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Our lives are becoming increasingly complex, and our minds, chaotic. Here are 2 simple ways to declutter your life, and clear your mind.
I am going to quickly describe some typical situations, they could be yours or mine.
How many times in day do we check our phones for messages – text, BBM, Whatsapp, Facebook? How many times have we bought something just because it was on sale…and not because there was a need? How many things do you have in your house that you no longer use, don’t even recognize, and sometimes even forget that it exists…?
I am talking about a new concept which is waking up people, transforming them to create abundant happiness and freedom.The concept of less is more!
Do fewer things mean fewer things to worry about? Yes!
When you eliminate the unnecessary, there is space and time only for the meaningful. So, let me tell you about the two common areas where we start accumulating, without thinking – one is social media, and the second, too many things in our homes.
Do we really use the phone as a tool of communication? No. It is used to check and send emails, tell everyone about our state of mind, type in our comments, or “like” pictures. Our network starts expanding, and so does the pressure to respond to anything and everything. There is so much distraction. We seem to tap our phones more than we actually touch our dear ones. My friend list on face book is in double digits only. I would rather pick up the phone or talk in person. I would certainly enjoy such personal conversations.
Suddenly, we find that there is no space in the house. The cupboards are overflowing with clothes, the furniture seems too big, the refrigerator is a dumping box, the dining table is used for everything but dining, and the store room or the attic is the ugliest.
There is an increasing tendency now-a-days to buy things like everyone else, to show-off the latest, and to buy, even if there is no occasion. In the good old days, new clothes were bought only for birthdays or for festivals. Now, we buy at any time of the year. But is this clutter making you happy? Aren’t you spending more by adding more to your house?
We are not our stuff. We are more than our possessions. I have worked on this point and decluttered my house. I used to spend 2 hours cleaning up my house but I take less than 15 minutes to clean up now. My apartment always looks neat. It is calm, serene, and relaxed.
There is absolute joy to own less.
Because it helps find simplicity in the daily chaos of our lives. It is about clearing the clutter so we can focus on what’s important. We can do things productively. We can create those strong bonds with our favourite people.
Leo Babuata is the writer of the blog – Zen habits. This blog is one of the top 25 blogs in the world. He says we can start by taking baby steps.
We all socialize online. But are all those 300 to 400 friends really genuine? Edit your friend list to a meaningful, loving list with deeper connections.
Spend 10 minutes every day in clearing up one part of your house. Sometimes you may need to be ruthless in discarding. If you haven’t worn that shirt for more than 6 months, you will never wear it again. Donate your unused clothes and household articles before you buy new stuff.
Today, when you walk through your front door, take a second and ask yourself – could I do with a little editing? Would that give me more freedom, more happiness, more time?
Please do remember that except in the matters of love and affection, less is more!
Pic credit: Image of Meditating woman via Shutterstock.
Archana was raised in Chennai and lives in Dubai.She was a banking professional for more than a decade. She holds a diploma in creative writing from Writers Bureau,UK and a master's degree read more...
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Neena was the sole caregiver of Amma and though one would think that Amma was dependent on her, Neena felt otherwise.
Neena inhaled the aroma that emanated from the pan and took a deep breath. The aroma of cumin interspersed with butter transported her back to the modest kitchen in her native village. She could picture her father standing in the kitchen wearing his white crisp kurta as he made delectable concoctions for his only daughter.
Neena grew up in a home where both her parents worked together in tandem to keep the house up and running. She had a blissful childhood in her modest two-room house. The house was small but every nook and cranny gave her memories of a lifetime. Neena’s young heart imagined that her life would follow the same cheerful course. But how wrong she was!
When she was sixteen, the catastrophic clutches of destiny snatched away her parents. They passed away in a road accident and Neena was devastated. Relatives thronged her now gloomy house and soon it was decided that she should be married off.
Women today don’t want to be in a partnership that complicates their lives further. They need an equal partner with whom they can figure out life as a team, playing by each other’s strengths.
We all are familiar with that one annoying aunty who is more interested in our marital status than in the dessert counter at a wedding. But these aunties have somehow become obsolete now. Now they are replaced by men we have in our lives. Friends, family, and even work colleagues. It’s the men who are worried about why we are not saying yes to one among their clans. What is wrong with us? Aren’t we scared of dying alone? Like them?
A recent interaction with a guy friend of mine turned sour when he lectured me about how I would regret not getting married at the right time. He lectured that every event in our lives needs to be completed within a certain timeframe set by society else we are doomed. I wasn’t angry. I was just disappointed to realize that annoying aunties are rapidly doubling in our society. And they don’t just appear at weddings or family functions anymore. They are everywhere. They are the real pandemic.
Let’s examine this a little closer.
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