Simplify, Simplify, Simplify

Have you ever had a million things running through your head all at the same time and it seems you can never get anything done? And then you end up forgetting things. I run into that problem all the time. Most people deal with a large amount of stress in their lives.  With the great invention of technology, in addition to constant input of information, we also feel a need to stuff so much into our lives. I had a friend brag to me once of how busy she was. But, I wonder if it truly is necessary to be busy and doing all the time in order to have a fulfilling life.

This past month was a whirlwind for me. I work fulltime plus classes I was to further my education, extra circular activities, family, friends, and I was just called to serve as relief society president in my ward. And if that wasn’t enough, my health hasn’t been the best lately. Honestly, I wasn’t sure how I was going to handle it all and take care of myself too.

And then I was reminded of what the Still Small Voice has been repeating to me for such a long time, but not really listening when it came to my own life: Simplify. Simplifying doesn’t just mean to remove things from our lives. It’s stepping back and looking at what matters.  It’s looking at what we really need and value then cleaning out the rest.

There are many things that can complicate your life. The Mormon Channel mentions a few ways such as possessions, time commitments, too many goals, negative thoughts, debt or bills, habits, diet, hobbies, words, screen time/media, and connections/relationships. It seems that because there is so much to get done that we choose to multitask. Ironically, the more we multitask, the less productive we will be.  Plus, it will raise our stress levels and lead to burn out. The best way to solve this problem is simplifying.

Spring is always a great time to declutter. We can go through our homes and personal lives and define what is of most value to us. There must be a reason for choosing to include certain things and activities in our lives.  Elder Lynn G Robbins said, “Simplifying our lives increases the probability of achieving the most important things in life- the best things.”   

Here are a few ways we can simplify our lives to make them more meaningful and less stressful:

            1-    Define a clear vision for your life and home. Find out what you mostly value and choose things that support your vision.

            2-   Buy less. Having more or “it all” only takes away from our time, resources, relationships, and cleanliness. Buy what is necessary and what you can afford.

            3-   Create a schedule. An effective routine will help to reduce stress because you will know what is expected of you each day. Fill your days with those things that align with your vision and are necessary. Be sure to make time for what matters most.

            4-   Eat healthy. When we choose to leave out the unnecessary foods, such as those that are refined and processed, from our diet, it allows our bodies to work properly. We have more energy to use for those things that matter. It is also a way to show ourselves that we matter and want to care for the precious gift, our body, we have all been blessed with.

            5-   Organize your home. When we surround our lives with an environment that is clean and organized, we have more peace.

            6-   Remember all things are done in order. Things take time to accomplish. Be patient with yourself and others. Sometimes other things must happen first before we can place another in our life. It’s always good to remember: one thing at a time.

I’m sure we have all heard of the saying that less is more. Taking out the unnecessary things that can complicate our lives gives us the ability to fill it with things that will help us progress towards what is most important. When Alma, in the Book of Mormon, was giving his son Helaman words of council he told him, “Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass…” (Alma 37:6). The more we simplify our life, the more great things will be brought to pass in a way that is aligned with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

So many are looking for a magical wave of a wand to take the stress out of our life.  The magic happens when we learn to simplify our lives by taking out those unnecessary things. It’s amazing how much happier and fulfilled we will be when we are not “busy” but rather engaged in a good cause.