I don’t think I have a big problem with overcomplicating my life. I know that I say yes to more obligations then I should sometimes. But I don’t feel bad about quitting or dropping out, when I feel overwhelmed. So I guess the next time that happens, I can just politely decline.
I keep my life simple
by saying ‘no’ when I need to,
something I couldn’t do for many years.
This takes away the constant obsession of thinking,
‘should I have said yes?’
‘I don’t want to do this–
why did I say yes?’ . . .
and beating myself up
for making a mess of
both my inner and outer lives.
Now
I am free
and the breeze blows a little more lightly through my brain,
opening space to Practice
and say ‘yes’ to paying attention,
to being mindful,
to being present to what is before me in the moment,
and thus
more grateful.
I know where I’m at
and the angst of setting goals is eased . . .
I just have to remember
to reside here,
lay claim to this space . . .
like a Living meditation. ♥
May of next year I plan on semi retiring and working PT. I will be at full retirement age.. It feels very scary but necessary to simplfy my life. Our boss is trying to pass down weekend work on a rotation basis (to 3 of us) which will include one wkend a month of sat and sunday hours (a few hours apparently).
If I work 3 days a week I can keep my current medical/dental plan. I think a gradual change will be better for me. I talked to my co-worker and we are going to ask our boss to share 1 Full time position. She would like to work 2 days a week only. I am glad I looked into it because I thought you could only earn so much and collect ss but I can make way more then I thought.
Today was a holiday in RI and I visited a new nature preserve with pink water lillies, butterflies and gorgeous wild flowers. It was just what I needed today! 🦋🌞
How exciting! I am 57 and think about retiring all the time. I hope to at 62 but may do the PT from 62-65…no way I’m working till 67… who the hell came up with these ages… work work work … it’ll be nice not to have an alarm to wake up everyday.
My co-worker will do PT 2 days (64 1/2) but she is limited how much she can earn. I was helping my daughter for a few yrs but niow she is working FT thank goodness! Medicare they take out $200 from ss, certainly a lot to consider!
I have gotten a lot better at this; however, I’d say preparing to move to another state is the place where simplification could keep me more present. It’s tough when I’m not sure where we’re going to live, if we’re taking all of our furniture or selling it and starting over, where I’ll be working, if we’ll find a private rental vs all the corporates listed online… phew! That’s a lot! I did pack some things in my yoga room yesterday, which felt good. And I cleaned our big dining room table off, dusted it and took photos so my husband can list it on facebook since we definitely want to sell that set. It’s way too heavy. There’s so much going on right now that it’s hard to simplify, but I am trying!
One day at a time. My daughter will be moving in with my dad soon – she is having a yard sale, purging and starting fresh with keeping minimalism in mind.
I’m excited for you, hang in there:)
Our lease is up end of October, and we’re going down the 1st week of September to take care of business! This will be the third move in two years, but I think we’ll settle down after this one!
I don’t envy you a bit,
dear SunnyPatti . . .
I despise moving,
and promised to everyone who would listen
that as of this last move
I’m not going anywhere.
When I was young,
my family moved a lot . . .
as a matter of fact,
John Belushi
(we were in high school together)
gave me the nickname ‘Gypsy”
because of that,
and also I was the only girl in school
with pierced ears.
Your energy and enthusiasm
are admirable,
and I am with you in spirit
all the way. ♥
That’s so crazy that you went to high school with John Belushi!
Moving is not my favorite, but each one since leaving my ex has been well worth it – all 6 of them, pushing 7 😁
I did . . .
in those days,
we were often seated alphabetically in our classes.
My last name was Allen,
and of course his was Belushi,
so we sat near to each other a lot,
and I was a perfect subject for him to tease.
Yikes,
dear SunnyPatti,
you’re getting close to how many times I’ve moved! 🙂
I hear you! We moved 3 times in roughly 2-1/2 years, the first move across the state and then from one rental to another and then to a home we bought. With each move I purged a bit more. I remember someone saying to me “Three moves is as good as a fire.” That’s a bit grim now, given the fires in my state that have taken everything from so many people, but it was a reminder of how much I could live without.
While grim, it is still true. We have donated and sold so much since we sold our home 2 years ago.
We’ll be joining you on that 3x in 2 1/2 years… first 3 1/2 hours away, then 1 1/2 hours away, this time almost 6 hrs from where we are. Not terrible, all things considered. A lot of work, but it’s meant to be!
In my mind. I must stop over thinking, adding more & more stuff to ponder over & just be.
Stay focused on the present moment & be.
Breathe deep & be in the moment.
Make my intention “to stay in the present moment”, the now.
After all that’s all we have.
🕊️❤️
You are right,
dear PKR,
and as I plan out my week in the gardens,
your words remind me
to simply be with where I am now . . .
tomorrow
will take care of itself.
Thank you. ♥
Adding simple reminders each day to pause and check in on myself would possibly allow me to be more present (to me), and hopefully, through the process, others as well.
Right now, I can simplify my life by being honest with myself about what I have the time and capacity for and not stretching myself needlessly beyond my limits. If I am constantly on the edge of burnout it is difficult for me to stay calm and present.
I need to practice “mindfulness” moment by moment because when my mind forgets to live in my heart, I lose perspective and let the past or the future dominate.
I’m still absorbing Father Rohr’s meditation from yesterday,
dear Carol Ann,
to which I responded.
I am quite fascinated
with the Franciscan view . . .
thank you for introducing it to me
in clear terms. ♥
The answer leads back to my old friend, decluttering. If I can declutter 10 minutes a day, eventually my home will be in a situation where things are simpler. I know where everything is. I don’t have piles or messy drawers. I feel like I’m perpetually halfway decluttered, and I’d like to get closer to mostly decluttered!
I read a quote in a book, “The 40 Rules of Love,” yesterday: “The past is a whirlpool.” One memory can suck you into an entire whirlpool that’s hard to extract from. I think any compelling thoughts must be like that–once you get into the pattern, it takes on its own momentum. Thanks for posting and being here, Mary! And I relate!
Yes, I have a habit of second guessing myself. Not helpful in life. I do it here with my posting, too. I could practice ignoring my inclination to second guess as I post here on this site. I’m pretty upfront about my thoughts and feelings here, so this would be a good place for me to practice.
Thank you for your encouragement, Drea! 🩵
I realized recently that I was cluttering my mind, heart and time with too many spiritual and faith based studies, devotions, readings and courses. What I had intended to fill my longing for a better sense of the present and the Holy, actually ended up doing the opposite. It took awhile to decide how to weed out and through what was most helpful and what was not. I have now settled in to a nice routine of a morning walk, followed by a Bible study with my husband, and then my time with a Richard Rohr reading and concluding with this time here. Later in the day I participate in an online yoga class which has been a real gift. Occasionally another online class or book will pop up that interests me, but for now these tools have helped me greatly in being more present.
I’m laughing at myself with this response, Katrina. In very short order I acquired 3 or 4 books, each of which was meant to be a daily reading. The temptation was to start all of them at once but my mornings don’t have that kind of time! I put one aside that I had started, continued with a second one, put the others on the shelf for future years. They’ll keep.
Thank you Yram ! ADHD and other habit energies keep me running on full seed and this is another good tip for me to lay attention. Just live today and do your best today and have no regrets about the outcome. 🙏🙌💯
My life is also pretty simple as it is. I think that sometimes I take on too many tasks, such as new jobs or responsibilities. Maybe I could focus on doing one thing really well instead of spreading myself thin. Not sure what that one thing could be right now though.
Love it his Dawn ! This is so true ! Makes me want to sit down and play with artwork instead of always pushing my to do list of tasks nonstop. I love being able to enjoy and be happy. This is for real !!
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I don’t think I have a big problem with overcomplicating my life. I know that I say yes to more obligations then I should sometimes. But I don’t feel bad about quitting or dropping out, when I feel overwhelmed. So I guess the next time that happens, I can just politely decline.
I keep my life simple
by saying ‘no’ when I need to,
something I couldn’t do for many years.
This takes away the constant obsession of thinking,
‘should I have said yes?’
‘I don’t want to do this–
why did I say yes?’ . . .
and beating myself up
for making a mess of
both my inner and outer lives.
Now
I am free
and the breeze blows a little more lightly through my brain,
opening space to Practice
and say ‘yes’ to paying attention,
to being mindful,
to being present to what is before me in the moment,
and thus
more grateful.
I know where I’m at
and the angst of setting goals is eased . . .
I just have to remember
to reside here,
lay claim to this space . . .
like a Living meditation. ♥
“. . . like a Living meditation.” ☀️
May of next year I plan on semi retiring and working PT. I will be at full retirement age.. It feels very scary but necessary to simplfy my life. Our boss is trying to pass down weekend work on a rotation basis (to 3 of us) which will include one wkend a month of sat and sunday hours (a few hours apparently).
If I work 3 days a week I can keep my current medical/dental plan. I think a gradual change will be better for me. I talked to my co-worker and we are going to ask our boss to share 1 Full time position. She would like to work 2 days a week only. I am glad I looked into it because I thought you could only earn so much and collect ss but I can make way more then I thought.
Today was a holiday in RI and I visited a new nature preserve with pink water lillies, butterflies and gorgeous wild flowers. It was just what I needed today! 🦋🌞
How exciting! I am 57 and think about retiring all the time. I hope to at 62 but may do the PT from 62-65…no way I’m working till 67… who the hell came up with these ages… work work work … it’ll be nice not to have an alarm to wake up everyday.
My co-worker will do PT 2 days (64 1/2) but she is limited how much she can earn. I was helping my daughter for a few yrs but niow she is working FT thank goodness! Medicare they take out $200 from ss, certainly a lot to consider!
Easing into retirement with part time work sounds great, Robin Ann.
And the nature preserve sounds amazing!
I have gotten a lot better at this; however, I’d say preparing to move to another state is the place where simplification could keep me more present. It’s tough when I’m not sure where we’re going to live, if we’re taking all of our furniture or selling it and starting over, where I’ll be working, if we’ll find a private rental vs all the corporates listed online… phew! That’s a lot! I did pack some things in my yoga room yesterday, which felt good. And I cleaned our big dining room table off, dusted it and took photos so my husband can list it on facebook since we definitely want to sell that set. It’s way too heavy. There’s so much going on right now that it’s hard to simplify, but I am trying!
One day at a time. My daughter will be moving in with my dad soon – she is having a yard sale, purging and starting fresh with keeping minimalism in mind.
I’m excited for you, hang in there:)
Thank you. I’m excited for me, too! And my little family. We’re going to sell as much as we can before going 🤞🏼
That’s a lot to deal with, SunnyPatti. But I know that you will do fine and before you know it, you will be settled in.
💕☀️
I just keep picturing it all and knowing and trusting how well it is going to work out.
And I’ll get to meet you as well!
May your move be seamless, SunnyPatti.
Namaste ✨
I have moved a lot also in the past several years but in the same state. Wishing you the best of luck with it. Do you know when yet?
Our lease is up end of October, and we’re going down the 1st week of September to take care of business! This will be the third move in two years, but I think we’ll settle down after this one!
I don’t envy you a bit,
dear SunnyPatti . . .
I despise moving,
and promised to everyone who would listen
that as of this last move
I’m not going anywhere.
When I was young,
my family moved a lot . . .
as a matter of fact,
John Belushi
(we were in high school together)
gave me the nickname ‘Gypsy”
because of that,
and also I was the only girl in school
with pierced ears.
Your energy and enthusiasm
are admirable,
and I am with you in spirit
all the way. ♥
That’s so crazy that you went to high school with John Belushi!
Moving is not my favorite, but each one since leaving my ex has been well worth it – all 6 of them, pushing 7 😁
I did . . .
in those days,
we were often seated alphabetically in our classes.
My last name was Allen,
and of course his was Belushi,
so we sat near to each other a lot,
and I was a perfect subject for him to tease.
Yikes,
dear SunnyPatti,
you’re getting close to how many times I’ve moved! 🙂
I hear you! We moved 3 times in roughly 2-1/2 years, the first move across the state and then from one rental to another and then to a home we bought. With each move I purged a bit more. I remember someone saying to me “Three moves is as good as a fire.” That’s a bit grim now, given the fires in my state that have taken everything from so many people, but it was a reminder of how much I could live without.
While grim, it is still true. We have donated and sold so much since we sold our home 2 years ago.
We’ll be joining you on that 3x in 2 1/2 years… first 3 1/2 hours away, then 1 1/2 hours away, this time almost 6 hrs from where we are. Not terrible, all things considered. A lot of work, but it’s meant to be!
In my mind. I must stop over thinking, adding more & more stuff to ponder over & just be.
Stay focused on the present moment & be.
Breathe deep & be in the moment.
Make my intention “to stay in the present moment”, the now.
After all that’s all we have.
🕊️❤️
You are right,
dear PKR,
and as I plan out my week in the gardens,
your words remind me
to simply be with where I am now . . .
tomorrow
will take care of itself.
Thank you. ♥
Adding simple reminders each day to pause and check in on myself would possibly allow me to be more present (to me), and hopefully, through the process, others as well.
Right now, I can simplify my life by being honest with myself about what I have the time and capacity for and not stretching myself needlessly beyond my limits. If I am constantly on the edge of burnout it is difficult for me to stay calm and present.
I need to practice “mindfulness” moment by moment because when my mind forgets to live in my heart, I lose perspective and let the past or the future dominate.
Richard Rohr’s daily meditation this morning speaks Truth to me.
https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-infinite-in-the-finite/
I’m still absorbing Father Rohr’s meditation from yesterday,
dear Carol Ann,
to which I responded.
I am quite fascinated
with the Franciscan view . . .
thank you for introducing it to me
in clear terms. ♥
The answer leads back to my old friend, decluttering. If I can declutter 10 minutes a day, eventually my home will be in a situation where things are simpler. I know where everything is. I don’t have piles or messy drawers. I feel like I’m perpetually halfway decluttered, and I’d like to get closer to mostly decluttered!
Yes, yes, yes, yes, and again yes. I’m right there with you, Drea!
In my thinking. Relax, Mary, stop over thinking. Thank you for this question.
Keep it simple, sweet one. KISSO ♥️☀️😊🤓😸😸😸
Yes,
dear Mary . . .
fly by the seat of your pants a little,
and don’t question. 🙂
Absolutely! 😀
No Mary, don’t think about deleting. Keep it simple. 🧐♥️ It will be ok. 😐😅😸
Amen! Sista!
Thanks, Carol Ann!
I read a quote in a book, “The 40 Rules of Love,” yesterday: “The past is a whirlpool.” One memory can suck you into an entire whirlpool that’s hard to extract from. I think any compelling thoughts must be like that–once you get into the pattern, it takes on its own momentum. Thanks for posting and being here, Mary! And I relate!
Yes, I have a habit of second guessing myself. Not helpful in life. I do it here with my posting, too. I could practice ignoring my inclination to second guess as I post here on this site. I’m pretty upfront about my thoughts and feelings here, so this would be a good place for me to practice.
Thank you for your encouragement, Drea! 🩵
I realized recently that I was cluttering my mind, heart and time with too many spiritual and faith based studies, devotions, readings and courses. What I had intended to fill my longing for a better sense of the present and the Holy, actually ended up doing the opposite. It took awhile to decide how to weed out and through what was most helpful and what was not. I have now settled in to a nice routine of a morning walk, followed by a Bible study with my husband, and then my time with a Richard Rohr reading and concluding with this time here. Later in the day I participate in an online yoga class which has been a real gift. Occasionally another online class or book will pop up that interests me, but for now these tools have helped me greatly in being more present.
I’m laughing at myself with this response, Katrina. In very short order I acquired 3 or 4 books, each of which was meant to be a daily reading. The temptation was to start all of them at once but my mornings don’t have that kind of time! I put one aside that I had started, continued with a second one, put the others on the shelf for future years. They’ll keep.
My life is pretty simple with it’s routines and involvement.
I constantly practice being present and not multitasking.
Thank you Yram ! ADHD and other habit energies keep me running on full seed and this is another good tip for me to lay attention. Just live today and do your best today and have no regrets about the outcome. 🙏🙌💯
Very wise, Yram. ♥️
Multitasking is not-tasking for me!
Multi-tasking
is highly over rated,
isn’t it,
dear Yram.
Finally,
a few of us
are brave enough to stand up and say so. ♥
Wisdom…thank you, YRAM
Yram, I’ve always been against multi-tasking. It’s counter-productive. Our mental health deteriorates too.
My life is also pretty simple as it is. I think that sometimes I take on too many tasks, such as new jobs or responsibilities. Maybe I could focus on doing one thing really well instead of spreading myself thin. Not sure what that one thing could be right now though.
My life already feels simple the way it is. Just continue to enjoy for as long as it lasts.
Taking time to do what I enjoy, even if it’s not as long as I would like to.
Love it his Dawn ! This is so true ! Makes me want to sit down and play with artwork instead of always pushing my to do list of tasks nonstop. I love being able to enjoy and be happy. This is for real !!
I agree, Dawn!
Those are wise words!