It's Simplify Your Life Week!

August 1st through the 7th is Simplify Your Life Week! This was created to encourage people to remove things that cause stress and unnecessary chaos and simplify their living. It's helpful in improving our focus, as well as releasing mental and emotional blockages. Some examples include extracting ourselves from unhealthy relationships or work environments and negative thoughts.

If you've lived long enough, you may have noticed that so often, the physical and the non-physical of life go hand-in-hand. This is why many of us find tidying and organizing things so therapeutic, and why journaling is great at releasing the mental clutter inside us out and onto the page.

The concept of simplifying one's life has parallels to many other processes and experiences. For example, the Marie Kondo approach to tidying. If you've read any of her books or watched her show, you'll see how the process of sorting through one's belongings by category, leads not only to a clean space, but to one knowing themself better. Looking at, touching, and connecting with items helps us identify what things in life appeal to and uplift us (and what things do not).

The author Glennon Doyle explains this process well through the analogy of a sandbox. She says that often when we're faced with a challenge, there is loss of some kind. It's like holding out a sifter, or sieve, and observing the grains of sand pass through. What remains on top turns out to be all we need; what truly matters to us. Seeing it this way can be helpful in understanding how difficulties can be clarifying for us.

Have you ever experienced this? Perhaps you went through a painful encounter and noticed that someone said they would phone you and then didn't follow through. You may have realized that you were not a priority to this person. Truth can be temporarily painful, but also helpful. It's illuminating to know where you stand and it can improve the decisions you make going forward.

Of course, cleaning, organizing, and removing things are only part of simplifying one's life. Today our daily lives can be filled with distractions, especially through social media. One way to simplify our lives is to disconnect and take a break. After all, it IS August! Giving ourselves space in our schedule and calendars is an act of self-compassion and kindness. It can breed good health, enjoyable activities, and nurture friendships.

When you think about the actions and the effects of Simplify Your Life Week, it really comes down to doing things you love. It's about clearing away the things that you don't love and identifying and prioritizing the things that you do. This is a personal process that will look different for each one of us.

Some activities to celebrate Simplify Your Life Week include:

• journaling
• meditation
• tidying
• organizing
• planning
• reading
• walking in nature
• any activity that brings you joy!

Has this issue inspired you to simplify anything in your life? What are the things that you cannot life without? What activities make you feel grounded or bring you a sense of clarity? Post your comments in the 'Tuesday's Tonic' section of our Figg Street Co. website.