stop and smell the roses

I have decided that I am taking up where Ponce de Leon left off - I am after the fountain of youth, that elixir of life, the best kept secret to mankind:  Serenity.  Ponce had it wrong; it’s not in the water (believe me; I’ve tried it.)  It’s simplifying your life, finding peace and enjoying the gifts that God has given you. 

How?  I’m so glad you asked.

Here are a few steps to simplify your life:

1. Purge - You heard me; purge. Purge and then purge some more. Get rid of all of the things that you really don’t need. What? You don’t have anything?  Ha! Check your closet. Odds are you haven’t worn half the shoes; there are purses that were only used once, twice max, and those clothes that you plan to wear as soon as you lose some weight… Purge. Move them out.  Don’t buy storage boxes. That’s for suckers.  Purge, purge, purge. While your at it, you may as well make some extra money and have a garage sale.

2. Goals - You have to have a goal in life. This is non-negotiable. What are some of your goals? To move to the country and grow your own vegetables?  Ok, that one’s mine. Travel the world? Live debt free? Take a couple of years off and write the next American novel? Ok, still all mine. But, whatever your goal is, write it down.  Stick it everywhere and anywhere. That way, when you start to get off track, you can remind yourself what you are really working the 40+ hours a week for. You don’t get out of debt by wishing it. You get out of debt by living with a purpose.

3. Look around - Stop and smell the roses. Find the pleasures in whatever you are doing. Life isn’t easy but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it. Someone who finds the good in people, their job and life live longer and get the last laugh.

4. Turn the TV off - I am beginning to think this is some weird, mind control experiment from the government. They get us hooked on shows (ER, So You Think You Can Dance, Grey’s Anatomy, etc) where other people are living their lives and we are the spectators. Go out and live; no one gets to the end of their life with TV regrets. Instead, if there are regrets, it’s about what they wish they would have done. As my mom would say: “Turn the TV off and go outside and play.”