I used to be a wound-up, shell of a human buried under stress, anxiety, frustration, and a mile-long to-do list. I didn’t understand my purpose in life, but I desperately wanted to. And I spent every waking hour not just trying to figure out how to get unstuck in life, but worrying that I wouldn’t.
I continued to add to my workload, though, assuming that if I tried to do and be all of the things, I’d eventually stumble upon whatever God put me on this planet to do.
Until one random Saturday, in the midst of a closet clean out, I wondered: If decluttering my closet brings me this much peace and joy, would decluttering my life do the same?
At this point, I was working a full time job while testing different side hustles. I couldn’t deny my entrepreneurial spirit, and I was working to find my purpose within life and business. I was also trying to eat healthier, hit the gym 5+ days a week, maintain a social life, and make my hubs and family happy, too.
Needless to say, my life felt incredibly overwhelming. If I needed more of anything, it was most definitely more peace and joy. So I decided to test my hypothesis.
Slowly but surely, I decluttered everything – my physical environment, mind, career, and even my social calendar. And I kept going until my life felt manageable.
Finally, after years of searching I figured out how to get unstuck in life; The “secret sauce”, if you will. And it’s this simple…
Create a simple lifestyle.
Here’s why simple living worked for me and how it could work for you, too.
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1. Simple living helps you reconnect to your authentic self.
As mentioned, when I decided to simplify my life I reevaluated everything from my possessions to my time. And in this process, I discovered that I had been doing a lot of things that weren’t really “me” – like spending frivolously, saying “yes” to everything, and completely overworking.
The truth is, I’m an incredibly simple person at heart. I like clean, tidy spaces. I prefer capsule wardrobe clothing. I’d take a quiet backyard barbecue over a crazy night at the bar 100% of the time. And I plan to drive my Honda SUV until it won’t, lol.
This clarity reconnected me to my authentic self. And since I had experienced what living in opposition to her felt like for so long (helloooo regularly scheduled emotional breakdowns), it gave me the confidence to accept and embrace her.
What are you buying that you don’t really need? What are you saying “yes” to that you don’t really care about? Audit your life. Declutter it, and as you do, keep asking yourself “why?”. And be honest with yourself.
Rid yourself of the thoughts, habits, relationships, etc. that you know are keeping you from living your best life. In doing so, your authentic self will eventually be set free.
2. Simple living helps you to figure out your priorities.
Reconnecting to my authentic self revealed some false narratives I had been feeding myself for years. For example, I would tell myself things like:
- “You’re a complete failure because you haven’t figured out your life yet!” (BTW, in this I was assuming other people had.)
- “If you don’t buy this or do that, you’re not going to fit in with your peers.”
- “You could solve all of your problems, AND those of your family members, if you worked a little longer and harder!”
Have you said any of these things to yourself? Or maybe something similar?
Negative self talk, comparison games, and unnecessary pressures can make you lose sight of your personal priorities and values. They can cause you to pursue someone else’s purpose rather than your own.
But since simple living requires you to question your thoughts, habits, behaviors, belongings, etc., it eventually uncovers your priorities and values – whether they’re truly yours or not.
It’s important to know either way, as your priorities and values are key elements in getting unstuck.
I’ll dig deeper into this in a second, but to confirm and/or realign your priorities and values, I highly recommend you read The Joy of Missing Out by Tonya Dalton. It will help you to ensure that the life your living is centered around what’s most important TO YOU.
3. Simple living helps you to clarify your life path.
Because simple living unveils your personal priorities and values, it also provides a path forward.
Remember when I said that knowing your priorities and values are key elements in getting unstuck? It’s because they can serve as a “north star”, guiding your personal and professional decisions.
This is a concept I learned from The Joy of Missing Out, and it is so incredibly impactful. Basically, you let your priorities and values show you where to spend your time, energy, and focus – your most valuable assets, in my opinion. Any task, obligation, etc. that doesn’t align with the life you want to lead – or person you want to be – gets tossed out the window!
I’m telling you, this will make every aspect of your life easier (decisions, scheduling, etc.), focused, and a heck of a lot more meaningful.
4. Simple living helps to propel you forward (even if you don’t have it all figured out).
Today, I’m still a work in progress. But I’m unstuck.
Simple living helped me to see, and allowed me to create, a meaningful way forward. So onward I go, one little baby step at a time.
While I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to say definitively what my purpose is in the moment, I believe it’s the sum of these baby steps that will become my purpose. I actually think that’s the case for all of us.
Our purpose is not a destination, it’s a journey. It’s about who we are, not where we end up.
So live your life in alignment with your north star and move confidently forward. You won’t have all the answers, but at least you’ll get unstuck.
All that being said, if you’ve been wondering how to get unstuck, I hope you find relief in knowing that you’re not alone. I also hope that you use my story and simple living tips to get through this season. It’s a tough one, but a temporary one. You can do it!
For more simple living benefits, check out: The 8 Amazing Tips of a Simple Lifestyle
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading. Do your best today!
Xo,
