Keep Life Simple

This week during my gentle stretch yoga class, our instructor quietly talked to us about keeping things simple. She said “let everything go that will not matter in five days or five months.” Brandy reminded us that such worries do not even warrant five minutes of our time. Her words were so poignant that I have been reflecting on them all week.

It sounds easy to keep life simple, but I find life gets very complicated. Maybe I actually do this to myself. For example, I often feel overextended because I have scheduled too much in a given week. My intentions are good and I hope to do all the things that I have planned, but I start to feel stressed especially if I have one or two bad Parkinson’s days. I notice that when I feel stress, my body responds with more intense and more frequent symptoms. When this happens, I feel even more stress because I have to cancel or postpone activities and events. So what is the answer?

First, I think it is important to not overbook my schedule even if the plans are for fun. Everything I do since having Parkinson’s requires more time. Getting dressed takes me twice as long as it used to especially if there are buttons, snaps or zippers involved. Drying my hair is a balancing act with tremors. Holding a blow dryer in one hand while brushing with another requires more coordination than juggling. Applying make-up too quickly results in my face looking like a clown, just not as funny. Since each of these steps requires more time and attention, I have to allow more time so I do not feel rushed and stressed before I even get in the car.

Secondly, keeping life simple means uncluttering the mind. This is what our yoga instructor was highlighting for us. When my brain is trying to file the day’s events while also accommodating to worrying about all kinds of things, it goes into overload and I feel overwhelmed. Worrying seems to be such a part of being human, but it is such a major obstacle to keeping life simple. How do I stop the worrying and unclutter the mind?

I think it is important to remember that most of the things I worry about will resolve themselves without my intervention. I cannot fix everything just because I want to make things better. As the mother of adult children, I have learned to “butt out” unless I am asked to help. I still worry, but I try to let go of the “helicopter” role of parenting and remind myself that they are grownup and will solve their own problems. (Full disclosure- this is easier said than done!)

Another method for keeping life simple is living in the present instead of dwelling on the past and projecting into the future. (See my previous post, Be Present, for tips on doing this.) This strategy takes discipline. I constantly remind myself to focus on the here and now and let the future just happen. It helps me to remember God is with me always and will be there tomorrow and beyond. I feel the relief in my mind and body when I let go and stop worrying.

Finally, I try to remember that life is a journey and improving it takes time and effort, but is worth it. So slow down, enjoy the moment and keep it simple.