If life has taught me anything it is the more chaos in my world the more stress. So I have tried to adopt the philosophy of keeping things simple. As with most philosophical ideologies saying it and doing it are quite different. For example, my husband and I enjoy the company of good friends and family and often invite them to our home for some food, conversation and laughs. When the time comes for their arrival, I frequently feel that a day of work and preparation has left us too tired to enjoy our company. Since I want to continue having people, I have made a huge concession by keeping entertainment as simple as possible I have learned to keep the house neat most of the time so that it is not a mad rush on the day we entertain. This is much easier to do since we have downsized our home and got rid of stuff. I also try to keep most surfaces free of clutter. It is a challenge but it is well worth the effort. Also, I have enjoyed the ability to host without hours of shopping and preparing gourmet meals. Many times we simply order something and supplement it with salad and dessert. I think the world would be a better place if we spent more time enjoying each other and less time worrying about how things look. My husband is far better at this than I am, but I am evolving. This is not to say that I will ever be ok with serving milk from the original plastic container, but I know longer bring out my Mom’s crystal milk pitcher except for holiday dinners. (I mean there is a limit!)
The bottom line is find what brings you joy and identify what brings you anx. Keeping life simple for me means increasing the joy part and reducing the anxiety part. It really is that simple!!!!
Illustration: Pinterest/Kim Allen
