Simplify your life! Stop doing these things

I’m a simple person who likes living a simple life.

Of course, there are times when life is complicated. When life throughs a curveball and difficult things happen. Life can be messy and is not always rainbows and unicorns.

In many situations, life isn’t complicated but it’s how I’m living life.

Simplifying life can be about adding things to make life easier, it can also be about eliminating things to live a simpler life.

Keep it Simple Sometimes I can fall into the pattern of making life more complicated than it needs to be.

Maybe it’s the idea that if something is complicated it must be better than something simple.

A complicated workout routine with a personal trainer must be better than simply moving my body daily.

A complex diet with restrictions on what to eat based on calorie counting is healthier than eating simple nutritionally dense whole foods, with plenty of fruits and veggies.

An intricate 20-step color-coded productivity plan will make me more productive than focusing on the top three things to accomplish that day.

If something is overly complicated I become overwhelmed and quit.

When I’m working on ways to simplify my life, the less complicated the better.

I aim for the simplest, easiest ways that work for me to improve my life.

“My goal is no longer about how to get more done, but rather to have less to do.”

- Francine Jay

Do Less

There is a silent pressure to do more. I’m not sure if this comes from outside sources and I internalize it or if it’s always been with me.

Regardless, this invisible nagging feeling that I’m not doing enough is never very far.

Even with a brain injury that limits much of my mental and physical stamina, I fight against the whispering voice to do more.

I gently remind myself to accept where I am and what I’m doing today. There is no need to continually pile on more things to do. There is no award for the person who does the most. The times when I have taken on more than I could, I was frantic, exhausted, overwhelmed, and eventually burnout.

My mantra to quiet the nagging voice within is,

“I’m doing enough and I’m ok with that.”

Overthinking

I can get caught up in overthinking and excessive analysis, leading me to take on everything all at once or do nothing because I suffer from analysis paralysis.

Overthinking makes life more complicated. When I obsess about a decision that needs to be made or things to be accomplished I become frustrated and overwhelmed.

Life is full of decisions to make from small choices like what to wear, or what to make for dinner to life-changing decisions like changing careers or getting married.

The more I overthink, the more muddy my thoughts become, making it difficult to see a clear solution.

I have a trick to prevent analysis paralysis.

If the decision is not life-changing, I give myself 30 seconds to make a choice.

This simple game frees up time and energy.

Trying to control life

It’s exhausting to try to control every situation and outcome. Understanding that control is an illusion is freeing. Life is unpredictable, and there are countless factors beyond my control. Accepting this truth can help me shift my mindset and be more open to imperfections in myself, others, and the world.

I embrace self-compassion, treating myself with kindness. Understand that I’m only human, and making mistakes or encountering imperfections is natural. I give myself grace and treat myself with the same understanding and compassion you would extend to a friend in a similar situation.

I’m at peace by accepting that life will continue moving forward despite my interference.

By letting go of the need to try to control everything in my world, I’m less stressed and happier.