How can I simplify my life?

Imagine a cosy Saturday night, the kitchen warm with the promise of a homemade pizza. My husband, armed with an array of toppings from spicy pepperoni to sundried tomatoes, is ready to create his masterpiece. As more and more toppings pile on, the pizza starts to look like a treasure chest that’s overflowing. You see, his enthusiasm for variety, while commendable, often leads to a pizza that’s, well, a bit too much. It’s a culinary representation of life: cluttered, overwhelming, and somehow less satisfying.

This pizza-making adventure got me thinking about simplicity, especially how we often misinterpret it as being easy. In reality, simplicity is anything but easy—it's an intentional practice of choosing what matters most and letting go of the rest. Simplifying your life doesn't just happen; it’s more like sculpting, a process of removing to enhance the beauty of what remains – think Margherita.

Why Simplicity Isn't Simple

Decisiveness: Just as crafting the perfect pizza requires deciding which ingredients will enhance the flavour without overpowering it, simplifying your life requires decisiveness. You make tough calls on what stays and what goes.
Clarity of Values: Simplification requires a deep understanding of your values. It’s about knowing what truly enriches your life. This clarity helps ensure that your actions and possessions truly align with your innermost priorities.
Emotional Strength: Letting go is an emotional process. Whether it’s saying no to projects that don’t excite you or letting go of what’s no longer working, each decision involves overcoming a barrage of ‘what ifs’ and emotional attachments.

So here is a practical step that might help to simplify your life:

Do a Quick Audit of Your Life: Take a hard look at your typical day or week. What activities, commitments, or items could you do without? Which of these add value, and which only add volume?

Simplifying your life is much like making the perfect pizza.

Not every topping worth having deserves a spot on the dough. It’s about choosing what enhances your life’s flavour without overwhelming it.

So, take a moment to think about what you can edit out, and what decisions you can make to declutter not just your physical space but also your mind and schedule. Remember, simplicity isn’t about having less for the sake of less; it’s about having more room for what truly matters.