TOUGH TIMES HOW TO HANDLE THEM

Today was one of those days I wish I had stayed in bed.  Seemed anything I tried to do just zapped the energy right out of me.  However, I bounced up this morning ready to take on the challenges of the day.  By noon, I should of hopped back into the bed and pulled the covers over my head, but I didn't want to miss a minute of life.  The day really didn't get any better, but atleast when I fall asleep tonite I know I have another chance tomorrow to make it even a better day!  Aah, these covers are my friend!
Good Nite!

SIMPLIFY LIFE 101 - ORGANIZING MY DAY

It may sound silly that at my age, not telling so don’t ask, that I need to organize my day, but I find it makes everything run so much smoother.  I can remember the mornings when I woke up trying to remember all I had to do.  By days end I was lucky to have completed even half of my chores. So I decided to allot a specific amount of time to each task.  It actually work the same way that they schedule business appointments.  I just make sure that when I schedule work, I also schedule play! 

Today for example, I got up and allowed myself two hours to eat, cleanup and get prepared for my activities.  Once I gathered all I needed, I headed out the door for the next two hours to take care of some chores.  Of course I gave myself extra time to stop and smell the flowers, sit in the park and just enjoy life. After a short rest, I headed on to my next appointments and finally headed home.  I was so ahead of schedule that I actually had some time to write this blog.  Now I'm getting ready to make dinner, put in laundry and clean one room of my house.  I don’t' do them all on the same day, because it just makes it seem easier that way.  Some people would beg to differ that it's more important to get it all done, but when you simplify your time you can stretch things out and have more time. 

Now all of this may seem really silly, but by scheduling my time and spreading things out, I have been able to gain control of my life and my time and enjoy life more!   Even those who work full time can benefit from scheduling their hours out of work.  I've done it in a past life when I work over 50 hours a week.  It just makes me less stress and I get everything done with a smile still on my face. 

Don't let the burdens of life stress you out and overwhelm you, find creative ways to manage your life and bring some order back to it...so you can ENJOY LIFE to the fullest!

SIMPLIFY LIFE 101-Clutter Control

STUFF!  It’s everywhere.  It calls out to you to purchase it and bring it home.  For some reason people want to be surround by stuff that they don’t’ need.  First step to SIMPLIFY LIFE 101 is to realize what is atrue need or want.

Needs are simple.  They are things we can’t live without.  Like toothbrushes & toothpaste.  If we live without them, we end up smelling bad and looking bad.  Granted there are people in this world who don’t have these simple items, but trust me they are a need and not a want for everyone.  We all need shelter and clothing sure is a good idea as well.  Can't say I'd be into watching nake butts stroll by.  Although nudist do save on clothing cost.  No, too much cellulite to consider that lifestyle!

Needs are the items that your life requires, they are the basics, the things to help you survive.  Wants are the things you desire, but certainly can live without.  In life we need just a few basic things like clothing, shelter, and food. Of course having our friends and family with us would be nice. Only when we start to realize our real needs can we start to simplify our life.

Wants are always the things we buy that end up sitting on shelves, in closet or just take up so much space in our home. Too many of us overdue it when it comes to wants.  Sure we want the new flat screen or the new dress, but do we actually need them?  No, not at all, but they are nice to have and we can have them if we like.  But, we really don’t’ need all the things we desire.  We certainly won’t die without them.

I can remember as a kid getting the Sears Wish book and marking off practically every single thing in the book.  Did I really need all of them?  Where would I have put them anyway?  I really wasn’t considering those things at the time.  I just wanted them! Luckily, my parents were smart and only bought me a few items that I actually would use.  Of course the Christmas underwear was something I could have done without, but it was a need I guess.  To this day I’m still good in that area of life.

As I got older I realized I purchased items that I didn’t really need. I might buy something because everyone else had one, or maybe I was sad and thought it would make me feel better.  For a brief time it was nice, but then the item soon joined the other items hidden away, never to be used again.  Even after moving many times I still found I was holding on things I would never use. I swore one day I would need it and therefore never let it go.  How many times have you done that and never used that item again?.

As I looked at all the stuff surrounding me, it made me wonder why we all feel that having all this stuff makes life better.  It really just clutters up our world, causes us to spend money that could be used for more important things and just fills no need whatsoever!  I just knew if I could get myself to let go of certain things and not purchase new things I could simplify my life. So today I started going through things to sell, donate or trash.  It’s such a feeling of freedom as I chose a new destination for each item.  Maybe my clutter can become something special to someone else.  I just hope none of my precious treasures end up in someone else’s garage collecting dust.  Hmmm, maybe I can find a use for this broken vase.  No, it’s trash.  I’m getting good at this this.  Watch my curb for freebies!