Volume 1, Issue 7

On a Personal Note

 
Dear MELISSA,
 
"Ok, so we are moving back to the house on Tuesday.  The apartment has to be vacated by Thursday now that most of the repairs have been completed," my sister informed us.
 
My third move since May.  Ugh!  My life hasn't been this complicated since I was a child.   I like to keep life simple, but the world is just not cooperating right now (as you can probably relate to). 
 
With all the challenges occurring in my life without a solid home base, life gets more overwhelming at times than I care to admit. 
 
My go to tool when overwhelm is not going away is to SIMPLIFY anything in my control.
 
Simplification gives me room to breath and get a sense of the big picture. 
 
In the spirit of "Keep it Simple, Stupid," little time, and yet another change, I am challenged to write a simpler, shorter version of my newsletter. 
 
I love a good challenge.  And since I don't have a lot of time to put the newsletter together, it dawned on me... shorter may be more convenient for you as well. 
 
So let's see how I do. 
 
Blessings of a life well lived,
Melissa

 

The Good, the Bad, and the Simple

 

Keep it Simple, Stupid

The grandeur of God reveals itself through simple things.  ~ Paulo Coelho 

We've been misled to believe that complicated is better, more evolved, smarter, and sexier.  

Truth is complication just tends to make things more expensive, more time consuming and energy wasting.  Furthermore, complicated is often unnecessarily messy and tends to lead to overwhelm.

Simplicity, on the other hand, is minimized as boring.  But simplicity doesn't have to be boring and boring doesn't have to be a negative.

Simple is clean, clear, straight forward, effective, memorable and therefore easier to replicate, especially when things get tough.  Simple avoids over thinking and over working. 

Timeless and eloquent, simplicity tends to stand the test of time. 

Simple allows for honesty, instead of forcing impressions.  It's the basis for all the life hacks shared on the internet. 

Simplicity allows us to slow down and absorb... much like children playing.  You know all those times when you thought the kids weren't paying attention, then out of the blue they repeated something you said in perfect context- much to your chagrin. 

We can still do this, when we are relaxed.

The key to simplifying your world is to eliminate anything that does not add value to your life, your relationships, or your peace of mind.

Having an abundance of “things” requires time and energy to maintain.  Simplifying your life by having fewer possessions and commitments allows you more time to enjoy what really matters to you.

Plus, by keeping things simple, you have a greater capacity to deal with the unavoidable or unexpected complications more effectively and with less overwhelm. 

When you understand and appreciate simplicity, you find a sense of joy and contentment that can never be taken away from you. 

What is one thing can you simplify in your life today?  How would that impact your life?

 

Ideas to Simplify Your Life

 Complexity is the enemy of execution.   ~ Tony Robbins

Here are some ideas to simplify your life.  Don't make simplifying a complicated task.  Start by making one change.  Once that change takes hold, add another.  Pick the easiest change first and work your way through your list in no particular order.  Allow that it will take time and be OK with this.

  • Reassess your priorities
  • Delegate or hire help
  • Set boundaries on your time and workload
  • Learn to say no
  • Unclutter your space
  • Organize
  • Do more of what you enjoy
  • Keep it neat
  • Take your time, allowing extra time for project completion
  • Cull anything that doesn't really need doing
  • Focus on one task at a time
  • Take deep, slow breaths often
  • Have a set bedtime with a sleep routine
  • Less is more: do less, own less
  • Fix it or throw it out
  • Create systems
  • Schedule time for relaxation and/or fun
  • Make daily, short commitments to complete projects (i.e., spend 15 minutes/day on project)

 

Cool Resource

Having a cluttered and disorganized home reinforces feeling anxious and overwhelmed.  Tidy, uncrowded spaces safeguard your home as your sanctuary from the rest of the world.  To preserve your time at home for relaxing, investing in a good maid service is a must.  However, an organized and uncrowded home is still required for the maid to serve you best. 

Going through your wardrobe can be a great place to start organizing your home.   Most of us accumulate clothing and shoes that we haven't worn in years.  Culling your wardrobe creates much needed space and ease.

Clean Your Closets in 8 Easy Steps

1. Take everything out of your closet

Put the entire contents of your closet and dressers on the bed or on the floor.  Sort through and only keep what belongs in your closet and dressers (that means anything that you’d put on your body, including accessories, shoes, bags, jewelry, etc.).

2. Clean your closet, drawers and shelves

Before you put your clothes back, clean everything thoroughly.  Then take a moment to start thinking about how you’re going to organize your clothes when you put them back in.

3.  Quickly sort

Remove anything from the piles that you know you definitely don’t want to keep. This might include items that you haven’t worn for years, don’t fit, don’t like, are outdated, are damaged beyond repair or that you only bought for a specific purpose and you won’t need again (for example, maternity clothes).

4. Create 3 separate piles for unwanted items

By now you might have some items that you don’t want to keep.  Create 3 separate piles on your floor:  throw away, donate, and recycle.

5. Organize the rest of the clothes into different categories

This step makes it easier for you to see what you have.  Use broad categories such as shirts, pants, sleepwear, underwear, etc.

6. Try on everything in each category

Try on every item and make a note of your reaction.  Do you instantly feel good?  Does it look good on you?  Does it make you feel more confident, attractive, comfortable?  If your reaction is half-hearted then consider getting rid of this item.

You’re aiming to ONLY keep items that:

  • Make you feel great and…
  • Are in good condition (or can be mended) and…
  • Are versatile to wear and…
  • Most everything else should go!  I get it.  Your favorite college sweatshirt with the holes continue to bring you pleasure every football season.  Keep it, but your closet should not be overridden by such clothing.
7. Put up the clothes you are keeping

Put your clothes back in the closet, drawers, etc.  Arrange your clothes to make it easy to see everything at first glance.  Here are some points to consider:

  • Hang as much up as possible.  Only fold what will get damaged by hanging.
  • Consider grouping your clothes, by category, color, and/or season.
  • Use drawer dividers to organize underwear, socks, and such.
8. Clear out unwanted piles now

Don’t leave your unwanted clothes piles lying around as they will take up space, undo your hard work and tempt you to dig through them.  Move the unwanted piles into bags and boxes to be trashed, donated or recycled.

Enjoying your uncluttered closet and dressers

If you’ve followed these steps then you’ll have a clean, uncluttered closet that only holds clothes you love to wear and make you feel and look good!

If the you are ready to eliminate overwhelm and enjoy your life again, maybe it's time to schedule a Time for the Things That Matter Most Strategy Session.  Just click on the left link, and together, we can determine your next best step.

 

Upcoming Events

Watch in your email for the invitations to join my weekly guided meditations provided via Zoom.  If you are unable to attend the meditations live, the meditations are also recorded.

Oct 18, 2021 09:30 AM
Oct 25, 2021 09:30 AM
Nov   1, 2021 09:30 AM
Nov   8, 2021 09:30 AM
Nov 15, 2021 09:30 AM

 

Connect With Me

I would love to hear how this newsletter has been helpful to you.  Please feel free to respond with your comments or any questions you may have.  Also let me know if there is a topic you like more information on in future issues. 

Visit our website and social media for more resources and information:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MelissaFairchild.LCSW
Website: https://melissafairchild.coachesconsole.com/
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Free Report: https://melissafairchild.coachesconsole.com/

 

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