Simplify

You've heard of a gratitude journal, now I introduce you to the idea of a simplify journal.  At different times in our lives, we need things.  At others, we don't.  So, ridding our spaces of things we don't need anymore is a useful annual project.  Many people choose the holidays to do this because others are more acutely aware of needs during this time.  So what do you do?

1. Write your own personal mission statement that reflects how you want to live your life, what you want to do in it (including career and leisure), and the type of people with whom you want to surround yourself.  Try to be as concise as possible (3 sentence or less).  
2. Using your personal mission statement, now look around in your space and your closet and see what does and doesn't fit into your life with this as your lens. This doesn't mean you have to end friendships, thought it might.   This does mean you can begin to work with your support systems in ways that actively engage with your life mission. 
3. De-clutter.  Get rid of anything in your closet that you haven't worn for a year.  Anything.  If you haven't worn it, you won't next year.  If you've changed sizes, you might box a few things up, but know that by the time you get back to that size (if you do), you may not want to wear that again anyway.  That ugly nick-nack that's taking up space has got to go.  Make space for expansion.
4. For the next week, record how you spend your time and your actions.  This will help you understand if your every day life aligns with your mission.  Creating awareness around your way of being will help you make thoughtful choices for your life.

Let me know what you figure out!  Life is too short to not make it your best life.

Change Inspires Growth

As the holidays approach and a snow day extended our Thanksgiving break a day for our family, I'm reminded that every choice we make has many impacts.  What is often overlooked is the fact that change doesn't always come in the form of choice.  However, what you do with  or how your react to those things that happen help define your happiness.  Specifically, I'm referring to your life satisfaction.

I'll use the snow day as an example.  Now, our family had been together all day since Wednesday.  We didn't have much drama at home, we had play dates and hosted Thanksgiving.  When the snow came, we all were thankful for one more day together to play games (charades, Scrabble, Life, Duel, Lords of Waterdeep, etc.).  We could have been sick of each other and the change could have been frustrating, I'm sure it was for some families who were looking forward to getting back on routine.  We rolled with the change.  This doesn't always happen.

As some challenges in the form of change occur in your life, I encourage you to take the time to breathe, find a useful lesson that helps you see the change as one that helps you become a better person, and move forward.  When we dwell on things over which we have no control, we give away energy that could be used to make us happy.  I'm not saying this process is easy or even welcome at times.  I am suggesting that every time I have adjusted my perspective on events, I have found greater meaning and satisfaction in my life.  Let me know if this works for you too.

Happy Holidays!

Copyright 2018 Dr. Heather Corwin