My Year of Simple

"Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated." Confucius

Lists, piles, papers. Thoughts bouncing here and there, ideas, things to remember all swirly around in my head. Projects, artwork, books to read and things to put away. Post-holiday clutter, e-mails, photos, clothes, groceries. Stuff to buy, stuff to organize, stuff to clean and stuff to manage.

All this "stuff" is part of life and it can get really crazy if we sit back and let it control us. Well I don't want that to happen anymore because all these things have made me feel so cluttered, full, distracted and tired. I don't want to lose the vibrancy of life, but rather savor it and enjoy it. I no longer want to clutter it with unnecessary things. Too many options, too much complexity, societal expecations, marketing gimmicks and material possessions have only taken me further away from me and the life I want to lead.

So I proclaim 2017 to be: My Year of Simple.

Heres the plan:

• Gently stroll through the different aspects of my life and simplify them.

• Purge anything that is weighing me down (physically or mentally).

• Organize the things I choose to keep so I can easily access and use them.

• Think carefully about the things I choose to buy, rather than reaching for the cheapest or most convenient.

• Support quality products and ingredients as much as I can.

• Try my best to do one thing at a time, rather than bouncing from one thing to another, leaving a trail of unfinished tasks.

• Do more things like my Grandmother would have: read, write, walk, knit and cook from scratch.

Throughout the year, I will be making these steps to lead a more simple life. I have a lot to learn and a lot to let go of, but I think it'll only lead to good. I plan to capture the journey as I go, so if you'd like to follow along, please sign up here to get updates and together, let's reclaim a simple and succulent life again!