Simplify Your Life

1. Simplify Your Life What are the keys that unlock the simplification of life!

2. James, Karen Krain, Molly Murray, Joan Wright, Karen Williams, Dalila Simplify Your LifeA Presentation by: SFSU/Holistic Health 382-03/Spring 2004

3. Webster’s Definition: • Life-The sequence of physical and mental experiences that make up the existence of an individual.

4. Groups Definition of Life • Life is complex • Life involves many different aspects • Life is different from person to person • Ones life is controlled by that person

5. Thus, simplifying ones life can be a complex process involving many different aspects and is also controlled by that individual. Most importantly, everyone’s perspective of what it means to simplify your life is different.

6. Groups perspective • Releasing physical materials • Releasing negative emotions and relationships. • Management of external environment and its stressors. • Aspects of simplifying inner life

7. S I M P L L F I E F Y INTERNAL EXTERNAL PHYSICAL MENTAL

8. Statement of Problem: The accumulation of goods is a prominent behavior in our culture. Dealing with Physical Clutter “That which you cannot give away, you do not possess. It possesses you.” – I. Ball

9. “ A crowded or confused mass or collection.” – per dictionary. Whatever is creating interference, stress,and distraction from your goals. Whatever you want to release, but are unable to do so – Yet! What is Clutter Anyway?

10. Accumulating comes easy. We have a natural urge to acquire as a survival strategy. Fear of loss and feelings of regret can block the letting-go process. Why do we clutter?

11. Steps to De-clutter. • Gather and group similar items. • Make choices: to keep or to let go. • Letting go can mean – • to discard, donate, or recycle. • Ask help of a trusted friend. • Arrange “to keep” items into a consistent, pleasing, and easy to manage order.

12. Simplify in Every Way • Eliminate the unimportant, whether that is • Relationships • Tasks • Responsibilities • Possessions • Beliefs • Organize the remainder.

13. Discover effective sources of motivation.. • Give yourself credit even after small efforts. • Break a project into small sections, and visualize positive results. • Make a plan for progressive work sessions. • Reward, reward, reward yourself. • Involve others.

14. The good thing about clutter is that it waits for you. • The bad thing about clutter is that it waits for you. • It will wait and wait, until you are in enough pain, • To deal with it.

15. “He who knows that enough is enough will always have enough.” – Lao Tzu.

16. Simplicity Over Materialism • “If we limit the number of material belongings, they can still be beautiful and inspire our souls.” Linda Breen Pierce

17. Releasing Material Possessions

18. What is Materialism? The belief that money, possessions, and comfort are the most important things to obtain in life. Cambridge Dictionary

19. How to Release Material Possession? • Identify what material items or circumstances support or constrict your life. What’s really important! • Make a list of the items/circumstances and possessions that constrict your life. • Make a list of items that you no longer use or haven’t worn within a year. • Take 15 – 30 minutes a day to clean out a draw, closet, or room where these items are located. • Set a goal of completing your entire home over a two to three month period. • Establish a "treasure chest" for things that are hard to let go of and at the end of the three month period, try again. • Donate, give-away or sell the items. • Sschedule a pick-up with Salvation Army, St. Pauls, Uhuru House, etc, for donated items - furniture or large items. • BUY LESS STUFF!

20. Benefits of ReleasingMaterial Possession • Freedom and self discovery • Pleasure in giving to someone in need • Space, space and more space. • Economical gain, maybe. • Clarity and comfort.

21. Why Simplify? “A simple life is probably best defined as a journey. It is an awakening to a sense of self. It is a search for--and a discovery of-- those people, activities, possessions that slowly bring an awareness of the uniqueness of one's self and the pleasures, lasting satisfaction and deep contentment that come from this knowledge.” “It is a removal of the things that distract us from finding our own unique center: Possessions that are no longer meaningful and/or have lost meaning or purpose in our lives.” Patti TokarTo create a balanced life!

22. Releasing negative emotions and relationships.

23. Where does negativity come from? Some people seem to be born with a negative predisposition for negativity, while others appear to become negative because of their environment. Psychologists have long argued about the basis of each individuals personality. This debate has been resolved by those who agree that personality is a combination of our genetic make-up and life experiences.

24. Definition of a Negative Personality: people who chronically express negative thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that increase the likelihood of engaging in destructive actions. Negativity can be imposed in two ways: imposed by others, and caused by our own thoughts and feelings

25. How will I know if I encounter a negative person? To figure out if someone has a negative personality you can ask questions from four categories: physical, behavioral, emotional, and communicative. The answers will reveal if holistically this personal is negatively effecting you.

26. Some Examples: • Emotional example: Are you in a bad mood after talking to this person? • Physical example: Does this person give you tension in your neck and back • Behavioral example: Do you treat your body worse physically when you are around or after you have been around this person: (i.e. drinking, drugs, over-eating, feelings of stress) • Communicative example: Is the person condescending towards you?

27. Three Strategies for Dealing with Negative Personalities: • Understand them. • Ignore them. • Convert them.

28. Understand Them: Why? • They have reasons for behaving this way. • Since being unpleasant is so personally unsuccessful, it must be a reaction to something larger. • This realization will help you from taking their behavior personally.  How? • Monitor your own emotional arousal towards their negativity. • Watch for what triggers their attacks on others. • Observe how others respond to their outbursts.

29. Ignore Them: Why? • This limits their power to cause disruption. • It removes the air that feeds their fire. • It sends an important and powerful messages to others. • It discourages others from adopting a negative posture because of its perceived effectiveness.  How? • Remain civil • Remain emotionally detached. • Focus on the point made instead of the way it was made. • Reinforce appropriate dissent by pointing out its greater effectiveness 

30. Convert Them: Why? • Negative people often care deeply, but are simply impaired in expressing themselves. • Everyone has the desire to have enjoyable lives. Negative people may not know how to achieve this. How? • Listen. • Accept their feelings. • Legitimize their perceptions. • Influence them with your positive personality. • Express how their negativity makes you feel. • Offer help.

31. One Last Note: “Negative people are stress carriers but the only way they can pass on their stress is if you rent them space in your head.” Ultimately, each and every one of us has the power to decide who we shall invite into our lives.

32. Management of external environment and its stressors

33. External Environment • School-being to school on time, homework, tests, papers • Work-being to work on time, some of the people I have to interact with while at work • Personal-taking care of myself, my son, and family/friend relationships

34. school work mom = burned-out

35. Bad Techniques • Eliminating-Involves the elimination or reduction of activities within your external environment. • Multitasking-Involves doing two or more task at once. • Ex:Cooking while writing a paper.

36. Good Techniques • Time Managing • Mindfulness • Commitment

37. Time Managing • Organize the Day • Delegate amount of time to activities • Make a daily list • Set or identify priorities • Know your peak time • Remember there is 24 hours in a day • Create a time and place for private time

38. Mindfulness-useful concepts • Twenty-four brand new hours • Our life is a work of art • What’s not wrong

39. Commitment • "Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too.” • The above quote is a quote from Johann Von Goethe

40. Aspects of simplifying inner life

41. Things you’ll want to do • Spend time each day in nature • Create beauty in your life • Create simplicity, not austerity • Learn to enjoy the silence • Get in touch with your creativity • Latch on to synchronicity • Learn to receive • Figure out what you don’t want in you life • Enjoy each moment

42. Easy things to think about doing • Have weekend retreats at home • Create your own sanctuary • Use visualizations • Ask for help from the universe • Figure out what others have to teach you

43. More difficult things to think about doing • Practice detaching • Do things you fear • Be honest with people • Be patient • Laugh a lot

44. The hard stuff • Harbor no thought that will burn • Get rid of your anger • Take responsibility for your life • Accept the things you can’t change • Get out of relationships that don’t support you • Figure out your big issue • Learn to see the problems in your life as gifts • Take time to think

45. Some fun stuff • Consult a psychic • Cast a rune • Write like mad

46. Bibliography. • Aslett, D. (1985). Clutter’s Last Stand. Writer’s Digest Books. • Buell, L.M. (2001). Simplify Your Life: A Journey of Personal Discovery. • Dominguez, J., Robin, V. (1999). Your Money or Your Life: Transforming Your Relationship With Money and Achieving Financial Independence. Penguin. • Hanh, T. N. (1991). Peace isEvery Step. Bantam Books. • Luhrs, J. (1997). The Simple Living Guide. Broadway Books.  .

47. Pierce, L.B., (2000). Choosing Simplicity: Real People Finding Peace and Fulfillment in a Complex World. Gallagher Press. • Pollar, O. (1996). 365 Ways toSimplify Your Work Life. Dearborn Financial Publishing, Inc. • Schechter, H. (2001). Let Go of Clutter. McGraw-Hill. • Silver, S. (2000). Organized to be Your Best. Adams-Hall. • Walton, S. (1997). I almost slept through my dream come true. BookPartners, Inc. Oregon. • Winstons, S. (1995). Best Organizing Tips. Simon & Schuster. • Elgin, D. (1981). Voluntary Simplicity – Toward A Way of Life That Is Outwardly Simple, Inwardly Rich. Morrow Quill Paperbacks. • St. James, E. (1996). Living the Simple Life. Hyperion

48. Pierce, L.B., (2000). Choosing Simplicity: Real People Finding Peace and Fulfillment in a Complex World. Gallagher Press. • Glass, Lilian.,(1995).Toxic People : 10 Ways Of Dealing With People Who Make Your Life Miserable. Simon and Shuster, 1995 New York, NY • Kravitz, Micheal S.,(2004). Managing Negative People: Strategies for Success (Fifty-Minute Series).Crisp Publications, Menlo Park, CAElgin, D. (1981). Voluntary Simplicity – Toward A Way of Life That Is Outwardly Simple, Inwardly Rich. Morrow Quill Paperbacks. • St. James, E. (1996). Living the Simple Life. Hyperion • Pierce, L.B., (2000). Choosing Simplicity: Real People Finding Peace and Fulfillment in a Complex World. Gallagher Press. • Glass, Lilian.,(1995).Toxic People : 10 Ways Of Dealing With People Who Make Your Life Miserable. Simon and Shuster, 1995 New York, NY • Kravitz, Micheal S.,(2004). Managing Negative People: Strategies for Success (Fifty-Minute Series).Crisp Publications, Menlo Park, CA

49. Resources:Websites. • http://www.letgoclutter.com • http://www.messies.com • http://ohioline.osu.edu/flm01/FS21.html • http://www.organized.com • http://www.warrenshepell.com/articles/simplify.asp • http://magazines.ivillage.com/redbook/you/life/articles/0,,284489_289455-2,00.html • http://www.momscape.com/articles/simplify.htm • http://www.inspiration2go.com/downloads/intentions.pdf • http://www.somc.org