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5 things to get rid of for a happier life
FINDING WAYS TO FREE OURSELVES FROM WHAT NO LONGER SERVE US AND MOVE ON TO BRIGHTER THINGS.
Our lives are cluttered with responsibilities, chores, stress and, well, stuff. And simplifying it means allowing ourselves to focus energy and time on what’s most important to us. It is crucial to remember that we can’t and shouldn’t have to do it all...
Maybe we could learn to honor what does not serve us anymore for having helped us to grow, and making mental and physical space for the new.
Freeing some space for ourselves, for what matters most, for what we are passionate about is much more im- portant than any to-do list.
This article is all about seeing how less is actually more, and it goes for every activity you choose, every item you pick up in a store isle, every person you invite into your life.
HERE WE TALK ABOUT FIVE THINGS WE COULD ALL DO WITHOUT, IN ORDER TO HELP YOU MAKE SPACE FOR BRIGHTER THINGS.
1. CLUTTER - in the house, in your wallet, in your car..
Starting with something small, you can find ways to throw away and give away things that no longer serve you, making time and space for what does.
If your house is filled with things you do not wear because they don't fit you, don't enjoy anymore or can't find any use for, it can be hard to think straight, to feel calm and peaceful or to save time when you need to find an outfit for work.
By getting rid of all this extra and unwanted stuff, you'll find that it might just restore your house's balance, making it a cleaner but also homier place to enjoy. So grab a box and start tossing all items you don't wear, love or find any use for. Any old gifts or last minute purchase you never used, it can go as well. Time for more space and calm in our lives !
LOUISE HERE !
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2. TAXING RELATIONSHIPS - embrace the impermanence of bonds
It is easier said then done, but we all have those relationship we honor out of loyalty, memory or duty, that we could honestly live without. Although it won't get done over night, bringing awareness to those relationship will help easing yourself into a life without them. Embrace the impermanence of relationships, honor the tie that linked you to this or that person, and see that although it did serve you at one point, it no longer does. It is completely fine to chose to let go of someone who drains you, and free this space in your life for the ones who uplift you.
3. NEGATIVE MINDSET - if you think it, it's already here
I know, again.. easier said then done. But there are tricks and ideas to help us shift our negative mindset into positive ones.
For starters, try to avoid thinking of challenges as a hard task. By repeating to yourself "I can't do it" or "It is too hard" you make it true for your mind. If instead, you choose to say "I couldn't but now I try" or "it use to be hard" you bring some of that positive possibility into your present and therefor, your reality.
Another trick is to keep a gratitude journal, helping you see the positive even in the worst days. Write or think about three things you liked and are thankful for each day, and feel the positivity of these good things wash over you.
Although I was never a negative person, I use to find myself expecting the worst out of people and somehow felt reassured when they messed up. I realized I wasn't being fair and probably creating this entire negative space for myself. It took me a while to catch my mind each time I was misjudging someone and switch it to a more mindful approach, but I can say that I'm much more trusting today and therefor, happier.
4. UNNECESSARY STRESS - shedding it one by one
If you bring awareness to the areas of your life that stress you, you are already bringing a change. By looking at situations that cause you stress, you can think of ideas to fix them. If grocery shopping stresses you, you can make a list in advance or change to online shopping instead. If you are anxious about a presentation you have to make, see what you can do to bring some ease into the exercise. Maybe practicing it until you know it perfectly, or writing down notes to not forget anything. If you are a nervous traveler, see what you can do to ease your journey, maybe planning your luggage with extra care or booking in advance the buses and taxis you might need.
By thinking about our sources of stress, we take away some of the power and make them easier to change.
5. UNWANTED OBLIGATIONS - you do you
See your friends more, go to the museum more, eat wholesome delicious food, read incredible books, listen to good music, sleep long nights and wake up with soft movement and lovely breakfasts, move your body.. Feel what feels good, that comfy pair of jeans, the tea you love to drink at night, the new album you can't stop listening to.
By noticing all those small pleasures, we choose to make them more present in our lives and prioritize them over the less positive and more energy taxing ones. We have less time for the things that we love less, and that, is the way to a much simpler life.
We do so much, are asked so much in between love stories and friendships, work and personal growth, physical health and mental health, and we could all use a good break !
Maybe something else we could throw away for a simpler and happier life, is the way we care about what people think. What our colleague thinks if we are late, what our partner thinks if we haven't washed the dishes, what other moms might think if we bring a store bought snack at play dates etc etc etc.
IF WE COULD LEARN HOW TO LET GO OF WHAT DOES NOT SERVE US, WITHOUT JUGEMENT OR SHAME, WE MIGHT JUST BE A LITTLE LIGHTER !
