These are some of my beginning thoughts:
Stop, take a deep breath––slow down or pause.
Investigate what is going on with your daily life.
Meditate––listen for the promptings of the Spirit.
Pray for discernment––study your patriarchal blessing.
Live the gospel––keep your eternal goals in mind.
Initiate changes as needed to prioritize your life.
Focus on filling your well and then serving others.
You are in charge of yourself and the life you can have.
Thanks, Lin
Well... to be honest with you, I find it extremely difficult to concentrate on being at peace in a jumbled, cluttered environment. So, for me, it's necessary to clean out the corners of my home before I can clean out the corners of my mind.
ReplyDeleteThe fewer THINGS I have to tend to and take care of... the more open I seem to be to serenity creeping into my soul. I have more time to stroll through the grove, or sit and sketch on the bridge, to write a short note to one of the children, meditate or plan an upcoming lesson. I can commune with my spirit only when my home and surroundings are tidy.
So... first, I would de-jumk closets, drawers, under the beds, the potting shed, and the trunk of the car.
I wasn't familiar with this type of blessing so I did go to the web site. Thank you for providing that...I seem to be always making my life more complicated so I don't have any good suggestions...
ReplyDeleteI simplify my life by planning. Like Caryn, I need an ordered environment, so I schedule jobs to get done each day so that I can take time to go for a walk, read a book, work on a creative project, spend time in the garden, etc.
ReplyDeleteI love by the 3 second rule for cookies on the kitchen floor, and the 5 season rule on clothes in the closet (if not worn by then, out the go). My main motto for getting through something irritating is: If it's funny later (e.g. a story you tell to entertain your friends) it's funny now (when you are wanting to tear your hair out)!
ReplyDeleteI have to laugh at Deborah... She's so right! And it's such a simple concept... If it's going to be funny later... why not laugh at it now? I love that!!
ReplyDeleteAnyway... I mentioned on your post on HOME that I had been rethinking this article and had somehow managed to muddy it up and make it complicated in my brain. If ever there was a spot with "matter unorganized" my brain is it.
I love the whole foundation of simplicity. You know how long I kept my "simplify" letters in my home. But... on the other hand, there's much to be said for diversity. Every divergence deserves to be cherished if only because it widens the bounds of life and stretches the soul.
I love to have friends with a wide variety of experiences and opinions... I love having a wide range of interests, hobbies and reading material. I am always excited at the prospect of visiting a new city, reading a new book, discussing a new idea... even wearing a new scarf is an event to be enjoyed and savored for Pete's sake.
So where does simplicity fit into all of this? I don't know...
Maybe focus has something to do with all of it. Maybe everything in it's own time and season is at the crux of it. Maybe I'm in over my head and have no idea how to reconcile what seems to be a minor conflict. Maybe it's just a matter of prioritizing or being open to a shift in priorities from time to time. Maybe after tidying up the excess stuff in my hoime... it's all just a mental condition and has fluctuating bounderies.
Maybe I should take a nap and things will be clearer after I've put my whizzing mind to rest for a while.
I'm with Caryn on the clutter issue. I find it a creativity crusher. When things are cluttered I cannot concentrate fully until it is pleasing and appealing.
ReplyDeleteI have nothing to add, your list is complete and I agree wholeheartedly with it.