Editor's note: This is a guest post by Courtney Carver. Courtney writes about simplifying and living life on purpose at Be More with Less.
You likely make hundreds and thousands of choices a day, but choosing to change is the most powerful one of all. Some of your choices are made without great thought. Snooze button or off button? Toast or Oatmeal? Check email or pick up the phone? Drive thru or drive home? (or take your bike!)
Like it or not, every choice you make, creates the life you live. Even when things happen to you and your life, your choice in how you deal with it determines the outcome. Since you only get to live your life one time, make your choices count.
Small Change - Big Difference
- Choosing to bring your own bags to the grocery store
- Choosing an apple over a bag of chips
- Choosing a walk over TV time
- Choosing an earlier bedtime
- Choosing a kind word over an eye roll
Big Change - Big Difference
- Choosing to live on a budget
- Choosing to slow down instead of doing it all
- Choosing to love instead of judge
- Choosing to vote with your dollars
- Choosing to act instead of wish
Living your life with intention and purpose will bring awareness that your everyday choices matter to you, and to the world. You can change everything from your diet to your bank balance. Most importantly, you can choose to change and live more simply, regardless of circumstance.
Sometimes, when we are overwhelmed with the reality of day to day life, we feel stuck. Often that overwhelmed feeling comes from excess. Too many meetings, too much debt, too many emails to check, too much work to do, too much clutter around the house all stand in the way of a real life. We may also get flustered by too little savings, sleep, overall health and clarity.
When you make the choice to change and live simply, you are rewarded immediately with peace of mind. The simpler you make your life, the easier it will be to make a change. Things don't always happen right away, but by making the choice to change, you fill your life with hope instead of uncertainty, optimism instead of doom. That hope and optimism will inspire your journey as you move from where you are to where you want to be.
Think about this: Choose less to create more.
Less Clutter = More Space
Less Obligation = More Time
Less Spending = More Saving
Less Crazy = More Focus
Less Complaining = More Happiness
Less Fear = More Anticipation
Less Doing = More Being
I know what your thinking. How can I change? I've been doing things this way my whole life. Here it comes, the not so big advice. Just start. Take a step towards the life you want to create. If you want to be a world traveler, work on fitting your wardrobe into a suitcase and donate what doesn't fit. If you want to teach Yoga, research teacher training programs in your area and commit to getting on your mat every day. Yes! Even if you don't have the money. Yes! Even if you promised to do 50 other things. Even if you can't see the finish line, just start.
Once you make the choice to change, the choice to live with awareness and purpose, all of your other decisions will support your choice. For instance, If you decide to choose to live by the beach, you might start by checking out coastal real estate. From there you will clear your debt and start saving. You might start walking every day knowing that you will be spending a lot of time in a bathing suit. You might even take a paddle board lesson so you feel more connected to your new life. By the time you find your space on the beach, you will be ready for that lifestyle, and the whole time you were preparing for the big change, you were living your life better than you were before.
After you declare your change, and just start, then connect with like minded people. Surround yourself with people who will support you and lift you up. Be inspired and then be inspiring.