Living Simply: Happy New Year

     Welcome to 2018! You made it through 2017. What will this next year hold for you? What would you like to do better than you did last year? What have you been putting off that you realize that NOW is the time to act? Have you figured out which direction to move as you navigate through the new year? I'm not talking about setting impossible goals or vague "maybe I'd like to..." ideas. Something we can all do to make this year better than last year is to live it intentionally.



     Today, pick a few areas of your life, they can be anything you want to improve, and really consider where you'd like to be this time next year. Maybe for you it's a health goal, something measurable, like to drop a set 20 pounds. It could be that you will choose to park further from the door at work or school to get in extra steps. It could be that you'll start cooking at home instead of eating fast food, maybe once a week to start, and increasing it as time goes on until fast food is a thing of the past. Other health goals could be to get away from sugar, or simple carbs like breads and pasta (not forever, not never, just intentionally deciding that it's for a treat or special occasion instead of your everyday staples).

     Perhaps it's to grow as a person. You could decide to read a certain number of self-help books. You could create a list of the top 10 books you want to read this year and start reserving them at your local library (why pay for them if you don't have to?). Another idea is to take a class in an area you want to know more about:  investing, retirement, real estate, computers, etc.

     Maybe you've decided it's time to move on in your job. There are better opportunities out there if you intentionally pursue them. Will you need more training? Do you have an up-to-date resume? Do you have connections in the field you want to go to? Have you talked to someone who works where you want to work?

     If your thinking you'd like to simplify your life, this blog (among many other stellar ones) have lots of easy inexpensive ideas. Here's an idea that's pretty popular, especially at the beginning of the new month. Play "The Minimalism Game". You get 3 boxes ready and keep them by your door, garage, or hall. On day 1 you find 1 item to "throw out", "donate", or "give away". On day 2 you get rid of 2 items, on day 3 you find 3 items, every day de-cluttering a little at a time, taking barely a few moments. Here's a hint though, for the end of the month's larger numbers, save your books, cds, magazines, DVDs, and other larger groups of things til last. Maybe you don't need quite so many coffee cups, that extra set of dishes, so many utensils, all the stuff in the junk drawer, the clothes you haven't worn in years. Be intentional.

     One last idea for clearing out old clothes:  Turn all hangars around so they're facing the wrong way (with the little hook facing you). For the next month, every time you wear, wash, and put a piece of clothing back in your closet, put it away the RIGHT way, hook facing away from you. At the end of the month, you'll see quickly exactly what you do and don't wear. Whatever you don't, you most likely won't wear anytime soon (with the exception of formal wear, out of season coats, etc). Donate what you don't need.

     I hope these tips help you. Let me know how you're doing with it.