Many times in the past we've all started something with good intentions, but over time the enthusiasm with which we started began to fade. We missed keeping our commitment once, then twice, and as time went on, it got easier and easier to fall away from the course we had set for ourselves. With some it may have been a diet, or an exercise program, or quitting smoking or drinking, or maybe it was reading books. We've all been there. So how do we keep that from happening the next time we decide something is important enough to warrant us changing our routine or behavior?
The first step is to decide how important this change is to us. Is it worth the effort it will take? Will it bring us to a better place? Will it help us to grow and change in the right direction? Is it connected to an important value? If it isn't attached to something we value, we'll quit when we're tired, or times get tough. Only by making the changes a priority will we be able to stay the course. What is your priority? Is it your health? Is it growth? Is it to learn something specific? Is it to improve relationships? Only you can decide what is of deep value to you and worth the effort of change.
Once you decide, there are two approaches. One is to plan out a game plan in detail with goal markers along the way - and it can work for some - but if you're trying to live a simple life, this may not be the best option. A second plan of action that marries well with simple living is to take baby steps every day in the direction of where you want to go. Maybe instead of planning a 45 minute workout 5 days a week, 3 days of cardio, 2 days of weights, etc. you could plan to walk instead of drive somewhere, or walk on your lunch hour, or even before you start your day. Maybe it's to take advantage of what you have where you are. Anything can be used as light weights while you're sitting at your desk, or sitting on a stability ball while on your laptop would help stabilize your core, you could even walk on a treadmill while watching television, if you're into watching television.
Maybe changing eating habits is important to you. You could cut back on breads and sugars, or reduce fatty dairy, or eat a few vegetarian meals a day. Maybe switching from soda pop to sparkling water with a touch of lemon or lime juice could be a good first step. If it's something easy to incorporate, you're more likely to stick with it.
Many people I know who want to read more but hate it set up "reading stations" with books that have short 1-1/2 page mini chapters or stories. They may leave books like that in the bathroom, beside their bed, on their desk (where they read a chapter in-between work/projects or every hour on the hour, for example). The creativity is endless.
The last thing I want to do is look back a year from now and think, "Wow, I was so serious about living a simple life, but here I am back to my old habits, wound up in knots. I guess it was just a phase at the time." What if instead the conversation in my head went more like this, "I'm so glad I decided to live a more simple life last year. I now have more time, money, rest, and stress. My relationships are quality ones, I'm doing more of what I love and less of what I hate. After a year, the changes have become easy daily habits. They're not a chore or effort anymore. I love where I'm at because I didn't quit."
Today's challenge is to simply stay true. True to what you value. True to your commitment. True to your priorities. True to yourself. Stay the course. Even if you take 2 steps forward and 1 step back every day, a year from now you'll still be 365 steps in the right direction! You can do whatever you decide is worth making a priority. Find an accountability partner, or someone to encourage you. Stay true.
Saturday, August 12, 2017
Friday, August 11, 2017
Living simply challenge Day 11: MYOB/gossip
How much stress, anxiety and frustration comes from being involved in other people's drama? You get up and the kids are racing to you so they can be the first to tell you their side of a situation they expect you to judge and rule. I don't know if kids are just born knowing this or not, but people do tend to believe whatever they hear FIRST. Think about it. You hear a story about a famous person or someone who did something that got people's attention, then when you hear a contradictory story you're more likely to be skeptical the second time through it. First doesn't make it true.
On your way to work you listen to the radio, so passively (unless you decided to) you listen to news stories they report. Another famous person got arrested, another one's in trouble for breaking laws, another is in the news for some crazy thing they said or did, then there's never a good financial report, or on international affairs, or what the government's proposing, banning, vetoing or passing. It's all very stressful, negative information - and it takes a physical, mental, and emotional toll on everyone who reads or hears about it.
At work you probably will experience on any given day, a boss talking about corporate's bad decisions, coworkers fighting over something, or the latest gossip that someone at work messed up. It's very rare to escape the drama in the workplace, regardless of the size of the business.
On the way home it's another round of radio in the car, then you come home to what everyone in your family has dealt with, heard, and seen all day. More drama. More tension. Even as you try to unwind, your phone goes off with more drama or pressure.
To live simply, what if you just let it all go? Did you even know that's an option? It really is! You can make small decisions that lead to a more simple life. One with less drama, gossip, frustration, tension, anxiety, and stress. You can choose to have your kids know you will not be taking sides. They either solve their issue or both will be handed consequences. That usually motivates them to pursue lots of creativity. You could choose what you listen to on the way into work. It could be a podcast of your favorite speaker, or uplifting music, or a self-help audio book, or a cd that relaxes you. Don't be at the mercy of a DJ as to what goes into your head. YOU decide. At work, you could walk away from the gossip and back stabbing. No really, literally WALK AWAY. When people figure out that you refuse to be dragged into other people's problems, they'll stop bringing them to you. They mostly do it for their own attention anyway. Choose what you listen to on the way home. And then, when you're home, turn off notifications on your phone, relax with your family, and when they try to draw you in with gossip, you could respond with something like, "Well, that's none of my business so I'll just stay out of it." That shuts down most of it pretty quickly.
Sometimes you're in conversation with someone and the same garbage starts. You have to be firm enough to again tell them you'd rather mind your own business. You aren't anyone's judge or boss. Step back from getting into the family drama. When the person starts with, "Did you hear...." and it's beginning to sound like gossip, stop them before it gets going. Tell them you aren't going to get all worked up over someone else's drama that has nothing to do with you.
Once you eliminate the people who thrive on this kind of behavior (especially on social media - you can unfollow people without unfriending or blocking them), your world will become more calm. Once work is a place where things are actually getting done instead of a place run like a grammar school playground, you can focus and get more done, or do a better job without the extra distractions. Once your family understands you won't be joining in the drama, they'll stop bringing it to you (although sometimes this one takes a little longer with extended family).
Live a simple life. Intentionally focus on how you want to live. If it's without drama that really doesn't concern you nor change your world - avoid it. You have the power to control it. If you still need help on this, I recommend a great book called Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud and John Townsend. It's about how to protect your boundaries but not in a way that's rough or offensive to others trying to step over them.
On your way to work you listen to the radio, so passively (unless you decided to) you listen to news stories they report. Another famous person got arrested, another one's in trouble for breaking laws, another is in the news for some crazy thing they said or did, then there's never a good financial report, or on international affairs, or what the government's proposing, banning, vetoing or passing. It's all very stressful, negative information - and it takes a physical, mental, and emotional toll on everyone who reads or hears about it.
At work you probably will experience on any given day, a boss talking about corporate's bad decisions, coworkers fighting over something, or the latest gossip that someone at work messed up. It's very rare to escape the drama in the workplace, regardless of the size of the business.
On the way home it's another round of radio in the car, then you come home to what everyone in your family has dealt with, heard, and seen all day. More drama. More tension. Even as you try to unwind, your phone goes off with more drama or pressure.
To live simply, what if you just let it all go? Did you even know that's an option? It really is! You can make small decisions that lead to a more simple life. One with less drama, gossip, frustration, tension, anxiety, and stress. You can choose to have your kids know you will not be taking sides. They either solve their issue or both will be handed consequences. That usually motivates them to pursue lots of creativity. You could choose what you listen to on the way into work. It could be a podcast of your favorite speaker, or uplifting music, or a self-help audio book, or a cd that relaxes you. Don't be at the mercy of a DJ as to what goes into your head. YOU decide. At work, you could walk away from the gossip and back stabbing. No really, literally WALK AWAY. When people figure out that you refuse to be dragged into other people's problems, they'll stop bringing them to you. They mostly do it for their own attention anyway. Choose what you listen to on the way home. And then, when you're home, turn off notifications on your phone, relax with your family, and when they try to draw you in with gossip, you could respond with something like, "Well, that's none of my business so I'll just stay out of it." That shuts down most of it pretty quickly.
Sometimes you're in conversation with someone and the same garbage starts. You have to be firm enough to again tell them you'd rather mind your own business. You aren't anyone's judge or boss. Step back from getting into the family drama. When the person starts with, "Did you hear...." and it's beginning to sound like gossip, stop them before it gets going. Tell them you aren't going to get all worked up over someone else's drama that has nothing to do with you.
Once you eliminate the people who thrive on this kind of behavior (especially on social media - you can unfollow people without unfriending or blocking them), your world will become more calm. Once work is a place where things are actually getting done instead of a place run like a grammar school playground, you can focus and get more done, or do a better job without the extra distractions. Once your family understands you won't be joining in the drama, they'll stop bringing it to you (although sometimes this one takes a little longer with extended family).
Live a simple life. Intentionally focus on how you want to live. If it's without drama that really doesn't concern you nor change your world - avoid it. You have the power to control it. If you still need help on this, I recommend a great book called Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud and John Townsend. It's about how to protect your boundaries but not in a way that's rough or offensive to others trying to step over them.
Thursday, August 10, 2017
minimalism challenge day 10: Declutter the little things
When I talk to people about the idea of a minimalism, simple, intentional lifestyle the first thing they say is that they know they have too much stuff. The thought of "having to" get rid of "everything" is such a big, overwhelming thought that they are afraid to start. Today's challenge is about baby steps, small victories that over time can add up to a more simple life, one with less clutter. Here's a few ideas for small scale decluttering:
1. Car - People have different sized families, schedules and needs. Understanding this, a single person's car isn't necessarily the cleanest, and the family with three kids isn't necessarily the messiest. What if you took just one hour on your day off - planned, like an appointment - to clean our your car? You could start by getting rid of the trash that's fallen (or tossed) onto the floors, all those loose receipts everywhere, and flyers and stubs that were on or in your windshield at one point. Next you could pull out everything that should be in the house or garage, clothing, shoes, tools, boxes and bags, etc. Go through all the little compartment where you store stuff like CDs, spare straws and spoons, napkins, pens, directions to places you had to go. Let it all go, clean it all out so you only have in your car what you need, or what brings you joy (like favorite cds). If you feel motivated by how much better your car looks you could even wipe the dust out of it with a damp rag and vacuum.
One hour will give you a more peaceful ride.
2. Desk - This could be your desk at work, your desk at home, even your dining room or kitchen table if that's where you're on your computer or do homework or research. Start by throwing away everything you no longer need. Next, make a small pile of what you need to keep, but doesn't belong on your desk. Maybe it's a filing pile? Maybe it's a pile of things to get put away around the office or house. Is there anything left on your desk you're sure you really need there? Then wipe it down, water it, or do whatever you should do to make it looking the best it can in your space. This whole process should only take about half an hour or less. Now when you sit down to work, just having less clutter around you can remove added tension so you can work in a more pleasant environment.
3. Office/Cubicle/Corner of the Room - Some people still work in an office, or part of an office like a cubicle, while others now work from home, usually in the corner of their bedroom or kitchen when they start. Take about 30-60 minutes to clean up the area you work in. My pattern is usually start with trash, then put away what you need but doesn't belong in that spot, then clean and organize what you do need in your space. It really does make people more productive to work in an uncluttered space.
4. Junk Drawer - Okay this one's tricky. A junk drawer is typically where we throw things that we don't need, don't recognize but we're afraid to throw it away, or it's a place for "just in case" items. There's a minimalist rule some people use that says if you can replace it in under $20 minutes for under $20, throw it out. Most of the time, "just in case" never comes. That's WHY we have junk drawers full of stuff. Take a half hour to go through your junk drawer. Toss everything you can't identify that you know has been there more than 6 months (3 months would be better, but Baby Steps). Now throw out the stuff you don't need. If you have a few working pens and pencils, throw out the stubby, chewed on, no eraser, broken point pencils! You'll probably never need 47 rubber bands either - keep maybe 3, toss the rest. Receipts and little slips of paper either need to be filed or tossed. Tools need to be returned to toolboxes or wherever you keep the rest of your tools. Grab the loose change and start a loose change jar, or else put it in your pocket. You get the idea. Toss the trash. Put away what needs to be put away. Organize what's left. See a pattern? Again, it's a small thing but it reduces tension. I can't explain how. Here's my experience:
I had too many utensils for cooking. Every time I opened or closed the draw I had to fumble around to find something, or rearrange them to get the drawer to close. I actually used everything in the drawer too, no odd things I didn't. I decided I could get by with 2 spatulas instead of my 2 good ones I used over and over and 3 plastic ones people had melted either in a hot pan or in the dishwasher. I have two whisks now, one large and one much smaller. No need for four of them. I only need one vegetable peeler, one ladle, one metal serving spoon, etc. Now every time I open the drawer, I find exactly what I need right away. When I put things away in there, I don't have to move it all around to get the drawer closed (lots of frustration gone on that one). Everything in the utensil drawer is metal, good quality, and the one I would've grabbed for most often anyway.
5. Purse/Wallet/Briefcase - This is a quick 15 minute baby step to get you started if you STILL aren't ready to tackle decluttering. Grab your purse or wallet. What are the 3 steps? You should know them by now. Toss the trash, receipts, wrappers, etc. Then put away the things you don't need to carry with you every day. Side note, I found I didn't need to carry ALL those store loyalty cards with me EVERY day. I keep a few, like the closest grocery store and pharmacy ones, but I leave the ones at home I don't use often, like the hardware store, the frozen yogurt place, Ikea, Big Lots, the grocery store that's out of the way I rarely go to, the clothing store I only shop from once a year to get my daughter themed clothing at Christmas, etc. Now my wallet and keychain are less cluttered. No more digging for the cards I use the most. They're all I carry now. The rest is in a safe place at home where I can grab them when I know I'm headed to those places. They'll never be a spur of the moment place for me, only a planned visit for something specific. Once the extra clutter is gone, organize your purse or wallet so you get to the things you use most very quickly. The stuff you still need to carry but don't use often, move to an area inside the purse or wallet that's out of the way - that odd zippered compartment inside the wallet behind the credit card slots, for example.
Whichever you choose, start doing something small today and with enough small victories, the larger ones will happen too. Then you'll be on your way to living a more intentional, simple life.
One hour will give you a more peaceful ride.
I had too many utensils for cooking. Every time I opened or closed the draw I had to fumble around to find something, or rearrange them to get the drawer to close. I actually used everything in the drawer too, no odd things I didn't. I decided I could get by with 2 spatulas instead of my 2 good ones I used over and over and 3 plastic ones people had melted either in a hot pan or in the dishwasher. I have two whisks now, one large and one much smaller. No need for four of them. I only need one vegetable peeler, one ladle, one metal serving spoon, etc. Now every time I open the drawer, I find exactly what I need right away. When I put things away in there, I don't have to move it all around to get the drawer closed (lots of frustration gone on that one). Everything in the utensil drawer is metal, good quality, and the one I would've grabbed for most often anyway.
Whichever you choose, start doing something small today and with enough small victories, the larger ones will happen too. Then you'll be on your way to living a more intentional, simple life.
Wednesday, August 9, 2017
Minimalist Living Simply challenge Day 9: Adding Value
With the popularity of social media, we've become a culture of narcissists. Try scrolling through Facebook, for example, and see how many times people spew their own opinions but refuse to accept someone else's. Usually it's an exchange of name calling and insults if you dare say someone's opinion isn't the only, whole truth and nothing but the truth. Now scroll through Instagram or Snap Chat and what do you see? Selfies of everyone, often multiple ones every day, day after day. Did you change SO MUCH that others won't recognize you if you posted say, just one selfie a week? What about Twitter? It's a little better because usually there's less selfie posts, but again, try disagreeing with someone's opinion or dare to see things from a different perspective and expect lots of people you never even heard of to jump down your throat with insults. The saddest part is that culture accepts that this is just the way it is. "Get used to it." But I'm here to say something different:
WHAT IF INSTEAD, WE SPENT EVERY DAY PURSUING ADDING VALUE TO OTHERS?
Adding value? To others? What does that mean?! It means to live with the intentional purpose of adding value to the lives of those you come in contact with every day. How about being a giver instead of always a taker? Take your eyes off of yourself for a moment and really look at the people around you. If you do, you'll see people who need empathy, encouragement, a friend, help, comforting, to learn how to do something, volunteers, someone who'll listen, motivation, inspiration, confidence, advice (this is very different from just an opinion), answers, or just to know someone cares about them.
Did you ever think about how many lives you come across every single day? How many opportunities do you have to either add value to someone else? How many times we blow it and add to their troubles thinking it'll make us feel better about ourselves? Here's a few that you may interact with (face-to-face, not online) on a regular basis:
spouse, children, security person where you live, the person where you get coffee/breakfast, cashier at a store, front desk person at work, coworkers, bosses, clients/customers, lunch restaurant servers, cashiers, managers, and host/hostess, other customers in the restaurant, another cashier on the way home, people in the store(s) you shop in, people in your group or class, teachers, teammates, and although they aren't people, you also interact with your pets.
In one day you could easily interact with 12 - 50 people or more. Some statistics show in our lifetime we have interactions with 80,000 people! And that's doing it UNintentionally. Do you think it could change a few things if we added value to the lives of just 50,000? What if there were just 100 of us doing that? Most of us have that many people on just one social media account. We could make over 5 million lives better than before our encounter! That can change a home, workplace, business, community, state, even a country! All it takes is a moment here and there to intentionally make the effort.
Where to start? How about saying hello instead of just passing by someone? Asking someone how their day is and actually stopping to wait for an answer, looking at them? How about listening to what people are saying instead of worrying what we'll say next? Could you say something positive, complimentary, or encouraging to your spouse, kids, coworkers, or someone waiting on you? Could you do something small once in a while to show someone often overlooked that you notice them? What about telling someone they do a good job that's normally overlooked - treat the janitor the way you'd treat the CEO of a company. Make eye contact when talking to people instead of staring at your phone, desk, paperwork, or something else. Tell someone to have a good day/night when you're leaving. Smile at someone who looks lonely (not in a creepy way, lol, just a quick, neutral smile to say you notice them). It only takes a few seconds, a few words, a very tiny effort, to make a huge impact on people. In a world growing darker and more self-absorbed, be that little light that shines in the darkness. Be the person that makes them happy to see. Help them feel better about themselves with just a little bit of purposeful interaction.
Add value to the lives of those around you. Make the world a better place. When you learn to live like this on a daily basis, you'll find you automatically begin to live a more simple life because the drama is reduced, the typical opposing view flare ups get farther and fewer between, and you'll eventually find those people interacting with YOU in a more positive way, more often. You can do this challenge. Start today. And if you find a tense situation diffused, or a sad looking person suddenly perk up, or you made someone else smile - comment on here and let me know.
WHAT IF INSTEAD, WE SPENT EVERY DAY PURSUING ADDING VALUE TO OTHERS?
Adding value? To others? What does that mean?! It means to live with the intentional purpose of adding value to the lives of those you come in contact with every day. How about being a giver instead of always a taker? Take your eyes off of yourself for a moment and really look at the people around you. If you do, you'll see people who need empathy, encouragement, a friend, help, comforting, to learn how to do something, volunteers, someone who'll listen, motivation, inspiration, confidence, advice (this is very different from just an opinion), answers, or just to know someone cares about them.
Did you ever think about how many lives you come across every single day? How many opportunities do you have to either add value to someone else? How many times we blow it and add to their troubles thinking it'll make us feel better about ourselves? Here's a few that you may interact with (face-to-face, not online) on a regular basis:
spouse, children, security person where you live, the person where you get coffee/breakfast, cashier at a store, front desk person at work, coworkers, bosses, clients/customers, lunch restaurant servers, cashiers, managers, and host/hostess, other customers in the restaurant, another cashier on the way home, people in the store(s) you shop in, people in your group or class, teachers, teammates, and although they aren't people, you also interact with your pets.
In one day you could easily interact with 12 - 50 people or more. Some statistics show in our lifetime we have interactions with 80,000 people! And that's doing it UNintentionally. Do you think it could change a few things if we added value to the lives of just 50,000? What if there were just 100 of us doing that? Most of us have that many people on just one social media account. We could make over 5 million lives better than before our encounter! That can change a home, workplace, business, community, state, even a country! All it takes is a moment here and there to intentionally make the effort.
Where to start? How about saying hello instead of just passing by someone? Asking someone how their day is and actually stopping to wait for an answer, looking at them? How about listening to what people are saying instead of worrying what we'll say next? Could you say something positive, complimentary, or encouraging to your spouse, kids, coworkers, or someone waiting on you? Could you do something small once in a while to show someone often overlooked that you notice them? What about telling someone they do a good job that's normally overlooked - treat the janitor the way you'd treat the CEO of a company. Make eye contact when talking to people instead of staring at your phone, desk, paperwork, or something else. Tell someone to have a good day/night when you're leaving. Smile at someone who looks lonely (not in a creepy way, lol, just a quick, neutral smile to say you notice them). It only takes a few seconds, a few words, a very tiny effort, to make a huge impact on people. In a world growing darker and more self-absorbed, be that little light that shines in the darkness. Be the person that makes them happy to see. Help them feel better about themselves with just a little bit of purposeful interaction.
Add value to the lives of those around you. Make the world a better place. When you learn to live like this on a daily basis, you'll find you automatically begin to live a more simple life because the drama is reduced, the typical opposing view flare ups get farther and fewer between, and you'll eventually find those people interacting with YOU in a more positive way, more often. You can do this challenge. Start today. And if you find a tense situation diffused, or a sad looking person suddenly perk up, or you made someone else smile - comment on here and let me know.
Tuesday, August 8, 2017
Living simply challenge Day 8: Decluttering Your Food
Anyone who is embracing the values of minimalism and living a more simple life will eventually get to the point where they ask themselves if health is important to them. Many people would say, "Of course health is important," but to really believe that, it would have to be one of your true values. You would decide to exercise and eat right. You'd have to decide it was worth it to put in the effort it takes to get moving, keep moving, and fuel your body with better choices. Today we'll talk about decluttering your home's food. Sometimes eating better is simply a matter of keeping temptation at a distance. If you don't bring it into your home - and you have to make an effort to get up and physically go get it - it keeps you from eating what you shouldn't, at least, less often.
So where do you start? Baby steps. I'm not suggesting you drop everything, pull everything out of your cabinets, fridge and freezer, read all the labels on them, and enter into a two hour project with this. Instead, let's start with very simple basics: What do you already know will absolutely add no nutritional value nor healthy fuel to your body? Chips, Ice cream, pre-packaged foods like chicken nuggets and hamburger helper type boxes, soda pop, candy...you're smart enough to know what's considered "junk food". Start with getting rid of what you have on hand. Living a simple life that's healthier means once these things are out, just don't buy them again. Statistics show most people purchase almost all the same items on a rotating basis and rarely try something new. Their habits have them repurchasing bad food...well, it's not really even food, is it?
Now that you've eliminated the real junk, what do you do when you crave those things? What can you buy instead that won't taste like air or like twigs and grass? Here's some alternatives, although some are very comparable in price, a few of these are higher priced but with good reason considering the health benefits and quality of ingredients used.
1. Chips - What if you switched to a healthier chip? There are so many veggie chips on the market now choices are better than ever. No longer does it have to be a potato dropped in cheap oil with lots of trans fats. Pringles makes a lowfat good tasting chip that's better for you than some of the health food looking ones. What if you switched to pita chips? or a kettle chip with no unhealthy ingredients or oils? It's a small switch so it's an easier, more doable option. If you're willing to take it a step further, you could satisfy crunchy/salty cravings with Nut Thins, gluten-free crackers made from nut flours instead of wheat. Switch to a corn chip with salsa or hummus - like the chips & salsa kind, not the kind you'd make nachos out of or Fritos corn chips.
2. Ice cream - This is a newer option that's out there - Halo Top and Enlightened brands of ice cream. They use natural, often organic ingredients, the whole pint container often has less calories than typical ice cream. The Halo Top has lots of PROTEIN added, which is a wonderful addition since snacks should always start with a protein and either a little fat or a little healthy carbs added. Also they are naturally sweetened with little to no sugar. The Enlightened comes in pints and bars on a stick. It's flavored with Stevia and monk fruit. The Halo Top uses a stevia and erythritol. Both are plants, the latter is found in fruits like pears and grapes. Being a sugar alcohol, the erythritol won't cause bloating or blood glucose levels. The Enlightened use the same sweeteners as well. Both stevia and erythritol have zero calories too. These two brands of ice cream are sometimes hard to find (look in the pints only, then maybe in the bars section for enlightened on a stick), they're more expensive because the sweeteners are more expensive and ingredients are better. In my area, a pint of quality ice cream (not the cheap store brands) runs about $3, closer to $5 for Haagan Daas, and I pay anywhere from $5 - $5.50 for Halo Top and Enlightened, although I'm more likely to wait until one of them is on sale for about $3-$3.50.
3. Pre-Packaged Foods - I know many people are so busy they think they don't have time to cook, but there are some great short cuts that could help you buy less boxed/frozen meals. You could cut up veggies on your day off and store them in the fridge for mid-week shortcuts. You could make any pasta in just a few minutes, dump in a jar of sauce, throw in a handful of your precut veggies, and it's many times healthier than a box of say Hamburger Helper because you don't have all the chemicals and cheap fillers they use, less sodium, and you control the flavor by what spices/herbs you add - or you could boil rice in broth instead of water and do the same thing. You could buy thin cut chicken breasts, cut into thin strips or cubes and they'll fry up in just a few minutes. Add your favorite spices or marinade and you've got flavorful food without all the added junk that makes it unhealthy. Lunches a problem? Instead of buying a box that's mostly just pasta with barely any protein and quality side veggies, make your own lunches using one of those compartmented storage containers. They sell them at dollar stores along with grocery and department stores now so they're cheap and easy to find. Fill one with a little leftover meat from the night before, another with cubed cheese, another with chopped veggies or small fruits like berries and grapes, then give yourself a SMALL treat like adding a single sized treat, or a yogurt, or a piece of real fruit if there's only veggies in your container.
4. Soda Pop - There are some great tasting flavored seltzer waters without any added sugar or artificial sweeteners in them. You just need to take a few minutes to look at brands you don't habitually buy. There's a great soda pop brand called Zevia. Again, it's a bit more than the cheap junk ones out there, but it's flavored with stevia and fruit, no calories, and almost all of them are clear, so no artificial colors either. Brand name sodas run around $3-$4 here, Zevia can be as low as $3 on sale in major grocery stores, and up to $6 at smaller health food stores.
5. Candy - Okay, candy is going to be junk food, even if you buy it in a health food store. It still will contain some type of sugar and/or corn syrup, but you can choose some brands without artificial flavors, or they use no added chemicals. You can find everything from organic gummy worms to unsweetened dark chocolate, with lots in between there. There's also a lot of healthy candy look-alike recipes on Pinterest.com that use stevia or other healthier ingredients instead of usual stuff. I make a version of Payday candies that taste just as good but are many times healthier and it only takes about 10 minutes on the stove and time in the fridge to set up. Be creative. Use the internet to search out recipes for your favorite flavors.
Taking your health more seriously will lead to living a more simple life because ignoring your health will eventually lead to lots of complications, medications, side effects, more serious health risks, financial stress, and you'll lose quality of life. The way to live simply today is by taking baby steps today towards a healthier tomorrow.
So where do you start? Baby steps. I'm not suggesting you drop everything, pull everything out of your cabinets, fridge and freezer, read all the labels on them, and enter into a two hour project with this. Instead, let's start with very simple basics: What do you already know will absolutely add no nutritional value nor healthy fuel to your body? Chips, Ice cream, pre-packaged foods like chicken nuggets and hamburger helper type boxes, soda pop, candy...you're smart enough to know what's considered "junk food". Start with getting rid of what you have on hand. Living a simple life that's healthier means once these things are out, just don't buy them again. Statistics show most people purchase almost all the same items on a rotating basis and rarely try something new. Their habits have them repurchasing bad food...well, it's not really even food, is it?
Now that you've eliminated the real junk, what do you do when you crave those things? What can you buy instead that won't taste like air or like twigs and grass? Here's some alternatives, although some are very comparable in price, a few of these are higher priced but with good reason considering the health benefits and quality of ingredients used.
1. Chips - What if you switched to a healthier chip? There are so many veggie chips on the market now choices are better than ever. No longer does it have to be a potato dropped in cheap oil with lots of trans fats. Pringles makes a lowfat good tasting chip that's better for you than some of the health food looking ones. What if you switched to pita chips? or a kettle chip with no unhealthy ingredients or oils? It's a small switch so it's an easier, more doable option. If you're willing to take it a step further, you could satisfy crunchy/salty cravings with Nut Thins, gluten-free crackers made from nut flours instead of wheat. Switch to a corn chip with salsa or hummus - like the chips & salsa kind, not the kind you'd make nachos out of or Fritos corn chips.
2. Ice cream - This is a newer option that's out there - Halo Top and Enlightened brands of ice cream. They use natural, often organic ingredients, the whole pint container often has less calories than typical ice cream. The Halo Top has lots of PROTEIN added, which is a wonderful addition since snacks should always start with a protein and either a little fat or a little healthy carbs added. Also they are naturally sweetened with little to no sugar. The Enlightened comes in pints and bars on a stick. It's flavored with Stevia and monk fruit. The Halo Top uses a stevia and erythritol. Both are plants, the latter is found in fruits like pears and grapes. Being a sugar alcohol, the erythritol won't cause bloating or blood glucose levels. The Enlightened use the same sweeteners as well. Both stevia and erythritol have zero calories too. These two brands of ice cream are sometimes hard to find (look in the pints only, then maybe in the bars section for enlightened on a stick), they're more expensive because the sweeteners are more expensive and ingredients are better. In my area, a pint of quality ice cream (not the cheap store brands) runs about $3, closer to $5 for Haagan Daas, and I pay anywhere from $5 - $5.50 for Halo Top and Enlightened, although I'm more likely to wait until one of them is on sale for about $3-$3.50.
3. Pre-Packaged Foods - I know many people are so busy they think they don't have time to cook, but there are some great short cuts that could help you buy less boxed/frozen meals. You could cut up veggies on your day off and store them in the fridge for mid-week shortcuts. You could make any pasta in just a few minutes, dump in a jar of sauce, throw in a handful of your precut veggies, and it's many times healthier than a box of say Hamburger Helper because you don't have all the chemicals and cheap fillers they use, less sodium, and you control the flavor by what spices/herbs you add - or you could boil rice in broth instead of water and do the same thing. You could buy thin cut chicken breasts, cut into thin strips or cubes and they'll fry up in just a few minutes. Add your favorite spices or marinade and you've got flavorful food without all the added junk that makes it unhealthy. Lunches a problem? Instead of buying a box that's mostly just pasta with barely any protein and quality side veggies, make your own lunches using one of those compartmented storage containers. They sell them at dollar stores along with grocery and department stores now so they're cheap and easy to find. Fill one with a little leftover meat from the night before, another with cubed cheese, another with chopped veggies or small fruits like berries and grapes, then give yourself a SMALL treat like adding a single sized treat, or a yogurt, or a piece of real fruit if there's only veggies in your container.
4. Soda Pop - There are some great tasting flavored seltzer waters without any added sugar or artificial sweeteners in them. You just need to take a few minutes to look at brands you don't habitually buy. There's a great soda pop brand called Zevia. Again, it's a bit more than the cheap junk ones out there, but it's flavored with stevia and fruit, no calories, and almost all of them are clear, so no artificial colors either. Brand name sodas run around $3-$4 here, Zevia can be as low as $3 on sale in major grocery stores, and up to $6 at smaller health food stores.
5. Candy - Okay, candy is going to be junk food, even if you buy it in a health food store. It still will contain some type of sugar and/or corn syrup, but you can choose some brands without artificial flavors, or they use no added chemicals. You can find everything from organic gummy worms to unsweetened dark chocolate, with lots in between there. There's also a lot of healthy candy look-alike recipes on Pinterest.com that use stevia or other healthier ingredients instead of usual stuff. I make a version of Payday candies that taste just as good but are many times healthier and it only takes about 10 minutes on the stove and time in the fridge to set up. Be creative. Use the internet to search out recipes for your favorite flavors.
Taking your health more seriously will lead to living a more simple life because ignoring your health will eventually lead to lots of complications, medications, side effects, more serious health risks, financial stress, and you'll lose quality of life. The way to live simply today is by taking baby steps today towards a healthier tomorrow.
Monday, August 7, 2017
Living Simply minimalism challenge day 7: Evaluate Your Time
How do you spend your time? I don't mean the time you have to spend eating, getting showered and dressed, working, and sleeping...well, maybe we'll touch on sleeping. How do you spend the moments around the "have to" things in your life? Let's take a day to think about evaluating your time.
When you get up in the morning, what kind of person are you? There's no right or wrong answer here, and I've seen many people who change their answer during different seasons of their life. Let's give this some thought, though. First, do you wake up earlier than you need to so you have time to do a few things or do you wake up at the last possible minute you can and still be on time for work or school? If you're the last minute life, skip this next part. If not, let's look at how to spend that time. If you have, for example, two hours before you need to leave in the morning, and you know you only need one hour to get ready and eat, what can you do with that other hour? What have you identified as your values? What things would add more value to your life? What would bring more joy into your life? Here's a few suggestions I've heard from people when asked how they are filling it:
Praying - reading a self-help book - practicing an instrument - working out/yoga - quiet meditation time - planning their day - pack a healthier lunch so they don't buy an unhealthy one later - start dinner in a crock pot or make plans for dinner - call a friend - check messages - spend it in conversation with their partner - walk to work/school instead of driving or taking public transportation - do a 15 to 30 minute challenge (workout/minimalism/writing/etc) - use that time to check out social media so that they can turn off notifications like FB, Twitter, Instagram, SnapChat, etc. - read a book you've been meaning to read - make plans to get together with friends or set up a date night - enjoy nature by having your morning coffee on the patio/porch/deck - the list is almost endless, do what will help you start the day feeling more organized, relaxed, or joy-filled.
What do you do when you get a few extra minutes throughout the day unexpectedly - like standing in line, waiting for your appointment, in-between classes or meetings, waiting to pick the kids up, during your kids' practices/classes? You could pull out your cell phone and mindlessly glance through social media, knowing deep down that nothing in there will probably change your world, and if it was that important, someone would've called you. The other option is to (depending on the length of the break), take a few deep breaths, pull out a book you're reading, see how your to-do-list is coming along for the day, check important messages, take a few quiet moments in mediation or quiet time, again, you get to decide what to do to ADD VALUE to your day. Don't waste it.
During lunch, you could eat alone, at your desk, work through lunch, or meet friends, family, and/or coworkers for lunch. If you're with someone else at lunch, be fully there in the moment with them. Forget the small talk, get to know your community around you (see yesterday's post). Talk to the person across the table. Ask them how they're really doing. Find some common ground. If you're eating alone, it's the perfect time to again either clear your head with some quiet time, read a good book, answer important messages, or take a nice walk. Use your time wisely so you can go back to work feeling up and refreshed, not more tired and drained like you're suddenly behind on your work again.
Evenings (or adjust for a non-traditional schedule) may be the most important time to evaluate. How do you spend your time after work or school? Most Americans sit on the sofa and watch TV for hours, multitasking by also staring down at their cell phones. Others sit in front of their computers watching YouTube videos with total randomness not caring where they go or what they watch as long as their being entertained by something else. Still a few others use that time to be intentional so they can live a more simple life, focusing on things that bring value to their life. What can add value after a long day? How about socializing with actual people instead of just messaging and tweeting? How about learning a new skill by taking a class (online, in person, through a dvd, watching instructional videos), learning a new instrument, heading out to a museum that's free or reduced in price in the evening, cook dinner from scratch instead of a box or the freezer, again, the list is endless.
We all get the same 24 hours a day, 1440 minutes a day, 86,400 seconds every day. How we use them is what makes all the difference. If you learn to identify and prevent time wasters, and begin using time wisely to learn or relax or enhance your relationships, you'll find yourself happier and living more simply in the not so distant future. Evaluate your time today.
When you get up in the morning, what kind of person are you? There's no right or wrong answer here, and I've seen many people who change their answer during different seasons of their life. Let's give this some thought, though. First, do you wake up earlier than you need to so you have time to do a few things or do you wake up at the last possible minute you can and still be on time for work or school? If you're the last minute life, skip this next part. If not, let's look at how to spend that time. If you have, for example, two hours before you need to leave in the morning, and you know you only need one hour to get ready and eat, what can you do with that other hour? What have you identified as your values? What things would add more value to your life? What would bring more joy into your life? Here's a few suggestions I've heard from people when asked how they are filling it:
Praying - reading a self-help book - practicing an instrument - working out/yoga - quiet meditation time - planning their day - pack a healthier lunch so they don't buy an unhealthy one later - start dinner in a crock pot or make plans for dinner - call a friend - check messages - spend it in conversation with their partner - walk to work/school instead of driving or taking public transportation - do a 15 to 30 minute challenge (workout/minimalism/writing/etc) - use that time to check out social media so that they can turn off notifications like FB, Twitter, Instagram, SnapChat, etc. - read a book you've been meaning to read - make plans to get together with friends or set up a date night - enjoy nature by having your morning coffee on the patio/porch/deck - the list is almost endless, do what will help you start the day feeling more organized, relaxed, or joy-filled.
What do you do when you get a few extra minutes throughout the day unexpectedly - like standing in line, waiting for your appointment, in-between classes or meetings, waiting to pick the kids up, during your kids' practices/classes? You could pull out your cell phone and mindlessly glance through social media, knowing deep down that nothing in there will probably change your world, and if it was that important, someone would've called you. The other option is to (depending on the length of the break), take a few deep breaths, pull out a book you're reading, see how your to-do-list is coming along for the day, check important messages, take a few quiet moments in mediation or quiet time, again, you get to decide what to do to ADD VALUE to your day. Don't waste it.
During lunch, you could eat alone, at your desk, work through lunch, or meet friends, family, and/or coworkers for lunch. If you're with someone else at lunch, be fully there in the moment with them. Forget the small talk, get to know your community around you (see yesterday's post). Talk to the person across the table. Ask them how they're really doing. Find some common ground. If you're eating alone, it's the perfect time to again either clear your head with some quiet time, read a good book, answer important messages, or take a nice walk. Use your time wisely so you can go back to work feeling up and refreshed, not more tired and drained like you're suddenly behind on your work again.
Evenings (or adjust for a non-traditional schedule) may be the most important time to evaluate. How do you spend your time after work or school? Most Americans sit on the sofa and watch TV for hours, multitasking by also staring down at their cell phones. Others sit in front of their computers watching YouTube videos with total randomness not caring where they go or what they watch as long as their being entertained by something else. Still a few others use that time to be intentional so they can live a more simple life, focusing on things that bring value to their life. What can add value after a long day? How about socializing with actual people instead of just messaging and tweeting? How about learning a new skill by taking a class (online, in person, through a dvd, watching instructional videos), learning a new instrument, heading out to a museum that's free or reduced in price in the evening, cook dinner from scratch instead of a box or the freezer, again, the list is endless.
We all get the same 24 hours a day, 1440 minutes a day, 86,400 seconds every day. How we use them is what makes all the difference. If you learn to identify and prevent time wasters, and begin using time wisely to learn or relax or enhance your relationships, you'll find yourself happier and living more simply in the not so distant future. Evaluate your time today.
Sunday, August 6, 2017
Living Simply challenge Day 6: Community
When I say the word community, what comes to mind? Do you think of a bunch of strangers who happen to live in the same town or city? Do you picture a neighborhood where you recognize who comes and goes but don't know them all that well? Do you picture your teammates on a team? Do you think of people in your group or class that you signed up for recently? Or is it something more...more intimate...more personal...people that you do life with on a regular basis?
For today's purposes, I'm going to challenge you to think about the last kind of community - people you know very well. People who have been through some stuff with you. People who know just by looking at you what you're feeling today. I'm talking about your personal "inner circle" of friends and family, your community.
If you already have a great community surrounding you, then maybe today's challenge will be to simply appreciate them, or do something nice for them, or get together with them sometime soon. That could be as easy as picking up doughnuts and everyone meeting at someone in the community's house together for coffee. Or it could be taking a few minutes to just send them a Thank You card for being there.
If you don't have a community, let's help you take a few baby steps to build one. As always, we'll do this intentionally, purposefully, giving it a lot of thought and consideration so that it becomes a worthwhile part of your world. Here's what questions you can ask yourself:
1. Who do I have something in common with? This could be people in your neighborhood or even building if you're in a condo or apartment. It could be people at work, other sports fans, other musicians if that's your thing, others who you know have taken a class you've taken like a painting party or woodworking or cooking. It could be people who also like camping. Maybe it's people you already share small talk with at places you frequent, like your favorite coffee shop.
You could start a conversation with them about whatever it is you share with them, then ask if they'd like to get together outside of the usual setting to talk more about it, or take in a class or exhibit locally that focuses on it, or to a lecture on that topic. Just don't be creepy about it, lol. If you're a 50 year old single guy, be careful how you ask the 18 year old single young lady so she knows your intentions aren't anything weird. Ladies, don't act like you're trying to pick up someone's husband. Maybe if you know the person you want to get to know is married or has a significant other, as them both to meet up with you. If you're married or have a significant partner, you probably should bring them the first time too.
2. How do I find like minded people that I don't know now? If I wanted to find other minimalists, I'd go to www.TheMinimalists.com (or on their social media account) and ask them if there's a meet up group in my area. If I want to find others interested in cooking, I'd take a class and intentionally find someone to become friends with similar to myself (to keep things appropriate). If I wanted to find people who believe in being financially in good shape, I'd find others through a Dave Ramsey class offered in lots of churches and community centers. Like to read? Maybe meet someone in a library. Love baseball? Go to a sporting event and strike up a conversation with a few people at the game. In my case, I went to a game locally to check out the minor leagues during the fall season and found dozens of baseball fans who are now friends.
3. Want to meet people who live closer to you? Many times we work somewhere that's not close to home so we have work friends but can't get together often since you live in opposite directions from work, too far away from each other. What if you started walking over to your neighbor when getting the mail or cutting the lawn instead of just waving? What if you took a free class at your local library? Could you find something of interest at your community center? Is there a local group that meets you could join? Make the effort to meet those near you and you could end up with someone close enough that you do a lot more together.
4. What about church? If you've been reading this blog you know I never try to tell people who they should be or what they should do. I do however find my church community adds tremendous value to my life. We are people with a common core value, something that not only defines who we are but dictates our actions as well (we're all far from perfect and don't claim to be, but we try, fail, and get back up heading in the right direction hoping over time we'll be a better person, especially towards others, than we were when we started). If you have a home church, then you have a great place to start just reaching out to get to know people. Usually churches offer small group settings, classes, and studies to join - often an little to no cost - where you can find people to share this life with, find encouragement, and grow. If you aren't a church going person, is it something you might consider trying? Check out ones near you online that you feel may be an okay fit to try. Usually church websites have an "About Us" or "Check Us Out" tab that tells you a little about what they believe or follow. It's a great place to start, especially because many people, even casual attenders, tend to be on better behavior in church than anywhere else to a newcomer.
Whatever you decide, find some people you can get to know better. We all need friends, but to live a simple life without all the fake facades, drama, and issues, choose wisely, intentionally. I try very hard not to judge people by anything other than their actions, and part of what they say. (If they're a bad fit for you, a conversation may be enough to set off a warning flag inside you). Choose people who seem genuine, who are sensitive to the needs of others - basic consideration is important. Choose people who you would feel comfortable inviting to your home or introducing to an important friend or relative or boss. Avoid people you already suspect may be deceitful, who you know lie and gossip behind others' backs, or those you know are in a world you don't want to be a part of, like someone you know breaks the law or is abusive to others. You don't need to deal with that when you're just trying to get your feet wet building a new community of people.
The effort is so worth it when you find the right group of people. The best part is they can all be from the same circle for you, or you could have half a dozen close friends from different interest groups that don't have to know each other. Friends, having a community around you, enhances your life, helps you grow, and if you choose wisely, it can help you become more than you thought you could become. You never know until you try. Living simply doesn't mean being a hermit. It means being a blessing to the world and others, and letting them be a blessing to you.
For today's purposes, I'm going to challenge you to think about the last kind of community - people you know very well. People who have been through some stuff with you. People who know just by looking at you what you're feeling today. I'm talking about your personal "inner circle" of friends and family, your community.
If you already have a great community surrounding you, then maybe today's challenge will be to simply appreciate them, or do something nice for them, or get together with them sometime soon. That could be as easy as picking up doughnuts and everyone meeting at someone in the community's house together for coffee. Or it could be taking a few minutes to just send them a Thank You card for being there.
If you don't have a community, let's help you take a few baby steps to build one. As always, we'll do this intentionally, purposefully, giving it a lot of thought and consideration so that it becomes a worthwhile part of your world. Here's what questions you can ask yourself:
1. Who do I have something in common with? This could be people in your neighborhood or even building if you're in a condo or apartment. It could be people at work, other sports fans, other musicians if that's your thing, others who you know have taken a class you've taken like a painting party or woodworking or cooking. It could be people who also like camping. Maybe it's people you already share small talk with at places you frequent, like your favorite coffee shop.
You could start a conversation with them about whatever it is you share with them, then ask if they'd like to get together outside of the usual setting to talk more about it, or take in a class or exhibit locally that focuses on it, or to a lecture on that topic. Just don't be creepy about it, lol. If you're a 50 year old single guy, be careful how you ask the 18 year old single young lady so she knows your intentions aren't anything weird. Ladies, don't act like you're trying to pick up someone's husband. Maybe if you know the person you want to get to know is married or has a significant other, as them both to meet up with you. If you're married or have a significant partner, you probably should bring them the first time too.
2. How do I find like minded people that I don't know now? If I wanted to find other minimalists, I'd go to www.TheMinimalists.com (or on their social media account) and ask them if there's a meet up group in my area. If I want to find others interested in cooking, I'd take a class and intentionally find someone to become friends with similar to myself (to keep things appropriate). If I wanted to find people who believe in being financially in good shape, I'd find others through a Dave Ramsey class offered in lots of churches and community centers. Like to read? Maybe meet someone in a library. Love baseball? Go to a sporting event and strike up a conversation with a few people at the game. In my case, I went to a game locally to check out the minor leagues during the fall season and found dozens of baseball fans who are now friends.
3. Want to meet people who live closer to you? Many times we work somewhere that's not close to home so we have work friends but can't get together often since you live in opposite directions from work, too far away from each other. What if you started walking over to your neighbor when getting the mail or cutting the lawn instead of just waving? What if you took a free class at your local library? Could you find something of interest at your community center? Is there a local group that meets you could join? Make the effort to meet those near you and you could end up with someone close enough that you do a lot more together.
4. What about church? If you've been reading this blog you know I never try to tell people who they should be or what they should do. I do however find my church community adds tremendous value to my life. We are people with a common core value, something that not only defines who we are but dictates our actions as well (we're all far from perfect and don't claim to be, but we try, fail, and get back up heading in the right direction hoping over time we'll be a better person, especially towards others, than we were when we started). If you have a home church, then you have a great place to start just reaching out to get to know people. Usually churches offer small group settings, classes, and studies to join - often an little to no cost - where you can find people to share this life with, find encouragement, and grow. If you aren't a church going person, is it something you might consider trying? Check out ones near you online that you feel may be an okay fit to try. Usually church websites have an "About Us" or "Check Us Out" tab that tells you a little about what they believe or follow. It's a great place to start, especially because many people, even casual attenders, tend to be on better behavior in church than anywhere else to a newcomer.
Whatever you decide, find some people you can get to know better. We all need friends, but to live a simple life without all the fake facades, drama, and issues, choose wisely, intentionally. I try very hard not to judge people by anything other than their actions, and part of what they say. (If they're a bad fit for you, a conversation may be enough to set off a warning flag inside you). Choose people who seem genuine, who are sensitive to the needs of others - basic consideration is important. Choose people who you would feel comfortable inviting to your home or introducing to an important friend or relative or boss. Avoid people you already suspect may be deceitful, who you know lie and gossip behind others' backs, or those you know are in a world you don't want to be a part of, like someone you know breaks the law or is abusive to others. You don't need to deal with that when you're just trying to get your feet wet building a new community of people.
The effort is so worth it when you find the right group of people. The best part is they can all be from the same circle for you, or you could have half a dozen close friends from different interest groups that don't have to know each other. Friends, having a community around you, enhances your life, helps you grow, and if you choose wisely, it can help you become more than you thought you could become. You never know until you try. Living simply doesn't mean being a hermit. It means being a blessing to the world and others, and letting them be a blessing to you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)