"Simplify, simplify."

Tomorrow, I will start cleaning my room.

I will let go of the 80 percent that I have no use of and make the most of the 20 percent which are essential to my life. My room will have enough space for everything that I want to do. I know everything can be done…and I will start tomorrow.

Promise, I will write about it.

Jef Menguin
http://jefmenguin.com

I had about 6 copypaper boxes of books in my closet, and I went through and got rid of about 3 boxes. Yay! I figure that while I love books and I love to read, I have WAY too many books that I’m never going to read – simply because I have WAY too many books that I WANT to read. Anyway, feels good to simplify.

This year, my English teacher introduced us to the life lessons of Mister Henry David Thoreau, and I found him quite awe-inspiring. This is a quote from his writing, Walden, or Life in the Woods- “Simplify, simplify.” And I want to do just that. To rid of all the toxic clutter in my life, reassess unhealthy relationships, and make amends with myself.

I have now over-simplified my life to the point where I’m bored…and I’m neglecting my social life. Ha!

Nevertheless, I have saved ALOT of money in the past 6 months by not making extravagant purchases and sticking to my life goals.

Good luck everyone!

“Our life is frittered away by detail… simplify, simplify.” -Henry David Thoreau, Walden; or Life in the Woods

Since being away from my last job and a bit further away from my friends, life is suddenly getting simpler. I cut my expenses on accessories and other entertainments in half. Everywhere I travel for business, I make sure to carry as much as I can on the plane instead of checking it in. I even commit to less invitations. Life is slowing down and I can breathe now, but still keeping pace.

The problem now is how do I create that work-life balance. Currently, I have like 85% work and 15% to myself, but I’m not spending it in a way that I want. I’m just so tired by then that my 15% is devoted to being a vegetable. Hmm. This is harder than I thought.

Apparently the life I live right now does not allow me to simplify. I have problems in letting go and I have problems of being distracted. I do try to take more time out for myself, but I get hung up on silly things.

Work being number one-which isn’t that silly since its my only source of income and the other being my love for gadgets!

I just purchased a Blackberry which is so not appropriate for my job position right now nor my finances. But I just HAD to have one…I figured, if I was going to sign a 2-year contract with a phone company, might as well get a phone I’ll like right?

Who needs the latest gadgets? Who needs every person in Cincinnati as a friend? I am beginning to realize I don’t.

While working at an ad agency, it is not uncommon for someone of my age brackett to always be on the go. From Cincy’s sport league games to local ad club events, to even working ungodly hours into the night to complete deadlines, keeping up with latest trends, and at the same time hold responsible for myself -we have no time for ourselves.

My question is why? With all this junk I hardly use, mindless friends that I keep in contact with, and making sure the world is still spinning when I turn the light out-what is the point? I cannot change the world alone overnight, I cannot keep up with subjective societal constraints-because when does that leave time for me?

Therefore, my first iniative this year is to keep things simple. I am taking 3-5 hours a week just for myself, away from T.V., away from the cell, and no internet. It would be a time where I realize myself as just particles in this world that happen to breath and live within this timely space. Just for a few hours-whether it would be writing, meditation or running-it would be my time alone.

Maybe somehow in this time, I will begin to hear my own voice.

Stop being so worried, jeez.

The key to simplification for me was reducing the influence of money in my life. For example, staying away from certain types of media, which for me tend to excite consumerism.