Living Simply October Challenge: Day 23 Make Room

   
Today's challenge to help your holiday season more meaningful, more simple, more intentional, is to MAKE ROOM:

1.  Make room in your home - be sure to get some decluttering, throwing away, giving away, and donating done before November 1st. Get rid of the things that don't bring you value, that are no longer necessary nor relevant in your home. This will make room for whatever you do get during the holidays.

2.  Make room with your digital life - eliminate the unnecessary apps from your phone, bookmarks from your computer, label those repetitive unwanted ads from your email account, reduce notifications you don't need, unfollow (I didn't say you had to "unfriend" or "block") people in your social media accounts. Stop your phone, tablet and computer from constantly demanding your attention. Reduce that pressure so that you're only alerted by people and places you WANT to see.

3.  Make room in your schedule - block out time for yourself, important relationships, working on things you want to do (like DIY projects, homemade gifts you'll give this year, etc). Schedule times to rest and recharge.

4. Make room for your health. Don't spend the next 10 weeks dragging through the day with little sleep and tons of anxiety. Make room for stretching, yoga, dancing, meditation, walking, working out, whatever you enjoy doing to be more fit.

5.  Make room in your menu. Take the time to add a few more healthy home-cooked meals, a few healthier choices in your snack items, drinking more water, even if it has to be something quick and frozen, you can make a few better choices each week that will be helping you get healthier, and worst-case scenario, it'll be a few less unhealthy choices you'll be taking in each week, so at least you aren't damaging your health as much as you normally would be.

     Taking time to make room today will pay off many times over during these next 10 weeks or so. Be prepared, make the time you need happen. Focus on living an intentional life - not one dictated by everyone else. You are not responsible to live up to the whims of everyone around you. Choose how, where, and when you spend your one and only life. Make some room for what's important today.