How Do You Keep it Simple?

Have you ever see-sawed between extravagance and simplicity?

One month I'll go all out and stock up on extra groceries, splurge on little happy-makers like candles, and dream about adding expensive items to my wardrobe. The next month I just want to put on a pot of homemade chicken noodle soup, buy as few groceries as possible, and find new ways to wear the clothes I already own.

When I'm in a simple frame of mind, the way I am now, I have little desire to shop. I usually spend more time with non-fiction from the library because current events seem more complicated than I have the energy for. In fact, earlier I perused the online version of the Wall Street Journal, and few headlines grabbed me.

Often, I get more accomplished in this frame of mind. I'm calmer. Less stressed. Instead of thinking about the things I want, I enjoy the things I have. I wish I could keep this mentality going indefinitely, but inevitably, the pendulum swings and I'll be thrilled to walk the aisles of Target once more.

My schedule could never be described as simple, but I add as much peace to my days as possible. Instead of working through lunch, I leaf through a magazine or listen to music. Afternoon tea always happens, even if I work with the tea in my hand. If I can't fit in a full workout, I'll do ten minutes of yoga stretches.

Sure, I have days where nothing feels simple. Well, on those days nothing IS simple! That's okay. Life doesn't have to be perfect. :)

How do you infuse simplicity into your days? What keeps you sane in a hectic world?

Have a fabulous weekend!

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Society and Simplicity

Oh boy. Society. Simplicity. Two words at opposite ends of a magnet.

When I think of simple and society in the same sentence (say that five times really fast!), I think of homesteaders out west. Building log homes, farming, praying together over dinner--you know what I'm talking about.

It's hard to place our current society in the simple file. Michigan's speed limit is 70mph. The highways brim with vehicles going eighty. Flights take off from airports every few minutes. People walk around typing into their smart phones--even six-year-olds have cell phones! Most homes feature not one, but multiple televisions, telephones, and computers. Does this seem simple?

Yes. Yes, it does.

Have you read Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on the Prairie lately? There was nothing simple about homesteading. They built log homes with few tools and fewer hands. They couldn't buy the lumber--they had to harvest it themselves. They survived harsh winters, food shortages, and constant fear of either Indian attack or government meddling. They didn't have the luxury of deciding they didn't feel like cooking dinner or of calling 911 when an accident happened. They missed their friends, siblings, and parents.

American society is complicated, but it also simplifies our life. Our taxes pay for roads, police and firemen, teachers and schools, government officials, and a military to keep us safe. Not everyone will agree with me on being thankful for these things and that's okay, but I am very thankful for them. They've given me the deepest level of simplicity--security.

Of course, in any society during any time frame, security comes from God, but He has blessed us with safety nets provided by our society.

What do you think when you hear the words simple and society?

Join me on Friday to set one goal!

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Complicated Simple Tasks

Pick up any women's magazine and somewhere in it will be recipes, tips on saving money, ways to organize your life, or diet and exercise plans. Magazine editors study what women want--information on the complicated issues--and include articles each month to simplify the tasks.

If you've been cooking for ten years, the recipes might be a welcome reprieve from your rut of everyday dishes. If you've been carefully watching your pennies, the tips might give you a boost to keep saving. Savvy housekeepers will watch for new ways to organize, and healthy folks will find extra motivation from the diet and exercise plans.

But what if you've never picked up a pan in your life? If you're thousands of dollars in debt and don't even know the basics of financial health? If the last time your house smelled Lysol was the day you bought it--in 1996? Or if you've tried, and failed, at every fad diet on the market?

The magazine's simple tips make the hard jobs look simple, but getting to the point where you're comfortable cooking, budgeting, cleaning, and exercising can be very difficult and might involve complicated steps.

Take cooking. For even a simple recipe like spaghetti, you might need to purchase pans, learn how to brown ground beef, set a timer to cook the noodles properly, and learn words like simmer. I guarantee the process will take twice as long for someone who has never cooked than for someone who makes this dish once a month.

Learning simple tasks can be time-consuming, difficult, and miles away from our comfort zone. Sure, fast food isn't very healthy and can put a huge dent in your budget, but let's face it, it's a lot easier to drive to a window, order a few value meals, pay someone and drive away, than it is to take a few hours each night to learn the basics of cooking.

I can't speak for everyone, but in my case, learning to cook was one of the best skills I learned. It took time, patience, and many less-than-edible dishes, but it's satisfying to come home and be able to whip up a healthy meal for a fraction of restaurant costs.

The simple life is like that. We have to dedicate ourselves to learning many skills that will save us time and sanity in the long run, but short term might threaten our sanity, stretch our time limits, and cause us to wonder if the simple life is very simple after all.

I've been chasing the simple life for over a decade. The skills I've learned have simplified my life. They've given me the resources to chase my dreams, and they've given me the confidence to believe those dreams will come true.

Is there a complicated task you'd like to try? Do you purchase magazines when they promise to simplify that task? Am I the only one who gobbles up magazines like Halloween candy??

Join me on Wednesday when we'll look at society and simplicity.

I will be offline until August 11. I love to read your comments, so please leave one. Have a wonderful day!

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Schedules Aid in Simplicity

Ask anyone who claims to have a simple life, and I'll bet they'll tell you one of their secrets is a schedule. People who regularly reach their goals rely on automated systems, like schedules, to keep their lives running efficiently. It might be internal, something they don't think about but that comes naturally, or it might be something they write down in advance.


After reading other writer's blogs, I know many of you write at a certain time each day to reach your goals. Others might work around your young children's daily needs or even the seasonal conditions of your region. But most of you adhere to a natural rhythm to maximize your output. If you're energetic in the morning, that's when you write. If late night is the only time you can get an hour's peace, you use it.

Setting a schedule and sticking to it can feel complicated. It's hard to change our habits. And frankly, sometimes we shouldn't. I think it's important not to shove ourselves into a mold we think should fit but never will.

If you have a schedule, does it fit your life? If you don't, do you feel your method is failing you?

Does your productivity increase when you set a schedule? Do you find it simplifies your life or does it feel even more complicated?

My productivity increases when I set a schedule. The complications of planning it in advance aren't always fun, but it's worth it when I achieve the goals I'm working toward. The sad truth for me is when I don't set a schedule, my goals take much, much longer to achieve.

Join me on Friday to set one goal!

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August: The Complicated Simple Life

The simple life. So simple and wonderful and relaxing and magical and...

Complicated. The simple life isn't easy to achieve.

A few years ago, No Doubt released a song called Simple Kind of Life. It struck me as being true and something many women could relate to. The author of the lyrics reveals wanting to be a wife and to have children, but how her choices in men and her career have not made that possible. I found it intriguing that Gwen Stefani wrote this. Yes, even rock stars have the same longings for a normal, simple, life that we do.

But the other thing I find interesting is the flip side. So many of us who do have the "simple kind of life" also have such complicated lives. Aren't we all a bit like Gwen? Striving for an ideal that doesn't exist? To have a simple life, we have to learn complicated skills, we have to think beyond what the media tells us, and it's not always easy.

Is your life simple? Complicated? A bit of both?

Join me on Wednesday when we'll look at how schedules impact our life.

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