The List (Part 1)

There are so many little tips that can help bring simplicity...the first "real" post, though, puts a bit of pressure on! Its hard to narrow it down to the very best tip or idea to bring peace and simplicity to your life. Plus, peace and simplicity are cultivated both outwardly and inwardly - and they feed each other in many ways.

So, I'm breaking it down and am not going to worry about going too deep this soon in the blog :). I'm starting with a list, split into 2 parts (that I'm sure will be added to greatly over the life of this blog). Since simply putting a list of things to add to your life is not the solution (and can be overwhelming), I'm first going to help you decide what things may need to be subtracted from your life. Part 1 is a list of things that bring peace by NOT doing or having them. Part 2 will deal with the replacements.

1. Turn OFF the TV
2. DE-clutter - get rid of all access stuff in your home and then give it to Goodwill or sell it! Just do one room at a time - for help see Declutter 101: Where do I Start.
   
3. Say NO to something that you don't want to do (then don't feel guilty for saying no to something without a "real" reason)
4. DON'T cook - Just order in a cheap dinner out tonight - I almost hate to say this one because I'm a big believer in meal plans. But, as you're de-cluttering today :) it would be nice to not have to worry about dinner. In part 2, I will talk more about organizing a meal plan.
   
5. STOP worrying about things you can't control and fearing the future or people. This is a huge one for me! I constantly have to chose not to worry.
6. DON'T be with people. Take a break from constantly being with people.
   
7. DON'T buy new. Think about some of your most recent purchases (other than groceries and essentials), did they really help to simplify life for you or did they just add clutter to your life? Too often, the "latest and greatest" - whether it be electronic gadgets, clothing, or entertainment etc. - only contribute to the noise in our lives by requiring our time, money, attention and energy.
   
8. Let GO of something - bitterness, anger, hurt...

More to go hand-in-hand with this later this week!