Living simply has given me a clearer sense of purpose. Each morning, I wake up knowing I've pared my life down to the essentials and designed a lifestyle around my goals, as well as the people and experiences that matter most to me.
But while it has all been purposeful, until a few weeks ago, I would also wake up feeling anxious and overwhelmed. I'd describe it as a feeling of being behind, behind on all of the tasks on my plate and my long-term ambitions.
While I had found happiness in spending my time on the most important things, I was no longer doing them in the right way.
I was intentionally dedicating my time to my day job, my side hustles, my friends, my family, my physical health, and my mental development, but it all became too much.
I was leaving little space for rest and reflection. My mind and body were yearning for a sense of calm and the space to slow down and live in the present moment.
I was so focused on the excitement that comes with removing the excess in my life and filling my time with the people, things, and experiences that bring me joy, that I began to spread myself too thin.
Fortunately, as part of living simply, my mental clarity also manifested as a reminder to reserve space for stillness.
I believe this lifestyle challenged me to reflect on my obsession with being productive. I've uncovered that my anxiety was a symptom of always trying to maximize my time, even when I was focused on what was essential.
Upon reflection, I've since reprioritized the most important things in my life to create space each day to rest my mind and body. I've also made time to do nothing, a practice that had previously been difficult for me.
Over the past few weeks, I've begun to take walks without my phone and spend time lying on my couch listening to beautiful instrumental music. These are two activities I had formerly only done while multitasking.
I am now making the conscious choice to check in with myself on a daily basis. As part of maintaining my minimalist lifestyle, I am prioritizing daily mindful practices for rest and recovery.
I've learned that living simply not only provides me with the space to live with intention, but also encourages me to reflect and hold myself accountable for how I use my time.
Now, when I wake up each morning, I am creating the space to live more in the present moment, slow down, and be still.
I no longer feel behind.