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The Beauty in Simplifying Your Life

Here are 5 steps to take to help you live more simply.

· simplicity,mindfulness,calm,Zen,cleanse and detox
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5 Ways to Live More Simply

 

Learn to Let Go

 

One of the first steps of simplicity is decluttering your life. If it’s sentimental items or collectibles you’re hanging onto, ask yourself if they’re still making you happy, and then challenge yourself to let them go. This is true with toxic people in your life, too, as well as the memories that haunt you. If you find yourself obsessing over the past, try a mindfulness meditation to transition into the present. It’s also important to learn to forgive yourself and others and let go of emotional baggage. Sometimes, a counselor can help talk you through this process, or reading self-help or inspirational books may help. Do whatever you feel is right in this very important first step toward living simply.

 

Downsize

 

Next, it’s time to physically downsize. Do you really need three pairs of the same sneakers and five pairs of your favorite pants? Maybe it’s time to consider living more gracefully, with less. Spring is the perfect time to clean out and rid your home of clutter. If you have something lying around your house that’s been collecting dust for years, it may be a good idea to donate it to charity, or you could clean up and repurpose it so you actually start to use it.

 

Try a Detox

 

It’s essential you also simplify your body. Incorporate more fresh greens and less processed foods, sugar, or alcohol into your diet. Our bodies are already filled to capacity with the toxins we’ve been exposed to in our food and in the environment. While the liver and kidneys help flush toxins out regularly, they may need a boost. Try a cleanse and detox regimen, such as a Professional Metal and Mineral Balancing Program by DesBio, or a juice cleanse, and drink lots of pure, filtered water to help flush the bad stuff out and help cleanse the body. In addition, remember to exercise for 30 minutes every day, even if it’s just taking a short walk around the block. Walking helps get the blood flowing, so your body can function at its best.

 

Unplug

 

One of the main sources of clutter in our lives is social media. The frivolous demands of online life eats large chunks of our time, which we can never get back. Instead, take a break from your phone, tablet, and computer for a few days and work your way up to being offline for a whole week and then a month and so on. Instead of surfing online, go meet a friend for lunch, take a nature hike, or visit the zoo. Getting some personal interaction, moving around, and getting fresh air will lighten loads from your psyche.

 

Find Your Zen

 

Japanese Buddhist Zen philosophy has an enlightened way of warding off stress and anxiety by maintaining that “wisdom, accompanied by compassion, is expressed in the everyday” with yourself, with others, and with nature. By practicing the meditative art of “just sitting” (known as Koan), Buddhists mindfully respect simplicity and straightforwardness as they live “in the moment.” While the Zen practice is much more complex than we can share in just one blog post, the underlying theme of appreciating what you have and where you are right here and now, without judgement, is a skill worth aspiring to grasp.

 

If you’re looking for more ways to simplify your life, check out this article from Mind Body Green, and let us know how you live simply in our comments below!