A life lived constantly in the fast lane could put health and interpersonal relationships at risk. In the long run, the urge to always be at your best and live up to often unrealistic expectations may make you want a simpler, more peaceful life. By better organizing your agenda, reviewing your life priorities and changing your physical environment, you will be able to achieve the life you want.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Rearrange your Agenda
Step 1. Slow down
Sometimes we are so used to doing everything in a hurry that we fail to notice the level of frenzy our lives have reached. Re-reading the simple opening message, "Slow down", will allow you to take a short break and become aware of the circumstances. This passage is placed at the beginning of the article to allow you to take it up and consider it throughout the entire reading and beyond.
- Do one thing at a time. The ability to be multitasking, or to do several things at the same time, seems to be practically taken for granted. Research indicates that there is a point where the quality of one's work declines due to wanting to simultaneously focus on too many things. Just because everyone does it doesn't mean you have to do the same.
- Identify the threshold beyond which your performance decreases. Your goal is to do things right to be able to feel satisfied and fulfilled.
- Give due importance to doing nothing. It is a real art. Many people find it difficult to take a break and regroup; even if you only have five minutes to do nothing, do it!
Step 2. Reduce the number of activities
If you already have numerous tasks to complete, dedicate yourself until you complete them; from now on, however, strive to reduce the quantity. It may be difficult at first, but stay focused on the intention of wanting to simplify your life to give it a more leisurely pace. Let yourself be motivated by this important goal and don't let yourself be influenced by feelings of guilt.
- Limit the number of times you say "yes" by keeping track of it in your diary. First, determine your "comfort level" relative to the number of tasks you can handle simultaneously without stress. Then commit to respecting this level. No one can always be able to say "yes".
- When someone asks you to take part in an event, don't rush back. Stop and think and decide if this is an opportunity to enrich your life. If not, you can simply say "Thank you for inviting me, but I have to decline".
- Develop the ability to say "no" by communicating your intentions. There will be times when people won't take a simple "no" for an answer. On such occasions it will be important to share some more information to establish limits. Consider responding in a similar way to "You are really nice for thinking of me, but I am committed to making some important changes in my life, for my well-being and for that of my family, so I have to refuse." Your interlocutor will most likely want to support your decision.
Step 3. Eliminate the extras
Your lifestyle could perfectly represent the concept of excessive consumerism. If so, you may tend to spend your money totally inefficiently just to establish your social prestige. By simplifying your life, you will drastically reduce the superfluous you have become accustomed to, with the aim of eliminating those unnecessary expenses that constrain you economically.
- Ask yourself if you really need a third iPad, that brand new electronic gadget or that inevitable second daily coffee. Simply learn to answer "no" to the superfluous and "yes" to your desire to live a simpler, more peaceful life. Whenever you have to make a decision, make sure it's the right one.
- Find satisfaction in the simple things in life, for example spending some time with friends, in nature or building something with your own hands. The rewards associated with the experience will make you feel more motivated and satisfied with your life.
Step 4. Put your surroundings in order
People create their own world and fill it with objects. If you want to live a simpler and more peaceful life, examine and rearrange your living space. A well-organized home allows you to live a healthy life. Eliminating superfluous or no longer used objects will help you tidy up both your home and your thoughts and emotions. When your outer world is free of confusion, your inner self is calmer too.
- Spend at least 10 minutes a day organizing your spaces.
- Use weekends or days off to take care of more challenging projects, like tidying up your closet, drawers, or garage.
- Classify your assets into three categories: keep, donate, throw. Donating items that are still in good condition to a charitable organization will allow someone else to benefit further. Every time you help the community, you will feel your self-esteem grow.
Method 2 of 3: Review your Priorities
Step 1. Identify what your values are
Think about the things you think are so important that they affect how you act and who you are; those are your values, which is a force that guides you whenever you have to make a decision. Identifying them might take complex analysis, but it's definitely worth it.
- To be able to identify your values, think about past occasions when you have felt happier, prouder, fulfilled and satisfied. List them on a list and highlight the aspects you attach most importance to. For example, you may have valued the creativity, adventure, dedication, or commitment associated with each of these circumstances. You may find that your primary value is your family, comparable to a powerful force guiding you in your every choice.
- If you want to live a simple and peaceful life, you need to validate aspects such as serenity, ingenuity, stability and health.
Step 2. Align your activities with your values
Take part in occupations that prove congruent with what you think is important and with your desire to simplify your life. Your feelings will allow you to identify which choices are most in line with your values. You will feel satisfied and content. Conversely, when a behavior conflicts with your priority scale, you will experience an intense feeling of unhappiness and discomfort.
- Refuse to take part in those events that are not in line with your intention to live a more peaceful life.
- Decide to lead a life animated by your values. You will need to be disciplined and determined; to this end some disciplines such as yoga and physical exercise can be of great help.
Step 3. Make a plan and commit to sticking to it
A problem solving action plan will provide you with the foundation you need to create change. You have identified your desire to want to live a simpler and more peaceful life, now you need to set yourself clear goals, apply them, modify them if necessary and keep track of your progress.
- Set clear goals. The first could be to create a plan to put your environment in order and keep a record of your progress. By self-monitoring you will be able to make real changes.
- Choose a start date for your project and get started. Don't put off the inevitable. Start as soon as possible.
- Recognize the steps you have taken and treat yourself to a reward. Whenever you hit your daily, weekly, or monthly goals, celebrate your accomplishments. You could treat yourself to a movie night, a ticket to a sporting event, or plant a tree in honor of someone you admire. Positive reinforcement will motivate you to carry on with your plans.
- If a strategy proves ineffective, abandon it. Find an alternative and insert it into your projects. Don't look at it as a failure, learn to judge it as a course adjustment along the way to your desired goal.
- Over time, your new behaviors will become more and more natural. By turning your gestures into real habits, you can begin to stick to your plans less meticulously while maintaining the same positive results.
Step 4. Strive to live in the present moment
Don't allow your thoughts to be overly focused on the past or the future. A wandering mind is an unhappy mind. Simplifying your thoughts requires you to be able to calm your mind and stay focused on what you are doing in the present.
- Practice visualization exercises to imagine that you are surrounded by a simple and totally peaceful environment. They will help you calm your mind.
- Talk to someone or exercise. When it comes to wanting to stay in the present, these two activities are the most effective.
Step 5. Keep a gratitude journal
The resulting benefits include higher quality sleep, better health and a greater feeling of happiness, all of which lead to a calmer life. To achieve the best possible results, consider the following points:
- Start by deciding to become happier and more grateful.
- Rather than formulating simple general phrases, make an effort to identify the details of the things you are grateful for.
- Direct your gratitude towards people rather than objects.
- Consider how your life would change if you had to give up something you care about. As you do so, you will feel inspired to broaden your understanding of gratitude.
- Remember to include unexpected surprises.
- Don't risk losing the urge to write by forcing yourself to do it every day. Two or three times a week may be pleasant and sufficient.
Step 6. Train empathy and compassion to feel a greater sense of peace
It is certainly worth improving one's ability to appreciate the efforts of others. Some people do it by nature, while others have to learn how to do it. Because you know how you would like to be treated, you can use that knowledge as a guide when you want to make a commitment to forgive someone.
If you want to show empathy and compassion, start by being willing to help someone, such as a family member or friend. You could take care of an important errand or take care of something simpler, like helping a parent to tidy up their groceries or watering the plants. The goal of this exercise is to give others the sensations and gestures that you in turn like to receive
Step 7. Improve your relationships by turning resentment into gratitude
Much of our internal and external disturbances arise from conflicts with others. As they say, feeling a grudge against someone is equivalent to taking poison with the expectation that the other person will suffer from it. Thoughts of gratitude will improve your mood, thereby reducing the feeling of discontent. When you find yourself holding a grudge, stop and ask yourself the following questions:
- Do I feel good when I think about that person?
- Do my negative feelings help or hurt me?
- Do my thoughts of wanting to punish the other person somehow really affect their life?
- It is undisputed that the answers are no, no and no. Now try to make statements full of gratitude: "I feel good because I am letting go of the resentment I feel towards that person", "Being focused on the future helps me feel better", "Instead of wasting time trying to ruin my life. someone else's life, I wish to dedicate myself to improving my own."
Method 3 of 3: Change Your Reality
Step 1. Change home
Living in a densely populated area could be a significant source of stress. A change of scenery to a calmer, more peaceful place will empower your efforts to live a simpler life. Your home is your refuge.
- If you are unable to move to a new location, you can still do some research to find a quieter home that suits your needs.
- If you feel like making a major change, look for a remote area that can offer you what you want. Maybe living near the sea or the mountains or on the top floor of a nice skyscraper could make you feel better.
Step 2. Consider buying a "tiny house"
These small version homes have everything you could want and have been designed for lovers of minimalism who want to enjoy all the comforts of home, albeit in an extremely small space. A prefabricated "tiny house" can be easily placed on its own land and connected to the electricity and water systems to transform it into a real home.
You will be able to avoid taking on a large mortgage and enjoy a quiet and creatively designed small home with low environmental impact
Step 3. Simplify your transportation
A lot of people own a luxury car tied to a loan that is almost comparable to a mortgage. This is another case in which the income required to pay for an asset could be zeroed or otherwise allocated to allow you to live a more peaceful life.
- With an eco-friendly small car you can go wherever you want, while also reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Less pollution leads to a simpler and cleaner existence.
- Get a bike and use it to go to work. It will allow you to exercise and not waste precious time looking for parking.
Step 4. Change job
There's nothing worse than forcing yourself to do a job you hate every day. If all your attempts to make it more enjoyable have been unsuccessful, changing jobs can provide you with numerous benefits. If you usually spend 80 hours a week trying to hit a sales budget that forces you to feel exhausted and stressed, it's time to change and go for a simpler, more peaceful life.
- Following your plan, you may find that less money is enough to maintain your new lifestyle. If so, you will have the opportunity to explore new options that are more relevant to your goals, values and interests.
- Talk to a career counselor to explore the opportunities available to you and find out what your real preferences are in the workplace.
Step 5. Establish a daily wellness routine
If you want to live a simpler, more peaceful life, it is essential that you give yourself and your health higher priority. Plan a new healthy lifestyle by correctly balancing the time spent on work, leisure and physical and mental rejuvenation.
- You will need to commit to eating healthily to provide your body with the right nutrients and develop the energy needed to maintain a physical activity routine. Incorporating exercise into your daily life may take a lot of effort, but the resulting benefits will be substantial.
- Meditating and invigorating your body and mind will help you enjoy life more.
Step 6. Take responsibility for your happiness
Learn to be autonomous. Happiness is an internal matter and you have to assume the obligation to create it. You know what makes you happy, so do those activities that will prove to be a reservoir of positive feelings. Being full of good vibes will make it easier for you to cope with difficulties. The happier you are, the better all relationships and situations turn out.
Advice
- Remember that it is never too late to ask for the support of a professional to help you solve your problems.
- Changing is not easy, but with the right determination, you will have the opportunity to put an end to your problems.
- Be patient with yourself and understand that changes take time.
- When it comes to wanting to improve your life, friends and family can be extremely collaborative and motivating. Agree to be helped.
