Day 1…

Life can just be so crazy-busy all the time and honestly, it just exhausts me anymore. Our schedules have calmed down a bit since becoming empty nesters, but even so, people and things still demand our time.

In fact, I sometimes feel that others have expectations of how I should be using it. I’m not quite sure if I’m the one making me feel that way, or if they really do feel that I should be doing more. Peer pressure at its finest. It causes a lot of guilt and makes it difficult to just say no.

So, I have moments (okay, weekends) where I just have to put up the mental “do not disturb” sign and tuck myself away for a while to recharge again. That’s what I did this past weekend. I took an extra day off for a nice and relaxed three-dayer and just stayed indoors…reading, writing, watching movies with HB (my endearing name for my hubby), and striving towards the simple life by doing some much-needed spring cleaning.

“Simple Life”…I’ve decided it’s my phrase of the month. Doesn’t it just sound like a breath of fresh air?

As I went through closets and cabinets, clearing away the “stuff,” I realized the freeing feeling with each item deposited into the box. Oh, some things were tough to get rid of…and some almost made it into the box, but were put back into the cabinet for another decision day. Baby steps, ya’ know?

But being the list maker that I am, I’ve started with these “Simple Life” bullet points to get me focused:

• Declutter our home:  It’s time to get really brutal and get rid of the “stuff” that just bogs me down. This includes clothes. YIKES! Yes, the time has come to free myself from all the stuff that clutters my brain…and my closet.

• Declutter our kitchen: HB and I went wheat-free back in September and both lost about 25 pounds each. However, we’ve had a dabble here or there and have put a little bit back on, so it’s time to clean out the pantry and get rid of all that drags us down physically.

• Declutter our schedule: This is where chopping is most difficult because it can be seen as a selfish thing to do…but it’s honestly necessary for our mental, physical and spiritual well-being. We both work full-time jobs, and often feel pulled in various directions during the week and weekend. We don’t want to be stingy with our time but we do feel the time has come for “us.” So…we’re looking at planning some vacations, date nights, day trips, etc.

I don’t know…maybe that sounds like a lot to take on, but I feel ready for the task at hand. I suppose it will mean pulling myself away from my computer every now and then (gasp!) to get all of this other stuff done.

Maybe you’ve got some tips and tricks of what has worked for you in creating a simple life. If so, DO SHARE!