Your Mindset Matters Most
Your Journey to Simplicity Won't Go Far Without It
Photo by magicalstock.art
As we shift into October, and change our focus from digital clutter to schedule clutter in The Simplified Year Rhythm, we truly shift into a mindset-heavy month. And while “nobody pays for mindset work anymore” has become a pervasive belief in the self-development industry, it is still the foundation of every big transformation you’ll make in your life. As Tony Robbins says: “Change your mind, change your life.”
Whether you’re paying for it, using free information online, or struggling through it alone, it’s got to be done. My belief is you can absolutely do it alone, but it’s hard, slow, and painful. You can absolutely find pretty much any type of information online for free - but you can’t always rely on the source, and might try a lot of “dud” methods before you find what works. Even paying for it is iffy - how do you know that the person you’re paying knows what they’re talking about, for sure? So I get the resistance.
If you vet your sources though, paying for support (when you’re able) is a shortcut to your goals, dreams, hopes and desires, and I for one love to be given seemingly magical shortcuts to where I want to be - learning only what’s needed without the fluff, or having a solution I would’ve struggled to find for years, in minutes. The beauty of it is that the knowledge industry has grown so much, you can find paid support at any price range.
Why am I talking about this? Well, this month I’ll have plenty of free posts coming your way, but I also have a pre-built set of posts that are the structure and foundation of October’s portion of The Simplified Year Rhythm, included in my paid subscription, which is a low-priced option for support to declutter and simplify your life. And, the posts this month are tied into the course I built called Simplify Your Schedule Kickstarter, which is included in the Founding Member level of my subscription.
All levels of support, different price points, and no matter what - some mindset transformation, which will change your life if you’re ready for it. And you can vet me through my testimonials or go look at the publication; I know what I’m talking about, and I’ve been at it for a decade. I don’t do calls anymore because of the stage of life I’m at with my kids, but you can also message me to ask questions about how I work and the options I have available.
No matter which way you go, I hope you spend the time with me this month to transform your life. It will be so worth it.
Embracing a Simplicity Mindset
In today's fast-paced world, the allure of busyness often overshadows the simple joys of life. We’re shown it so constantly that we believe it to be normal - hustle, hurry, run! But it’s not normal, and it’s not healthy. Slowing down and simplifying isn’t always easy though, either. The world expects us to move it, but we can and must choose for ourselves, and create the life we actually want.
Having a simplicity mindset encourages us to shift our focus from doing more to being more present: fostering deeper connections with those we love, becoming intentional about the trajectory of our lives, and loving our lives now, instead of someday.
'I am a human being, not a human doing.'
Kurt Vonnegut
Consider an overwhelmed mom, constantly juggling commitments and striving to appear as the perfect homemaker, volunteer, and caretaker of tiny humans. Her busyness, though well-intentioned, creates a disconnect with her children, leading to a cycle of frustration and guilt.
It’s incredibly important to recognize when our actions, though seemingly productive, may be counterproductive to our true priorities.
This note (reproduced below as a quote) happened across my feed (written by
) at the same moment as I was writing this part of the post - yes, back in August - and I couldn’t not share it because that was some epic universal timing.What a wonderful example of choosing intention and being, over doing:
“My 7 year old son spent ten full minutes today crouched on the pavement, watching an ant carry a crumb. To him, it was not an insect; it was a hero on an epic journey. He narrated the entire thing.
“Meanwhile, I was thinking about the shopping list, the email I forgot to send, and the fact we were already five minutes late. My world was a frantic to-do list; his was a single, magnificent ant.
“He reminded me that we’re all born with a sense of wonder. We just get it trained out of us by schedules and responsibilities.
“Sometimes, the most important thing you can do is stop and join your kid on the pavement, even if it makes you late. The emails can wait. The ant cannot.
With love,
Salwa”
Having a simplicity mindset is about choosing to keep things simple, prioritizing meaningful interactions over endless tasks… and learning to say no. As we acknowledge the cycle of busyness and its impact, we can begin to make conscious choices that align with our values. This shift allows us to be emotionally and mentally available to our children and other loved ones, nurturing their own trust and self-worth, and keeping our lives on track to arrive where we want them to be headed. It takes practice and determination, and training your mindset to change through repetition. And it’s worth it.
Practical Suggestions for Creating a Simplicity Mindset:
Commitment Statements: Crafting personal commitments, such as giving your undivided attention to your children at certain times, scheduling regular family time, or allotting a certain amount of time each week to learning a new skill, can help reinforce the Simplicity Mindset. Get clear on what you want, and then dedicate yourself to it. You can write a statement to yourself, tell your family out loud and/or by posting a schedule at home, or sign up for something you’ve been saying you need or want to accomplish so that you’re committed to actually achieving it.
Prioritizing Presence: Recognize that being physically present isn't enough; emotional availability and mental focus on the situation at hand is key to building lasting bonds and memories. Multi-tasking is never as effective or productive as a ‘one-thing-at-a-time’ mentality.
Self-Care and Balance: Simplifying isn't just about cutting back on tasks, to-do lists, and material possessions; it's about ensuring you have the energy and presence to engage meaningfully with your loved ones and the other priorities in your life, as well as the time to ‘fill your own cup’.
Embracing and building a Simplicity Mindset is a journey of intentional living, where the focus shifts from external validation to internal fulfillment. By prioritizing what truly matters, we create a nurturing environment for our children and ourselves, and finally start living the life we’ve always dreamed of living ‘someday’.
This month in The Simplified Year, we’re focused on simplifying your schedule, so that you have the white space on your calendar to build that life right away. And week one is all about having this mindset of simplicity. We’re deep diving into it in part one of October’s focus.
Subscribe today to explore more ways to simplify and enrich your life, and to access the full Simplified Year Rhythm archive and framework.
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