Defining Simplicity

As I have mentioned, I am reading Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenreider. I have really loved being inspired by her suggestions and utilizing her practical suggestions for how to create a simple life.

I hope to write more about those experiences, but for now I want to share my thoughts about the idea of simplicity itself.

Tsh defines simple living as "living holistically with your life's purpose."   This is a great starting point for living this idea of a simple life, and can really apply to anyone and everyone who considers the idea. What that means to each of us is the variable, and what makes the difference between what your simple life looks like, versus mine.

I have been diverting some pretty serious mental resources to considering what "living holistically with {my} life's purpose" means, for me and my family.  In the refining, I have found some inspiration to take care of a few things, let go of a few things, increase my resolve on a few things and relax on others.

Living simply will mean different things for you as well - for some of you, a determination to live more simply will mean you get to work on decluttering your home, others it will mean you put the lysol away and focus on your family. For some, it will mean you relax your grip on your pennies and others it will mean that you are more committed to debt-free living. For some, you will be inspired to become more frugal and coupon clipper of the universe, while others will let go of the guilt of not doing it in this season of life. ..its okay, because living simply is about creating a life that allows you to meet those needs.

A couple of things I have learned about simplicity in my own life ....

* simple and easy are not the same thing. I have found that in order to live simply, I may have to make some hard changes. I may need to get on a budget or lose some weight. In order to live better, I may need to work harder ..at least for now.

* simple and frugal are not the same thing...not necessarily.  Honestly, living simply may mean that I get that steam mop I love so I dont spend so much time/energy/hate points on lugging around a mop and water.  I may spend more on disposable diapers than if I did cloth, but frankly ...cloth diapers simple? nope, not for me.  It may cost more to get a washing machine that works better, but when I can cram 3 loads worth in one load relative to my old one ..I will take it.

Its about spending ALL my resources as currency, not just my pennies.

One thing Organized Simplicity has you do is create a family purpose statement...after some input from the hubby and considering it for a bit, ours is:

"Live simply, peacefully, less stressed with glory to God in everything we are, everything we have and in everything we do."

Having this written down had really helped refine what simple living means for our family. It has nurtured inspiration, motivated decluttering, prioritized our schedules, empowered our service, and given us a heart for what is the most important on a day to day basis. 

I am excited to share with you a little at a time some changes I have made, some have made a big difference in my overall feeling of calm and peace :)