live simply

At long last, the dump has a recycle container, so instead of at 40 mile RT to recycle, it’s about a 10 mile RT. Recycling has become simple, finally. I want to buy several big plastic garbage cans to use for recycling, and stop using the plastic bags I use now (the sun degrades them so quickly). I’ll line the cans with black plastic bags, then take those to recycling, dump them, then reline again (as much as possible). This is important to do.

With these many things to do, how can I live simply? By doing some of them and clearing my list. If I’m “doing” more than 20 things, I’m “not doing” too much. Some of the “things” have been on my list for years. What is one thing I can do today, and can it be taken off the list?

I just started reading this book by Mike Gellert. I’m amazed at how much of what he writes is what I’ve already been thinking about. However, some of it I haven’t considered and actually am not sure I understand. It’s a book I’m reading slowly because I’m doing a lot of thinking while reading. It’s a philosophical treatise thus far, practical in clarifying concepts and how they apply to my life. He says this isn’t a “how to do it” type of book. It’s thought provoking, and just what I want to read now, what I need to read now. I want to simplify my life, but I am distracted with all the great things to see and do. Limitations are freeing. And so this book, I hope, will help me to “limit” myself into simplicity.

Problems and things to be taken care of and stuff to deal with just keeps on coming down the river of life. Procrastination blocks any possibility of living simply. How can I live simply when I have all this stuff piling up that I need to deal with? How can I get out of debt when I am not addressing seemingly unrelated issues that in truth are contributing to my debt? Every thing is interrelated. I truly have to live more consciously to get what I want (simplicity) in my life. Living simply is not bailing out of life, but it is refining my life so that when those things come rolling down the river, I have the space, time, energy, and resources to address them – rather than they becoming yet another snag blocking me. Is this a self-addressed pep talk? Uh huh….

I didn’t even unlock the gate to go outside of it. I stayed at home the whole weekend. It was great. I have no problem staying home with my critters and reading, cooking, messing around outside, and staying in touch via telephone. It’s pure luxury. I do need to either fix my washing machine or buy another one though, because I didn’t get to laundry and that needs to be done. My life would be more simpler with a washer at home.

The goals that were similar I combined together. I was getting overwhelmed even on here! I now have 12 less goals, but more variety, plus a couple new ones. I am working to complete a few big goals in the next year! My life will be way more simpler.

until 10/17, so I will be living simply by finding ways to be “entertained” without cash. I don’t use credit cards. This weekend I’ll go to a memorial for a former boss who passed, visit a friend in the hospital, work on my dissertation, clean house and yard. That should take care of my weekend. I’ll also read a book, watch a DVD, walk with my dogs, and cook using what I have in the house.

Throughout my life, I’ve had a lot of “projects” going on. I still do. However, after talking with my knitting teacher yesterday who told me about people who have many different knitting projects going on, I realized that I’ve made a step toward simplicity. About 3 months ago, I made a decision to only have one knitting project at a time going on. At the time, I had just finished a knitting project, with one partially completed. I knew then that I only wanted one at a time. It was a breakthrough for me, the consumate multi-tasker.

My life is still complex, but in some ways, it feels simpler. I think having the food, sleep, and wardrobe areas semi-figured out is helping. Making progress in paying off debt has been a real mood booster, although my finances are still challenged. Decluttering is helping. I cut way back on buying stuff, on bringing home free stuff. There is much to deal with still. But my life does feel less complicated, although the complexity continues. Does this make sense?

For me to live simply, I have to make choices about things, activities, projects, people. Not choosing bogs me down, and choosing is scary sometimes because of the consequences. Choosing to have less in my life eventually (I hope) will mean less choices, as I choose to downsize and simplify. Choosing something has a second part: acting on the choice. That is another procrastination opportunity.

So far of what I have decluttered in my life, I can remember less than a handful of the things, and I have no regrets. I’m still in progress. I am confident I will get there and a goal is that this time next year, my life will be simplified by half. It can be done and it will be done.