Simplify

I have been wanting to simplify some areas of my life for awhile now, but I just haven't taken the time do it.

I already feel like I live a pretty simple life and there are aspects of it that I really love. But there is more that I want to do to improve the way I am living and the way that I am raising my kids.

Over the next few weeks, I am going to be sharing some of the things I am already doing and some other things I want to implement into my lifestyle.

Let's quiet the noise of the world. Let's tame down the chaos. Let's find a starting point and just jump.

It starts at home. Whether you are single or married or have a house full of kids. Peace begins at home. How you treat yourself and how you treat others.

We have to start somewhere on quieting all of the noise and giving ourselves and our loved ones a place of rest. A place to feel safe. A place to call home.

So lets start small.

First up: Let's enjoy a meal with the people we love.

You can make it from scratch, mix it up out of a box, pick it up hot and ready on your way home from work. It doesn't matter.

Here is my goal... It is harvest time and having my husband home for meals is practically non-exisitent, but I make it my goal to get all four kids sat down at the table for supper. We sit, we talk, they fight, I breathe, we keep going. Looking them in the eye and talking to them about their day, letting them know I care, it is so important.

When I don't make the effort to sit with the kids and instead just work on getting food to the table and then try to do dishes or fold laundry or whatever else, my kids notice. They ask me to come sit down with them. It's important. Don't under estimate it's power.

Maybe you are running around with older kids between sports and band and whatever else, maybe you are working late this week. Let's start small. Whatever your rush is, pick one night this week that the majority of your people can be home and sit down and eat a meal together.

And don't set your expectations to high. If you have little kids, this will not be a quiet Norman Rockwell painting kind of meal. If you have older kids, they may not interact. If you have a spouse, he may just sit silently across from you (not that I would know anything about that). But the point is to start. It will take time for it to become routine. Some meals will work better than others. In the end though, I can promise you, it is totally worth it.

Second up: I am going to unfollow ten people on social media who bring up negative emotions for me. Now this doesn't mean that they are bad people or have done something to me personally but for whatever reason, when I see their status or their post, I react negatively.

Maybe it's someone's life style that makes me jealous or their political posts that drive me crazy, even though I like the person themselves. Whatever it is, I just don't need it. On Facebook I don't even have to unfriend them, just unfollow so that I am not getting constant updates that I am tempted to stew on.

I have friends who have just stepped away from social media all together and that is fine to, if that's what works for you. For me, I know I just need to be careful about how I am using it. I need to use it in a way that brings creativity and positive experiences. So for now I will start small, I will scale back on what I am taking in, and be aware of how it effects me. If it is negative, it is gone.

That's it. I am not making some pledge to change everything. I cannot be a perfect person that raises perfect children, but I can start creating an atmosphere of love. For me that starts at home. Feel free to join me or if you have something you've been wanting to change for the better, but have been putting off, just do it.

Lets start now.

With love,
Me

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P.S. Here's another way to start small.