s National “Simplify Your Life Week!” (August 7-13, 2023). This week invites us to focus our attention on eliminating at least some of the physical and psychological clutter that can keep us from living our best life—and that, ironically, may interfere with us spending time on the things that matter most.

If you’ve ever heard the term, “Less is more,” that’s what this week is about. By clearing away some of the distracting noise, “stuff,” and activities, we can appreciate more clearly what remains. That’s the beauty of weeding a garden: once you’re done, only the flowers remain. The same is true for clearing out a closet, leaving only clothing you would want to wear.

Simplifying one’s life not only means removing some of the physical “garbage” (like recycling the junk mail and magazines piled on your desk, or tossing the half-empty jars at the back of the refrigerator). It also means slowing down, not over-scheduling, remembering to breathe, enjoying each moment, and practicing good self-care. Must you run yourself ragged this week? Might you go less and enjoy more? As I often try to remind myself, “Have gratitude for today’s portion as it is.”

Simplifying your life might also include clearing out negative thoughts, unhealthy behaviors, and toxic relationships—if only for the week! (Who knows? Once you’ve enjoyed a week without the stress of toxic people and patterns, you might decide to make it permanent!)

Why do I recommend simplifying your life?

1. Simplifying your life encourages relaxation by demanding less of you. You needn’t worry or keep up with what anyone else is doing. Just attend to you.
2. Ironically, it promotes efficiency. Once you remove the non-essential, only the essential remains.
3. It eases Cultural Stress, which means it nurtures your well-being, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

So how do you simplify your life? (See image to the right.)

Review your calendar for the week. Is there anything you’ve got scheduled that you could happily eliminate, or reschedule? Why not do so?

Give yourself permission to ‘Just say No.’ Some of us over-commit because we don’t want to disappoint anyone else. We may have to learn to “Just say no.” You don’t even need to give a reason. Just say, “I already have a commitment”—even if the commitment is to “do nothing” but take care of yourself!

Do something you love! Take a hike, read a book, float a river, swim in the ocean, get a facial, or have an ice cream.

De-clutter one small section of your life. It could be a desk, a cupboard, or the entryway where everyone kicks off their shoes. Remove those items that are no longer useful and let the essential remain. It probably looks better already. What a relief!

Make one small section of your life beautiful. If you want to take the previous suggestion one step further, consider adding a personal touch to beautify the space you just de-cluttered: a flower for the desk, a scented candle in the entryway, a tiny framed photo (or inspirational saying!) in the space you freed up in the medicine chest.

Practice gratitude. For me, that always begins by thinking of someone I love, someone who always brings a smile to my face. After that, it’s easy to think of other things I’m grateful for. When I feel grateful for what I already have, it’s easier to stop trying so hard to have (or do) more. Gratitude is a great stress-reliever, and relieving stress is #Modern Wellness!

(A note about all of this: these suggestions are only worthwhile if they appeal to YOU. What would simplify YOUR life this week? Go ahead and do it!)

DISCLAIMER: The information provided on this site is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider, who should also be consulted with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.