by John G Thomas

Created on: July 11, 2011

We would all love to believe that we are fully in control of our lives, but just how aware are we of all the excess baggage and belongings that clutter up our lives over the years?

The key to simplifying your life is awareness. More awareness means more control. Everyone wants to be in the driving seat right?

Simplifying your lifestyle, is one of the most liberating and life affirming gifts that you could bestow upon yourself. With less distractions and less burdens to worry about, you can concentrate and focus your energy on achieving your goals and creating the life that you want, rather than one based on the outcome of a cluttered and complicated lifestyle.

The first step to becoming aware and simplifying your lifestyle may seem a little less proactive than you would expect, but it is key to getting the simplicity ball rolling. You need to stop. Do nothing. Take a short holiday away from distractions and outside influences. It does not matter where you go, as long as you have a quiet place to think and reflect. Taking a step back is the only way to successfully view your lifestyle from a distance and pinpoint the changes that are needed to get your life on track and heading in the direction you want.

Once you have become aware of the things you would like to change, you can begin to act upon them.

Below we will take a look at some of the areas that people like to simplify to gain control and improve their lives.

Decluttering unused and excess personal belongings is a great step in simplifying your lifestyle. The old saying “ What you own starts to own you,” really is true. Simplifying your home will help you feel lighter and less burdened. Take it one room at a time. Start at the door and move round in one direction. This way the process has direction and feels less stressful and over whelming. Take your time and be thorough. Be ruthless and get rid of any items that you have not used in the last three months.  Remember that this is not wasteful as many unwanted items can be re-homed or donated to charity.

Create a personal budget to monitor your finances. Keep a track of everything you buy for a month. At the end of the month, look over the list and see how many items were necessary and how many were spare of the moment purchases. You will be surprised at how simplifying your spending habits will have a positive impact on your over all finances.
Diet. Simplifying your diet will not only help you to lose weight and feel healthy, it will save

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