Keeping Life Simple

In all the hustle and bustle in the world these days, “keeping life simple” is sometimes an impossible task.  With both parents working today, if there are two parents, kids activities and pressure to succeed, cell phones, material possessions and their upkeep, and all of the other things that seem to make life more complicated than ever.

But does life really have to be complicated or is it you that makes it that way?  Yes there are bills to pay and we must always strive to be the best parents we can be.  But does all of the other stuff make us better or put more stress in our life?  Now I’m not saying that we should all chuck our cell phones and live in a cabin in the woods.  Cell phones have become a necessity for our safety and that of our children.

As modern people, we strive for more.  More money to buy more things.  There is nothing wrong with striving to be better, but is our strive for more misdirected?  We should always strive to be better human beings, constantly learning and improving who we are.

This has nothing to do with taking jobs or promotions that we don’t enjoy just to make more money to buy a bigger house and more stuff.  In doing that, we promote our own misery and in doing what we don’t enjoy and try to pacify it with material possessions.

Stop for a moment and look at your situation.  Are you happy in what you do?  Do you have a career with no possibility of change because you have developed a lifestyle of bills and payments that absorbs the pay you currently make?

Even if you are happy in your career, does all of the material possessions and the bigger house really make you happy?  Do you even have time to enjoy it?

If so, you are not alone and it is certainly not a permanent situation.  The first thing you have to do is sit down and write down your situation.  What are you doing now for a career?  What do you want to do, regardless of the pay.

Do you have a monthly/weekly budget?  You should make one.  Where does your money go?  You should know this, almost down to the dollar.  Really examine where your money goes.  Take a look at the gym membership that you rarely go to.  All the gadgets and gizmos that require accessories to make them better.

Those are only minor dents to the budget.  What about that big house that requires extra furniture to fill it, increased upkeep, and the increased heating and electrical bills.  The new bigger and better automobile.  Do you really need all of that stuff?  Does it really make your life happier?

We can learn quite a bit from our dogs, especially the small dogs that live in our home. They are quite content with just being with us. No need for all of the extra stuff. Give them food and people and they are content.