Have you ever stopped to think about how the things in your life effect the quality of your life? How those things impact your goals, purpose and direction? I've recently made a new friend and she and I have shared many insights on our lives in general and in the short time I have known her I've learned a lot. In short she is an ambitious woman that I totally admire (and quite frankly adore). She is grounded, knows what she wants out of life and has clear plans as to how she will achieve her goals.
Soon after we met she invited me to her house. It's a nice home, beautiful and simple. One of the first things I noticed was the fact that it was very minimalist in terms of decor and furniture. There are a few quilts that she has made on her walls. A sofa in the living room. A simple dining table and 4 chairs in her dining area. Each room is open, simple, and uncluttered with intention. There are not many nick-nacks, unused items or stuff in general just lying around. Most everything has a need or purpose and that's the way she likes it. She tells me that in her life she has decided to unclutter it to focus on her needs, goals and career. She has eliminated things that once took up a lot of her time and energy to free up not only her time but her mind. For example she used to be involved in show dogs. She would travel around going to dog shows, grooming her dogs, training them, and showing them at different events. She said she enjoyed it but it was very time consuming as well as expensive. When she decided to reorder her life it was one of the first things she decided needed to go. Basically she has decided to simplify her life so that she can focus more on the things that are most important to her, keep her direction and reach her goals.
My new friend has inspired me to step back and look at my life. She has made me want to be a better person, a better man with focus and direction. She makes me want to reach my full potential, reach my goals and keep setting new ones. So I'm stepping back and starting to examine my life. I ask myself, what do I waste my time on daily that I could eliminate to free up not only more time but more mental energy? One glaring thing that hit me right between the eyes was FaceBook. Yeah, I know, how can a person survive without FaceBook right? After all we are social animals and have a need to stay connected to other humans. How will I know when my friend Debbie goes on vacation to Florida? How will I know when my friend David's son graduates college? Honestly, do I really need to know? Almost never has anyone really posted anything on FaceBook that I really need to know, I've found that FaceBook really has taken up way too much of my time over the years with the extraneous facts and events in the lives of people that honestly I barely know. And on the other hand do my friends really need to know about the various events in my life? Do they really care or need to know if I'm heading out on a camping trip, eating dinner at my sister's house or working on another woodworking project? Not really. Most of what people publish on FaceBook is merely a curiosity to us all. Time that I spend browsing and posting could be put to better use pursuing my own endeavors and goals. I need to follow my friend's example and declutter my own life, free up some of my own energy and put myself on a new path of personal achievement. I have a lot to do, many goals to aim for and a new direction to follow. I want to work on my writing, my fitness and developing my brand as a personal trainer and health coach. So I've decided to take a 1 year hiatus from FaceBook. At first it almost feels a little lonely but on the other hand it also feels liberating! This is only the first step, in the days and weeks to come I have more things to eliminate from my life so that I'll have more time and energy to dedicate to me and my life and ambitions. My friend and I are growing closer, our friendship is taking on a special energy and it is actually a positive force in my life. While some people hold you down others are a positive force that build you up and she is such a person. As our relationship grows I become a stronger and better person. I encourage you to consider the things in your own life that consume too much your time and energy. Is it a person? A hobby? Social media? What can you eliminate in your own life that will allow you to focus your inner resources to better yourself? Letting go can be difficult but if it means a better you, reaching your goals, then the effort will be worth it.
