How to Simplify Your Life

Hey y'all!

My mantra for 2018 was to grow and be happy. Part of the be happy for me has come from simplifying everything around me. Realizing that not everything in life has to be complicated and stressful has really changed me. I find myself being much more patient with myself and others, caring about new causes, and making days much more enjoyable overall. 

I figured I should spread the joy with my readers!! I personally love reading all about how to live my best life. I've been doing some heavy reading on the topic lately! So here are the tips that I've been using to help me live a simple and happy life! 



1. Get Organized! 
Whether it's using a planner or making a to-do list, writing things down is the number one way that I stay on top of everything I need to accomplish in a day. If you're more of a techy kind of gal, then use your google calendar! Whatever you need to do to remind yourself of all your appointments and due dates. I highly recommend color coding everything so you can easily scan your page and see what needs to get done and when.

Side note: I also just recently purchased a label maker and it has been a GAME CHANGER in terms of my organization skills. I labeled all of my spice jars, folders, drawers, and anything else I could possibly think that might need a label. If you find yourself being forgetful of where things are, I recommend purchasing one for yourself so you can find things easier!

2. Declutter
You can't have a simple life if you're surrounded by things that don't bring you joy or serve a purpose. It doesn't have to be spring in order to get some 'spring cleaning' done. I recommend laying out four separate piles. One for keeps, one for maybes, one for donating and one for the trash. I use my maybe pile a little differently though. I let myself keep the items for 3 months. If I haven't touched it or thought about it, then it gets donated. 

It's okay to love home decor and have every surface covered in flowers and candles. If it brings you joy, then it's not cluttered. But if something isn't quite right about your space, take the time to deeply think about if this item is serving a true purpose in your life. This is also a great thing to think about when purchasing an item while shopping! Will it bring you joy and happiness for many years to come? Or is it just a trendy item that you'll get rid of in a few months?

3. Be more mindful
This can look different for everyone. Mindfulness is just being aware and living in the moment. It's about being non-judgemental and feeling centered within oneself. Not only can it help you to live a more productive life, but it will teach you to appreciate the little things -- and not sweat the small stuff.

I personally love doing guided meditations. There are tons of them on YouTube! I recommend this one because it only takes 10 minutes to complete. I sit on the ground in "criss-cross -applesauce" style but you can sit however you find most comfortable. I place my palms upward and close my eyes. The most important step is to focus on your breathing and concentrate on the now. It's all about living in the moment and letting your mind just go blank. It makes you feel really connected with yourself! Don't be discouraged if you find your mind wandering. As long as you just remind yourself to come back to your center, you're doing great. Try to do this either right when you wake up, or right before you go to bed. Create a habit of it, and you'll be living the mindfulness dream!

4. Journal
Although I am not in the habit of doing a daily journal, I do like to sit down at the beginning of every month and write out some intentions and things I want to manifest. An example for this month is "I will attract happy, loving, caring people into my inner circle". At the end of the month, I like to go back and write about what exactly I accomplished on my list. It's so inspiring to see the things I wish to come true. I highly recommend doing this to not only hold yourself accountable but to see all the progress you have made throughout the year!

If you do journal every day (or want to start), I have a blog post that offers 30 days worth of self-care prompts

5. Social Media Detox
Do you really know each and every one of those 800 people you follow on Instagram? How about those 1,500 Facebook friends? No? Unless you're following them for the #TravelInspo, maybe it's time to hit that unfollow button. If I feel myself having a negative emotion about someone I follow, then I immediately press that unfollow / unfriend button. Life is too short to follow people who make you feel bad! If you're worried about the consequences, then there's also a "hide these posts" option on Instagram or the "unfollow posts" on Facebook.

Going along with the whole technology theme: thanks to the newest iOS update if you have an iPhone, you can see how much screen time you use in a day. It can be a little scary, but it's also very beneficial. There are features to schedule downtime, and app limits. And a passcode for it all too. If you're feeling risky, let your friend set a passcode for you so that you can't disable it! 



It's so easy to get wrapped up in this hectic world and become really overwhelmed with everything. Life doesn't have to be stressful and complicated. If you take any of my advice, then you're taking a step in the right direction. I hope that I helped make you feel like life can easily be simplified and it all starts with you!

xo,
Sarah

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