March 6, 2007

Top Ten Reasons Why Less Is More   "Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated," said Confucius.    Isn't that the truth?    In our quest for material things we often complicate our lives so much that we lose sight of the grandeur of our being.  What would it be like to live with less?   The top ten reasons why less is more:   You make room for the "new" to enter your life when you remove the excess that crowds your life. "New" does not mean new stuff. "New" is expansive.  New opportunities now have room to appear. Your energy will increase because stuff drains you.  You will have less to worry about.  No more sleepless nights worrying about how to pay your credit card debt for all the material goods you bought (and which lost their appeal shortly after they were purchased).  Less allows you to be "present" in the moment.  You enjoy "being" rather than "having". It eliminates the complexity of your life.  Upkeep of all your stuff takes time, money, and energy.  Keeping track of all your to-dos is an endless task. You will have more time to do what you want to do and not what you have to do to keep up with all your stuff. Less gives you more peace of mind. Less gives you greater clarity into what is meaningful for you and your life. You have more to invest in yourself when you remove the excess.   If your life is mumble jumbled with all sorts of material things and tasks ask yourself what needs to go.  Pare down your to-do list, sell off or donate your unwanted goods, and stop complicating your life by adding more.   You will find that life's riches and abundance are found in simplicity.  Peace, happiness, and balance have more of an opportunity to appear in your life.  Live with less so that you can have MORE.        "Be content with what you have, rejoice in the way things are.  When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you."  Lao Tzu   "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."  Leonardo DaVinci   "The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak."  Hans Hofmann   "Simplicity is making the journey of this life with just baggage enough."             Charles Dudley Warner        When we gutted the kitchen I removed all my kitchen "stuff" from the cabinets, placed them in boxes, and took them to the basement.  I did keep the essentials, as we turned the family room into a mini kitchen and cooked with a hot plate, the microwave, and the toaster oven.  Well, the kitchen has been finished for several weeks (except for a few odds and ends) and I've just now started to restock the cabinets.   That can mean two things.  1) I don't cook much.  Not true. OR  2) I have too much "stuff".  True.    I have five muffin/cupcake tins and three smaller ones and I haven't made muffins in years!  I've got silverware galore (but can't find my everyday ones I packed away somewhere), baking dishes, casseroles, and kitchen gadgets enough for three kitchens.  I have enough coffee mugs and dishes to open a diner.  So, I've begun to sort through it all, dividing it into piles for my children (they will need some for their apartments), charity, and throw away.    Now I have a beautiful new kitchen with some empty cabinet space and I love it.    Yes, less is more!   Have a fantastic week and keep it simple.   Stephanie   P.S.  Save the date!  If you are in the St. Louis area (or want to fly in) I will be speaking on "7 Steps to Implanting Balance Into Your Life" Thursday evening March 22 at the St. Louis Marriott West.  The event is sponsored by Nobel Biocare and 2 CE credits will be given.  There is no charge, but you must register. Call 1-800-322-5001.  See you there!          We grow by "word-of-email" so please feel free to forward this newsletter to anyone whom you think might benefit from and enjoy it. Thanks so much! Contact Us: stephanie@7steps2abalancedlife.com