Getting back to basics

As I try hard these days to down-size my life, getting rid of that which I don’t need and cutting back on way too many activities, I’ve noticed something interesting.  For every one thing I give up, two people ask me to do something else!  Although I want to do anything and everything to make the world a better place, my priority right now is my daughter’s health.  And, for that matter, making sure that her sister doesn’t get overlooked in all this diabetes rigmarole that we have going on!

Getting back to basics has been very appealing to me lately as a result.  In giving away lots of ‘stuff’ over the past month to Goodwill, I have made room for the items that didn’t get ‘cut’.  I found pieces of clothing I hadn’t worn in a long time so it was like I had a bunch of new stuff for my wardrobe.   And I have more time in the mornings now because I have less fashion choices to make.

 By de-cluttering, I was able to make room for fresh flowers and a few really pretty plants. I want living things around me all the time now.  And I can find everything - I know where every item is in my kitchen and in my pantry.  No more playing the guessing game when it comes to dinner. I have a plan for each week and I know what’s on hand and what I need to buy.  No more 6:00 p.m. stress at our house!

Interestingly, by keeping it simple, my life has become much richer.  I have more time and I’m much more relaxed.  And so are my kids - less stress for me means less stress for them too.  Since I’ve learned to say no, we aren’t always rushing out the door for an appointment, a practice or a meeting. I’ve also learned to accept only freelance jobs that interest me like the articles I am writing about kids with Type I diabetes for Mahalo.  If someone needs an article about the benefits of a catalytic converter, they’ll have to find another writer!  I’m much too not-busy to take that on right now.