GreenLivingZone.com

A Green Essay

By Karen Ann Teeters

Consciously do creative things

How do you create a balanced, simplified life? Consciously do creative things for the mind, take care of your body with wise eating choices and fitness activities, and connect to spirit by honoring all living things. This is what we call creating balance while being mindful of mind, body and spirit.

Changes were gradual

Now, I’m not saying that my life looks like this but this is the vision that I hold for myself and that I work towards creating. When I had my “aha” moment more than fifteen years ago, I realized I wanted a more fulfilling, simplified life but of course things did not change overnight. The books by Elaine St. James on simplifying came into my life and made a profound impact. But the changes were gradual.

Many people are awakening and are looking to the mind, body spirit balance. It is hard in our materialistic society where many things related to success are external. It is going against the norm to find happiness and life purpose by going internal.

“I just want peace of mind.”

In my days as a corporate salesperson, it was not unusual during an interview for a new position to actually hear the emphasis from the interviewer with questions about how much you valued material things. They hired salespeople that thrived on more-more things, more money. That is just a symptom of our society. More things make us “more happy” until they don’t. Then we find ourselves saying things like, “I just want peace of mind.” That was me.

“Why do we all need so much stuff?”

Before I started on my path I had challenges. I was making good money and that was fine in my twenties and early thirties. The early forties mid life stage hit and helped to change my philosophy. I no longer “believed” in what I was selling. I looked around me and asked myself,”Why do we all need so much stuff?” Maintaining it, cleaning it, storing it all takes so much time!

But, like many of us, I was used to good money. To change while you are obligated to a certain lifestyle is hard! I did find a more fulfilling position. The money was less but I enjoyed what I was selling and the pleasant environment of a publishing company. Since I was more relaxed, I found more time to create my simplified life.

Happily self employed

Now I find myself happily self-employed as a marketing manager supporting my husband’s art and writing talents and I find myself writing as well. We live in a beautiful community in a wooded area and we love the large canopy of trees in our backyard. The squirrels and birds love it as much as we do. We also share our lives with two cats and a beagle. Letting my beagle, Spudz walk me when he needs to helps with my peace of mind and forces me to get out in nature when I am tempted to overwork on a project.

Healthy choices

Being selective with my time with meaningful activities and true friends gives value to my choices and I do not say yes to everything and everyone anymore. Making healthy eating choices and buying more organic and less processed foods helps me to feel better and make less trips to the doctor. Making less trips to the mall and really thinking about purchases and buying used when possible all contributes to a smaller footprint on planet earth. All these changes took years to accomplish and I am still learning, reading, experiencing what works for today. My husband Scott and I have gone through some tough financial times and we are still being creative and frugal but it has been worth it.

People who truly make a difference

With a new simplified life, you value who you are and what you do more. You focus on energy to do what you love. So you choose to eat better and exercise. When you love what you do, you value time and spend it with people who truly make a difference and spiritually uplift you. When you honor your creative self, you create the time to think, to read, to honor the higher self, the all that is. The mind, body, spirit balance becomes second nature when you have the intent to create it. And material stuff has less meaning.

Steps to simplify everyday life

In the very beginning of my path, I discovered a classic book on the simple living subject called Living the Simple Life, by Elaine St. James. She shares practical  steps to simplify everyday life. She is as an example of a busy professional who evolved into her happy self-employed state with more time to do what she loves. As a writer who helps others to simplify, she has downsized the fast tracked lifestyle and upgraded to personal satisfaction! She gives us hope when she advises, “ do not fall into the trap of thinking that if you’re not now doing what you love to do, it’s too late to figure it out.” She continues, “…everything I did previously prepared me for what I’m doing now. And what I’m doing now is no doubt preparing me for whatever I may do differently in the future.” Those words rang true for me when I first read them and still do.

Programs to prepare you to simplify your life

There are many programs to prepare you to simplify your life. Changing from the inside out can involve counseling, spiritual work, classes, 12 step programs, personal growth workshops and more. What you need  will come to you for that is the universal law of attraction. Your true potential could lay dormant in you your whole life if you chose. Or you could answer the call and follow your bliss. Help the other timid souls with your shining example of living the extraordinary life by honoring your mind, body and spirit.

Time to decide…Choose the simple life that works for you.

Decide what career choice matches with your values and passion. Decide what to do with your free time and with whom to spend it. Decide where to live and what to buy and what you need. Less stuff usually works better. Once you have fewer things to manage, you have the time to think about what you really want. Look at your spiritual beliefs and read about other cultures’ understandings of the big questions in life.Take your time. Choose the simple life that works for you.

[Karen Ann Teeters is an online entrepreneur and writer who lives with her husband, Scott in Medford, NJ. They create blogs and websites concerning today's political environment and sustainable, simple living.]

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What is your idea of how you can simplify your life? What steps have you taken? What books have been most helpful?