Simplicity

My goal is simple.

Today, I am doing some mental, physical and emotional simplifying. I am doing this in an effort to free my life from the unnecessary and focus on what is most important right now.

My life and living environment has become too cluttered. It has gotten to the point where thinking is distracted, focusing is a challenge and the need to simplify has risen.

Life gets hectic. However, that should never be an excuse to complicate things, stop sorting your mail, folding laundry and putting things back where they belong.

Months ago I realized one of the keys to happiness can be found in simplicity. We do not need more stuff, in fact we need less.

Today, I am embracing the fact that this process will be painful. I do know that through simplicity I will find focus, success and something better than I can imagine.

What is going to happen this weekend?

• Workspace: Before sitting down to write this article I cleared everything out of my office nook. Well, not everything. Just the items that I view as distracting clutter. Things that can find a new home. Things that are unnecessary.
  
• Write: I put (simplify) at the top of my to do list for both Sat and Sun. And, I took it a step further by writing 500 words or more about simplicity.
  
• Meditate: After completing these 500 words I am going to meditate for 10 minutes. Yup! I am going to sit down, listen to music and do nothing.
  
• Outdoor Gear: I am going on a backcountry solo overnighter this evening and this means I have an opportunity to not only pack my gear, but organize, Goodwill and simplify my gear space. What do I really need?
  
• 50 Miler Plan: Not a 50 mile backpacking trip! A 50 mile run! Yes, I am running a 50 mile ultra this year and I need a simple plan to follow that will get me to the finish line.
  
• Make a Project List: At this point I do not even know how many projects I am working on. I have multiple projects running that can fall into a variety of different buckets. I need one simple project management dashboard.
  
• Stop Doing Something: Identify tasks and projects that I do not need to proceed with.
  
• Start Saying No: I have a tendency to take on a million things at one time. This creates a somewhat paralyzing feeling. A sense that I cannot get anything done and no progress is being made. Am I scared to say no? Do I feel as though others will be hurt as a result of me saying no? I think yes to all of the above. Well, for my own sanity sake no is becoming a bigger part of my life starting today.
  

I will complete this list and likely more. You get the idea. There are so many areas of our lives that get filled with little nagging unfinished tasks. Over time these become mountains. And, these mountains are near impossible to climb. Do not wait for your mountain to get so tall that it paralyzes your productivity. Simplify today!


Summit as friends!
Scott

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