D
o you find life to be
difficult? Do you wish
life was as simple as
ABC?
If yes, then you are on the same
bus as most people on this planet. In the pursuit of simplicity,
people feel compelled to do
stuff they’re uncomfortable with
so that they can live simpler.
Thus, rather than making life
simpler and enjoyable, pursuing
simplicity turns to be a heavy
load.
But do they have the correct
meaning of a simple life?
Dictionary.com defines
“simple” as easy to understand,
deal with, use, etc. A simple life
is one which you do more of the
things you love and have only
that which gives you value. A
life where relationships are easy
to deal with and everything
around you makes sense.
I bet you would like to simplify
your life.
There are only two steps to live
a simple life:
1. Know what’s most
important to you
You may often talk about priorities in life. But have you
stopped to think about which
things stand out most to you, let
alone the amount of time you
spend on this stuff? Imagine
that you’re going to die, and you
get a chance to give yourself
advice. What would you say?
Spot a quiet place where you
can think freely. Write down
the top 18 things based on your
priorities at this point in your
life. Ties are not allowed!
The first six things are your
imperatives – what you consider most important and hold on
dearly.
The middle six are great to have
– what you consider important
but can let go of if circumstances
arise.
The bottom six are optional –
what you do/have just because
and can forgo.
How was it? This exercise is
all about trade-offs. You have
to decide which things you’re
willing to let go so that you can
put more time and energy on
the important ones.
2. Get rid of
everything else
Re-evaluate each item on your
list. Ask how your life
appreciates due to each item,
how each item serves you, and
what you reap from them. Take
some time to redo the ranking
exercise if necessary. Now that
you have your final list of 18
items eliminate all optional
items – the bottom 6.
Then take on this exercise to
your possessions, people, time
commitments, and words (what
you say.) Get rid of the bottom
6 – the non-essentials.
So, let put these steps into
practice. How do you start
living a simple life today?