live simply

I am trying to not get that way, but right now I am pulled in so many directions I can’t slow down long enough to get the things done on my list. That in turn is creating some anxiety. My children have so many things going on everyday I am running for one of them. Then there is work with new projects in development I am having to go there extra too. Plus the bike accident last week slowed me down.

Next week should be the light at the end of the tunnel. I should have downtime. I have no meetings next week. My one son is completely moved to school. Lastly no games that are hours in one direction away. I keep telling myself “next week will be better”

Two of my children and I hung out at the stream last night. We hiked down to a point there is good safe swimming. The youngest swam while I watched him and the bats dive for mosquitoes. The eldest was on his phone half the time. Going forward all phones will be left in the car. The youngest and I enjoyed the time, the eldest I think was half here and “there” so how can you take in the complete moment? To be in the now is the simplicity of time.

I slept under the stars watching the meteor shower. I laid in the hammock, sleeping bag under me, a big fluffy quilt over me, drinking a cooler and having popcorn. Eventually I fell asleep and woke to the wetness of the dew had settled over me.

At that point, I buried my head deeper under the quilt until around 5 am when I crawled into my own flat bed where I could roll over without fear of being flipped off into the grass. The whole experience makes me smile though. Simple living.

It’s so easy to fall back into the life you don’t want, yet its what you know. Making steps forward are a challenge, but recognizing when you are slipping backward is also a challenge.

So I need to start thinking of this at the end of everyday.
*Did the decisions I make today lead me to complications or lead me toward serenity?
*Did my actions bring me closer to simplicity or did they keep me in a disheveled status?
*What can I do tomorrow to set me closer to my goal?

I think reflecting on these may help with being more conscious of my decisions and actions.

Why is getting simple so complicated?

I am listening to the morning birds singing and chattering about while all around me a deep fog has set in muffling the distant noises. The atmosphere is so peaceful and it’s made me smile.

from surfing to Facebook to chit-chatting with friends online I’ve spent too much time here. I need to reactivate more parts of my “living” life. It’s time to enjoy the moments and not keep planning on the moments.

some music, an easy chair, the ocean lapping in the background

When making this goal you often think of the “stuff” you need to weed out of your life. As I’ve stated before the “Live Simply” I think of the life choices being made in comparison. Eventually the two will meet and become one, but for now it’s how I need to categorize it to make my way toward the goal of peaceful living.

Sometimes I think we over complicate life in dwelling on things too much rather than living the moment simply and beautifully. Perhaps we are always expecting more or over think things to the point everything takes on a hyper meaning when it shouldn’t.

Live the moment. I’m trying. It gets complicated at times though. In my minds eye my moments and needs don’t always reflect the same needs as those around me. Whose needs should take the center stage? Should one win over the other? Should there be “turns”? Or should you surround yourself with like minded people? This way there is no choice. The same goal would be the center. Then again would life become dull if this were the case?

Live loudly. Does this go against the grain of peaceful living? I want to live simply, peacefully, loudly and authentically. I want to have a true life, not one where I am constantly bowing my head down in acceptance. Turning the other cheek for the sake of peace. Is that an expressive life? A life lived? In my mind no.

I’ve always lived to hold the peace, yet I feel no harmony in my life. I live trying to accept things around me, yet I feel I am closing down and those around me out. I’m in search, and the search keeps leading me away from the way I have lived and now I feel more discord than I ever have.

What is the answer? Is there an answer? Or am I just over thinking it all. Perhaps I am.

I just realized this morning I have not had the tv on in a week. It seems more peaceful here due to that.

To me living simply and simplify my life are two different things.

Simplify means to downsize, reduce the stuff cluttering up your existence. Taking care of the historical stuff. Cutting yourself free from past connections that may be consuming unwarranted time.

Living simply is the day to day life of what I am doing from this point forward. It’s the actions of the day, not the stuff. I.E. Do I go shopping at a local small store that is more expensive or do I drive a distance to a larger store and spend less money. In the end what brings me more peace and gives me back my time? For me it’s the smaller store.