Simplify life 2.0

We were created to live amazing and purpose filled lives!

I find this thought quite exciting.

AND….

We live at a time in history where anything is possible!

We have so many opportunities at our fingertips these days, and while this is wonderful, it can be a little overwhelming. There always seems to be a lot happening, and a lot that needs to be done.

As a result of this overwhelming busyness, I am becoming more and more aware of our need for quite times. The need for complete quietness –  No background noise, no television, no social media, no computer or phone, just time to sit, think and reflect.  A chance to process the happenings of life.  A chance to listen to that soft inner voice.   How can we hear that quite inner voice when the television or our social media sites are yelling at us.   It isn’t easy to get this quite time with all that happens in a household of four kids, but I am definitely trying to make it a regular priority.

An amazing and purpose filled life doesn’t necessary mean that we have something on every day or every night of the week, or every weekend.   To me, it means that I am doing what my soul longs for.  Enjoying life with immediate, extended family and friends is very important, but there is something to be said for those times when we stop, and just listen to that quite still voice.

I have discovered the more I do it, the better I feel in myself.

Over the last few years of writing Mischieviousmum.com, I have done a lot of chatting about the importance of simplifying our lives.   Decluttering our homes and meal planning are not only therapeutic, but also helps us financially.  Occassionally, I do our grocery shopping online because it can be done at any time of the day or night as long as I am organised with knowing what I need ahead of time.

There are many other ways to simplify our lives, but today, I wanted to tell you about a skill I have been working on perfecting over the last couple of months.  ‘Bullet journalling’!

I always feel I have 100 or so thoughts rumbling around my head, and I used to just do a brain dump of all of these rumblings – which helped, but I was still frustrated because I didn’t feel like I really achieved anything but yet another ‘to do’ list.

And then I discovered the concept of  ‘Bullet Journalling’.

Bullet journalling has helped me order my thoughts, which helps me feel calmer in myself.  This is why I have added it to my list of ways to simplify my life.

So how does Bullet journalling work?

Basically, in a nutshell, you make lists with headings or categories.

For example, as a mum of four kids, I have a category for each child.  Under the child’s name, if there is anything I need to remember for that child, for example, Pick Ames up from band practice.   I also have that piece of information in my calendar on my phone as I need to do that at a particular day at a particular time.

My mum has a category on my list as well.   It might have an appointment time, or something I need to go and help mum with, or just go and have a chat.

Other categories I use on a daily, weekly or monthly basis….depends on how you want to work it.

• Meals for the week/month
• Shopping list
• Date ideas
• Bills to pay this month
• upcoming birthdays
• Fun things to consider doing
• Upcoming events
• Birthday ideas for family members
• Jobs we need to do around the house
• Bucket list
• Movies I want to see
• Appointments to make
• Books I want to read
• Things I must get done today/this week/this month
• Fun with Friends
• Fun with Family
• Homeschooling requirements – assessments due
• Miscellaneous
• Blog post ideas

Once you have figured out your categories, you then put all the details in under each category.

I can’t tell you how great it is to have a method of getting all the rumblings swirling around my mind out onto paper in a concise, easy to understand method.  It’s hard to have a simple, no stressed life when you feel your mind has been overtaken by the busyness of life.

Bullet journalling helps me work out the logistics of what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, if I can chunk certain things together, and so on.   It has really helped me become more organised in my life, less stressed, and much happier overall.   I used to think that living life by the skin of my pants worked well, but really it did not.   I hated scheduling things and I feel as though I paid a price for living life like this.  My husband didn’t like and did not understand my methods for dealing with issues that arose.   I was very reactionary.   The New me, the me that bullet journals and schedules,  responds to issues that come up, instead of arriving at issues in a total flap.

I believe that we need to learn skills to help us in our goals.  If I want to simplify my life, I need to create systems in which I can actually live the simplified life.  The goal is peacefulness and happiness. Bliss!  I have found sitting down and spending 5 to 10 minutes on a regular basis helpful.

While we may not be able to control everything or everyone in our lives, we are responsible for how we respond to life’s challenges.  I love what Gretchen Rubin says, 

Inner calm is incredibly important to me, so between bullet journalling, and making time to stop and listen to that soft still voice, I am trying to bring as much outer order into line.

I really do love hearing how others simplify their lives.   Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments.