Credit: http://www.missminimalist.com/2010/08/100-ways-to-simplify-your-life-and-make-yourself-happier/
**Picking out some of my favourite pointers as reference.
AROUND THE HOUSE
1. Ditch the TV (or at least turn if off). If you’re an average viewer, you’ll save over a hundred precious hours each month. An added bonus: less exposure to commercials means less desire to buy stuff, and more money in your pocket.
6. Get rid of excessive décor, so you’ll spend less time and effort cleaning around stuff.
7. Digitize your music. You’ll eliminate the clutter of CDs, and have easier access to your music library.
9. Put items away immediately after use. It takes a lot less effort than cleaning up piles of stuff later on.
10. Have a place for everything. It makes it much easier to find things, and put them away.
11. Clean as you go. Wipe up spills, and take care of little messes before they become big ones.
12. Devise a cleaning routine. Streamline your chores into an ordered set of tasks for maximum efficiency.
19. Don’t start collections. Avoid the clutter, and save your money, by channeling your energy and creativity into something more productive.
WARDROBE AND STYLE
24. Choose versatile clothing. The more ways you can wear something, the fewer items you’ll need.
25. Don’t be a fashion victim. Chasing trends is a waste of time and money.
26. Know what flatters you. You’ll avoid accumulating a closet full of wardrobe “mistakes.”
27. Don’t buy “fantasy” clothes. In other words, if you’re not a social diva, skip the cocktail dresses – reserve your closet space for the stuff you’ll actually wear.
28. Get a simple, no-fuss haircut; it’ll save tons of time in the morning.
30. Keep makeup as minimal as possible, or go without. Most of us don’t need to look like supermodels on a daily basis!
32. Standardize your grooming routine, so you can get ready each morning with a minimum amount of fuss.
33. Don’t buy hope in a bottle, and clutter your cabinets with half-used “miracle” lotions and potions.
35. Let your inner beauty shine. A pleasant countenance and radiant smile will make you more beautiful than any cosmetics.
OFFICE AND TECH
47. Print as little as possible. Don’t give yourself more stuff to file.
48. Digitize your paperwork. It’ll take up less space, and give you easier access to it.
59. Organize your digital files. Develop a logical system of folders, so you won’t have to wade through hundreds of random files to find what you’re looking for.
60. Purge your bookmarks regularly. The stuff you found interesting last month, or last week, may be of no use to you today. Don’t waste time scrolling through irrelevant stuff.
61. Quit Facebook (or don’t join). It can be a huge digital commitment, and a major time sink. At the very least, limit the time you spend on it.
65. Take digital sabbaticals. Disconnecting for a period of time – be it an hour, a day, or a weekend – can be quite liberating!
TIME MANAGEMENT
66. Learn to say no. It can be difficult, but will ensure you have enough time and energy for the stuff that really matters.
67. Delegate. Give up trying to do everything yourself; get employees to help with projects, and children to help with chores.
68. Limit your commitments. Don’t increase your number of obligations; drop old ones to make way for the new.
69. Right-size your expectations. When you expect too much of yourself and others, disappointment and stress are often the result.
70. Choose your battles. There are thousands of little things that just aren’t worth fighting for – let them go.
71. Go with the flow. Instead of trying to control things, let them happen as they may.
72. Be flexible. Adapt to the situation at hand, rather than insisting on doing things “your way.”
73. Forget about perfection. For the vast majority of tasks, good enough is good enough.
74. Fix little problems before they become big ones. A little effort now can save a lot of headaches later.
75. Consolidate your tasks. It’s more efficient to do your ironing, pay your bills, and answer your emails in one sitting than in bits and pieces.
76. Consolidate your errands. Plan your visits to the grocery store, dry cleaners, post office, etc., so you can take care of all of it in one trip.
77. Declutter your To Do list. Purge any unimportant, unnecessary, or unfulfilling activities.
78. Ask for help or advice. Reaching out to someone with more expertise can often save you hours (or days) of muddling through on your own.
79. Share your expertise with others. An open exchange of information makes things easier for everyone.
80. Make it a goal to do less, not more. Increase your productivity to free up your schedule, rather than jam more stuff into it.
ATTITUDE
81. Keep an open mind. Life is infinitely more interesting and pleasant when you’re willing to consider opinions and viewpoints that differ from your own.
82. Accept others for who they are. Live and let live, and you’ll have much less to worry about.
83. Live in the present. Don’t spend excessive hours pining for the past, or fretting about the future. Be here now.
84. Don’t meddle in other people’s business. Concentrate on keeping your own life in order, and don’t worry about everyone else’s.
86. March to your own drummer. Don’t feel obligated to follow the crowd, or live according to others’ expectations.
87. Think before you act. We can often save ourselves a lot of trouble if we think about the consequences before acting on impulse.
88. Think before you speak. Once you let some ill-considered words out of your mouth, you can’t get them back. Better to hold your tongue than have to deal with the fallout.
89. Don’t be overly sensitive. Sometimes others don’t think before they speak. Let careless remarks roll off your back, not ruin your day.
90. Don’t hold grudges. Forgiveness eases your stress and tension, and frees up your time and energy for more positive pursuits.
91. Don’t be a drama queen. Making mountains out of molehills unduly complicates life.
92. Have an attitude of gratitude. Be grateful for what you do have, instead of stressing over what you don’t.
93. Realize that you’re not living in the spotlight. Most people are too wrapped up in their own lives to care (or notice) what you own, what you’re wearing, or how you look.
94. Embrace the concept of enough. Once our needs are met, there’s usually little utility (or happiness) in acquiring more – by contrast, it often leads to cluttered homes and empty bank accounts.
95. Enjoy without owning. Admire the objects in a shop window, the art in a gallery, the plants in a garden, without acquiring them for yourself. You’ll often get more pleasure from things when you don’t have the responsibility of ownership.
MISCELLANEOUS
96. Downsize your digs. A smaller home means less to maintain, less to clean, and less to pay in mortgage, utilities, and rent.
97. Go car-free. If you can walk, bike, or take public transit where you need to go, consider ditching your car. If you’re in a multi-car household, consider whether you can get by with one less car.
98. Avoid advertising like the plague. When you don’t know an item exists, you won’t stress over desiring, acquiring, or paying for it.
99. Don’t shop unless you need something. In other words, don’t browse stores, catalogs, or websites looking for something to need.
100. Make your own definition of “success.” Raising a happy family or excelling at your job are better measures of success than status symbols and material accumulation.
Saturday, January 7, 2017
Monday, January 2, 2017
The Power of Gratitude and Perspective
“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive—to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.” ~Marcus Aurelius
Find perspective. Embrace it. Look with eyes of wonder and hope for tomorrow.
Find perspective. Embrace it. Look with eyes of wonder and hope for tomorrow.
Sunday, January 1, 2017
Saturday, December 3, 2016
5 Reminders to Soothe New Relationship Anxiety
Credit: http://tinybuddha.com/blog/hard-to-trust-5-reminders-new-relationship-anxiety/
When It’s Hard to Trust: 5 Reminders to Soothe New Relationship Anxiety
For example, expecting your partner to listen to your concerns and honor your needs is fair.
Expecting them to read your mind, wait on you hand and foot, or make you the center of their world is not. Unfair expectations can poison a relationship if you don’t strive to recognize and release them.
Projecting is a common mistake in many relationships because pointing the finger at the person closest to you is easier than turning it to yourself and being honest about whether or not your own internal dialogue is the actual source of the problem.
Before you decide to change something about your partner, consider what you might need to work on within yourself.
While trust may not be an easy thing for many couples, it helps to remember that if your partner is someone worth being with, they will never give you a reason not to trust them.
When It’s Hard to Trust: 5 Reminders to Soothe New Relationship Anxiety
Pause before you react.
Expectation is the root of all disappointment.
Keep your expectations in check. When a relationship goes south, we often tend to carry residual expectations and disappoints into the next one. If you experience disappointment over something your partner said or did, ask yourself what you expected them to say or do instead. Then consider whether or not that expectation is fair and justified.For example, expecting your partner to listen to your concerns and honor your needs is fair.
Expecting them to read your mind, wait on you hand and foot, or make you the center of their world is not. Unfair expectations can poison a relationship if you don’t strive to recognize and release them.
Fix yourself before trying to fix your partner.
Be mindful of your tendency to project your flaws and insecurities onto your partner.Projecting is a common mistake in many relationships because pointing the finger at the person closest to you is easier than turning it to yourself and being honest about whether or not your own internal dialogue is the actual source of the problem.
Before you decide to change something about your partner, consider what you might need to work on within yourself.
Trust is the glue that holds it all together.
I can’t even tell you how many times my partner has stressed the importance of trust after a misunderstanding or moment of doubt and insecurity on my end. Time and experience has taught me that trust is vital to the success of any relationship, but it’s something I clearly need to work on after years of being hurt and misled.While trust may not be an easy thing for many couples, it helps to remember that if your partner is someone worth being with, they will never give you a reason not to trust them.
Friday, December 2, 2016
7 Inspirational Rules for Achieving Your Life Goals
Whether your definition of success is a happy marriage, a healthy bank account, or worldwide fame and adulation, we’re all motivated by ambition to some degree; the enduring question is “how do we achieve success?” The truth is, there’s no simple answer, but there are plenty of tips you can use to improve your chances of being successful in life. We’ve come up with a list of seven fantastic tips for achieving your life goals, as advocated by some of the world’s highest achievers.
1. Don’t let rejection stand in your way.
Harry Potter author JK Rowling is probably the most famous writer in the world, but if she hadn’t had the courage of her convictions early on in her career, things could have been very different. The Potter series has sold over 400 million copies worldwide since the first installment was released in 1997, but the global hit was rejected twelve times before a publisher agreed to take it. Even once it was released, it wasn’t plain sailing for Rowling — one of the first journalists ever to interview Rowling was given a first-edition copy, but thought nothing of throwing it in the trash; that copy would now fetch around £50,000 at auction! To quote Rowling herself, “Had I really succeeded at anything else, I might never have found the determination to succeed in the one arena I believed I truly belonged to.”
2. Invest in yourself.
As world-renowned businessman and philanthropist Warren Buffet once said, “the best investment you can make is in your own abilities.” By constantly working to improve yourself through the acquisition of relevant skills and information, you’ll be in a much better position to achieve what you want to achieve. Some of the world’s greatest sportsmen and women put their success down to their passion for self-improvement — and you only have to look at superstar footballer Cristiano Ronaldo for proof. Ronaldo may not be to everyone’s tastes, but he is one of the most dedicated athletes of all time, and regularly reaps the rewards of his efforts on the field.
3. Learn from your mistakes.
Along the path to success, there are bound to be a few bumps in the road — it’s important that you don’t let these setbacks slow you down. Every mistake you make is an opportunity to learn, and by recognizing and accepting your errors, you can ensure they don’t happen again, smoothing that path towards achievement. No less an authority than Einstein put it succinctly: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results.”
4. Don’t be afraid of a little hard work.
If you want evidence in favor of this little bit of advice, look no further than Bill Gates, the creator of Windows and one of the world’s wealthiest business people. The Microsoft founder has always pushed the idea that success requires hard work, and once revealed that he didn’t take a single day off during his 20s, when he was getting the company off the ground. Quite simply, the more effort you put in, the more you’ll get out of it — as NFL icon Vince Lombardi famously stated, “The price of success is hard work.” It doesn’t get much simpler than that.
5. Dare to be exceptional.
Walt Disney knows a thing or two about living out fantasies, animating some of the world’s favorite fairy tales, so when he says “if you can dream it, you can do it,” it’s probably worth sitting up and taking note. Aiming low might reduce the possibility of making mistakes, but what great businessman or woman ever aimed low — if you’re passionate about a project and truly believe in it, there’s every reason to believe you can achieve your goals. You might even find that they’re closer than you think!
6. Be pro-active.
It’s probably no surprise that Richard Branson has a “get up and go” attitude — the man that created the Virgin conglomerate has delved into the worlds of business, music, media, and politics during his life, not to mention space travel, charity and the odd world record attempt. The billionaire entrepreneur has often cited this energetic take on life as key to his success, advising ambitious young people to “get out there and do things — don’t watch other people do things, and don’t watch television.” In the modern age, it’s all too easy to take a passive attitude towards life, but if you want to achieve big things, it’s best to have a hands-on approach.
7. Engage in your passions.
Ultimately, if you’re going to achieve great success in life, you’re going to need to care about what you’re doing — so if you’re an ambitious high-flyer who wants to go right to the very top, take a close look at the things that interest and excite you, and see if you can use that passion to achieve your goals. As the celebrated jazz singer and famed “First Lady of Song” Ella Fitzgerald once said, “Don’t give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there’s love and inspiration, I don’t think you can go wrong.”
Credit: http://www.lifehack.org/417129/7-inspirational-rules-for-achieving-your-life-goals
Thursday, December 1, 2016
A List Of 30 Small Things For You To Do To Become Happier In Life
We all have desires, needs and wants. Most importantly all our pursuits amount to us being happy. Yet what is so central can be evasive to many. However chasing happiness should stem from the decisions and choices we make. Focus on the little things, as such is necessary, rather than the mighty actions you have to reach happiness. At the end of the day, happiness is never a destination but a journey and every step should be one where you embrace the excitement and joys life has to offer. Here is a list of 30 small things you can do to become happier in life.
- Be thankful and show gratitude. It is not about what you don’t have but about the things you currently have. Find a way to express your gratitude.
- Pursue the right career. Yes do something that combines work and fun in your life.
- Stop trying to be perfect. No one is.
- Learn to tolerate others. Just as you are not perfect, people around you also fall short of being perfect also.
- Don’t compare yourself with others. Rather always try to be a better version of yourself.
- Start each day with a smile.
- Dream and always hope for the best. There are no gains or successes in worrying after all.
- Forgive yourself and learn to forgive others.
- Give social media a break and learn to experience some me-time.
- Meditate.
- Give to someone in need. It doesn’t have to be money, but it could be your time or energy.
- You will always make mistakes, don’t ever take yourself too seriously.
- Listen or participate in interesting and thought provoking discussions.
- Be reasonable. Not everyone will accept your opinion or beliefs.
- Don’t try to win every argument.
- Set goals, they could be short term or long term. Just have something that you look forward to accomplishing.
- Exercise and try to keep fit. Your body is your vehicle to success.
- Celebrate your wins and embrace your losses in the same manner.
- Stop using negative words like “I can’t.” “I won’t.” “It can’t.” Always be positive and know that the world is a place of amazing possibilities.
- Write something. It could be a thank you note, or your plans for the future.
- Stop spending time with toxic people.
- Take risks. Learn to embrace your fears and face your challenges with bravado.
- Learn to let go of the things beyond your control. Life will always be unfair and will not take present itself the way we want it to. So value what you have and stop trying to hold on to the things that you cannot do anything about.
- Know your strengths and your flaws. At the end there is so much we can do or take. Know what applies to you and stop pushing yourself to places or borders that violates your values and desires.
- Embrace change. You should be flexible and be adaptable. Things will never stay the same. Time has a way of healing, building and reforming what is. So understand that things will pass. Rather than be a victim of change, be a master of it.
- Stop complaining and making excuses. Rather take on more responsibility and do more of what you can do to better a situation or the things that surround you.
- Eat right and sleep as much as you can. While people will tell you that less sleep, more work helps you reach your goals, understand that a healthy body is more vital to your success.
- Prioritize. You cannot chase everything at once. Rather pick those pursuits that matter to you and prioritize your goals.
- Stop being busy. Rather focus on being productive and appreciating the moments you have.
- Travel and gain new experiences. Who knows what awaits you on the other side.
Credit: http://www.lifehack.org/349565/list-30-small-things-for-you-become-happier-life
Saturday, October 1, 2016
Friday, September 30, 2016
Are You Taking The False First Step?
Full article: http://www.breakthetwitch.com/false-first-step/
Credit:
Awesome read! Spot on!
Credit:
Awesome read! Spot on!
The False First Step
This is the false first step: believing we’ve made a meaningful step toward a goal when all we’ve actually done is spent money or not done the thing we actually need to do. We’ve actually lost something (money and time) rather than attained something (meaningful progress).
What You’re Actually Buying
I hadn’t been buying things – I had been trying to buy a better version of myself.
Whether it’s a yoga video on a Kindle or a heart rate monitor on our wrists, we’re spending a lot of money on things that are supposed to help us be healthier and happier. But is any of it working? Let’s take a moment to consider it.
Is it realistic to imply that an Amazon Kindle is the first step to getting healthy and happy? Sure, you can look up recipes and yoga videos on a Kindle, but you can watch Netflix and browse Facebook, too.
Buying a Kindle Fire to get healthy and happy is like saying that the only thing keeping you from your goals is that you don’t have a portable electronic device with a seven-inch screen.
We take a false first step when we have an aspiration and then take an action that isn’t actually doing something. The false first step is an outsourcing of effort, a delay of progress, and likely, a loss of money.
We all know how to be healthy. Go outside, walk, stretch, or move in some way every day. Eat fruits and vegetables, and avoid high-sugar foods. We all know how to do this, and there is nothing on the Kindle Fire that will make us more likely to do these things. But we buy it, anyway.
What Was Your False First Step?
- Buying yoga pants instead of doing yoga
- Writing 10 blog posts before you publish your first one
- Buying a laptop instead of writing on whatever you have available
- Getting stuck on a project and starting a new one instead
- Researching new cameras when you don’t use the one you have
So, what happened exactly?
Buying that Kindle Fire convinced your brain that you actually managed to do something meaningful towards becoming that person you want to be. Enough so that, for a while, it satisfies your desire to progress and grow, and it makes you feel like you’ve actually accomplished something. Since you’re convinced that you’ve made progress, you move on, and the action never actually happens. Until that uncomfortable feeling comes up again, that is.
Since taking a false first step eased that discomfort last time, the cycle repeats. Perhaps this time, it will be yoga pants or a new pair of running shoes. Maybe it’s a Fitbit that will finally get us outside. Perhaps.
It took seeing that collective financial damage for me to realize the true nature of my buying habits.
Build a habit before spending money.
It should be obvious by now that we can’t buy better versions of ourselves. The only way to become better is to spend time working towards what we value most in life.
If your first instinct is to buy something in order to accomplish one of your goals, realize that this is likely a false first step. If you haven’t even tried to accomplish something using the resources you already have, slow down and assess the situation. That discomfort you feel is your opportunity to stop the cycle of consumption dead in its tracks.
Start first by establishing a small action to complete every day—something that, over the course of a few weeks, has the potential to become a strong habit. How amazing will those new running shoes be once you’ve been walking every day for a month? Once the habit is established, those shoes really can enhance your experience and help you continue your fitness journey. But they’re not going to do the work for you.
Learn what you don’t know by failing and failing again.
The best way to figure out what you actually need is to make a solid go of it and probably fail. You don’t yet know what you don’t know. By making a solid attempt at achieving your goal, you will ask better questions, be able to find better answers, and fail a little better next time. You can figure out exactly what you actually need to get to the next step once you know more about what you don’t know.
The fear of failure is something that plagues us all, but owning that fear and embracing failure as a step along the path is the best thing you can do. Instead of purchasing a new diet plan or perhaps a new camera and placing the blame for failure on those things, own up to your personal growth process.
Most importantly…
Friday, July 29, 2016
Thursday, July 28, 2016
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