31 Days of Simplicity
Meditations to Help You Live With Greater Joy and Serenity
Candy Paull
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Smashwords edition
Copyright ©2010 by Candy Paull
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*****
Candy Paull’s writing is the readable equivalent of Earl Grey tea, steeped in a pot, and served in your grandmother's china. That is: it warms you through and through.
Victoria Moran, bestselling author of Creating a Charmed Life
There is a great gift when we realize that the journey of life is guided by our willingness to believe in ourselves and know that with God, all things are possible. This kind of abundance cannot be measured, only celebrated. Candy Paull’s wonderful words of wisdom will remind you of a simple yet profound truth: The journey to claim your abundance begins within.
Rev. Donna Michael, recording artist, forgiveness coach, speaker
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Introduction
God always takes the simplest way.
Albert Einstein
Choosing simplicity leads to a life of freedom, peace, and serenity. 31 Days of Simplicity: Meditations to Help You Live With Greater Joy and Serenity offers a month of practical advice to help you clear both outer and inner clutter, encouraging you to order your priorities around what matters most. Outward actions like cleaning your home, making do with less, and delighting in small things are balanced with inner choices that help you remember what is most important and meaningful to you.
The beginnings of a simpler life are less about impressive acts and more about small choices. Each choice is like a seed planted in mind and heart, body and soul. Choosing silence over media distraction, emphasizing loving relationships above monetary calculations, and becoming a contributor to life instead of being merely a consumer are all ways you can create a simpler life you truly love.
There is a sweet, slow sanity at the center of your being, an inner simplicity that is spacious and open. May these meditations help you make more room in your life for the joys of simple living and simply being alive.
Whenever a mind is simple, it is able to receive divine wisdom; old things pass away;
it lives now and absorbs past and future into the present hour.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
It is a spiritual thing to comprehend what simplicity means.
Frank Lloyd Wright
I have a simple philosophy. Fill what’s empty. Empty what’s full. Scratch where it itches.
Alice Roosevelt Longworth
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#1
Practice Spiritual Simplicity
The simplicity of paring down, cleaning out, and clearing clutter in your physical life can be a reflection of an inner simplicity that is deeply rooted in the sacredness of life itself. This inner spiritual simplicity can be described as a childlike faith in the One who created you and who is with you every single day of your life.
Resting in the greatness and grace of the Divine Presence frees you to make more elegant choices that can transform your life from one of anxiety and chaos to a life filled with an abundance of joy and peace. Focus on the essentials and all else will fall into place.
The serene silent beauty of a holy life is the most powerful influence in the world, next to the might of the Spirit of God.
Blaise Pascal
• Write a statement of intention to gain insight into the spiritual qualities you want to cultivate in your life. Make a list of priorities for simplifying your life based on your vision of what you want to create.
#2
Organize Your Day
It sounds simple and obvious to say that organizing your day can make things less stressful. But how many times have you missed an appointment or been late for a deadline because you were disorganized and let the day get away from you?
Take the time first thing in the morning—or last thing the night before—to plan your day. Make a to-do list and prioritize your actions. Don’t forget to include time for prayer and meditation, for they center you and help you keep your priorities straight. You’ll discover that being organized liberates you, freeing you to focus on the things that are most important to you.
Order means light and peace, inward liberty and free command over oneself; order is power.
Henri Frederic Amiel
• Buy a personal calendar/organizer and use it for appointments, record keeping, and daily goals.
#3
Know When Enough Is Enough
“Buy this!” “You won’t be complete unless you own this!” “You need this!” The seductive voices of the consumer society urge you to overspend. But what use is a house full of things you don’t enjoy and never use? Did you really need another pair of shoes or the latest electronic gadget?
Learn to know when enough is enough. Instead of buying more things or stuffing your personal schedule with too many activities, simplify your life. Enjoy what you already own. Pare down your schedule so you can spend more time with loved ones and with God. A little moderation can bring great contentment.
I have the greatest of all riches: that of not desiring them.
Eleanora Duse
• Choose to have a “fast” on buying things for a week. See how simple you can make your life.
#4
Be a Creator, Not a Consumer
You have a unique contribution to offer, even though the world may try to convince you otherwise. Your choices are important. Choosing a simpler life means that you put more of your energies into creating instead of consuming. Rather than being defined by what you own, you define yourself by acts of mercy and kindness, and by becoming the person you were meant to be.
Live creatively by nurturing your gifts and talents. Instead of consuming the world’s resources, seek to contribute to the good of all. Trust that you will be guided as you learn to reflect the spirit of creativity in your world.
God has given each of us our “marching orders.” Our purpose here on Earth is to find those orders and carry them out. Those orders acknowledge our special gifts.
Søren Kierkegaard
• Nurture your creative spirit by learning a new skill or enhancing a skill you already have. For example: take guitar lessons, learn a new language.
#5
Acquire Experiences Instead of Things
Things can be wonderful, but they break, wear out, and clutter your home. Life is precious and fleeting, so value it and feed your spirit by putting things second and life experience first. Choosing to invest in life experiences instead of acquiring more things enriches your soul and expands your horizons.
When you want some fun, seek adventure and an experience of life. Instead of heading for the mall, use your imagination. Go to a science museum or an art gallery. Take a drive down a country road and see where it leads you. Invest in workshops, seminars, and classes that offer skills and insight.
We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all that we need to make us really happy is something to be enthusiastic about.
Charles Kingsley
• Plan your next vacation around enjoying an adventure in an exciting new location instead of merely lounging by the pool or shopping in tourist traps.
#6
Delight in Small Things
Life is made up of little things. Big events like births, graduations, weddings, and other milestones of life are important, but the greatest percentage of life is lived in the daily round. Take delight in the small gifts life offers every day.
When you open your eyes in the morning, be fully aware of how good the bed feels. Enjoy the simple pleasures of the day—a friend’s laughter, sun breaking through the clouds, a favorite song on the radio, or a lover’s kiss. Just before you go to sleep, think about the small delights of your day and give thanks for them.
It isn’t the big pleasures that count the most; it’s making a great deal out of the little ones.
Jean Webster
• Keep a daily gratitude journal. At the end of each day, list five things you are grateful for.
#7
Stick to the Basics
Childhood emphasizes the basics: Pick up your toys. Wash behind your ears. Play nicely together. Your life as an adult got more complicated and acquisitive. Now it’s time to get back to the basics by moving beyond the more-means-happiness myth. Make your life less complex and cluttered so you can enjoy a more authentic life.
Ask yourself how you can live more simply and meaningfully. Enjoy the delights of a simple bowl of oatmeal or a handful of fresh green grapes instead of expensive prepackaged meals. Make meditation a daily practice. Organize your household, plan ahead, clear clutter, and be kind to yourself and to others—these are some of the basics you always need to practice.
If my heart can be pure and simple like that of a child, I think there probably can be no greater happiness than this.
Kitaro Nishida
• Evaluate your possessions and activities. Decide what you need to eliminate so you are free to focus on what’s most essential and meaningful to you.
#8
Transform Your Relationship to Money
Instead of allowing money to control you, transform your relationship to money by seeing it as a force you can control. Respect money instead of fearing it. Educate yourself about money matters: debt and interest, savings, investing, budgets, spread sheets, taxes, etc. You’ll make better decisions when you understand how money works.
Money is a form of energy. Decide how you can use that energy to serve your highest values. Make life easier by paying bills promptly and on time. Honor your obligations and take care of business. Part of choosing a simple lifestyle is learning to make better decisions concerning money.
The price of anything is the amount of life you pay for it.
Henry David Thoreau
• As an act of faith in God’s abundant supply, tithe a portion of your income first. Start with ten percent and plan to grow in your giving.
#9
Enjoy Frugal Extravagances
It doesn’t take much to make life feel abundant and rich. A simple thing like a pair of new socks, fresh flowers, or a season ticket in the nosebleed section can make the simple life feel extravagantly luxurious with little outlay of cash.
Enjoy frugal extravagances: Herbal bath salts for soaking tired muscles. A pint of fresh raspberries for dessert. New underwear that makes you feel good underneath your clothing. A subscription to a favorite magazine. Taking delight in such small luxuries keeps you from feeling deprived. Then you’ll be less inclined to exceed your budget or binge on expensive or wasteful extravagances.
Not what we have, but what we enjoy, constitutes our abundance.
J. Petit-Senn
• Indulge in the frugal extravagance of time to do something you want—or to do nothing. Enjoy extra quiet time in outdoors or celebrating with loved ones.
#10
Focus on One Thing at a Time
If you find yourself constantly putting out fires and scattering your energies, take control of your day by focusing on one thing at a time instead of trying to do everything at once. Your mind works best when you are free to concentrate fully on the task at hand, creating a sense of ease in your work.
You’ll accomplish more, even if you don’t get all the way through your list of things to do. At the end of the day, surrender any unfinished business to Divine grace and release all anxiety and guilt. Know that you did your best; that tomorrow’s another day.
Real generosity toward the future consists in giving all to what is present.
Albert Camus
• Make a priority list for today’s work: must do, less important, things that can wait. Focus on doing the most important tasks first, one task at a time.
#11
Cultivate Inner Peace
The spiritual journey leads to emancipation from fear. A mind occupied with fear is a great obstacle standing between you and the abundant life you were created for. Learning to cultivate inner peace is one way of dealing with fear, helping you become more receptive to the grace and provision that already exists and open to new resources and wisdom.
Begin by noticing the small fears that control you—fears of being criticized, rejection, or failing. Now consciously take those fears and offer them to God. Focus your mind on the Divine Light instead of your fears. Visualize those fears dissolving in the light of healing love. Rest within the peace that passes understanding.
A man with outward courage dares to die.
A man with inward courage dares to live.
Lao-Tzu
• Make a list of the fears that are weighing on your mind. Write an affirmation for each one. Visualize the outcome you desire and thank God that it is already so.
#12
Give Something Away
Scarcity thinking will make you want to clutch tight to everything you own. The flow of abundance runs on a different energy—that of generosity and a sense of plenitude. Giving something away renews this spirit of abundance within you.
Everything you have is a gift from God. Everything you give away is a gift to God. Are you a cheerful and generous giver? You can start small and simply. Clean out a closet. Give a plant from your garden. Give your time to a favorite charity. Best of all, give the gift of your best self to everyone you meet.
The fragrance always remains in the hand that gives the rose.
Mahatma Gandhi
• Clean out your closet and give clothes you no longer use to a friend or to a favorite charity.
#13
Fret Not, Fear Not
You can fritter away your energy with complaints and anxious thoughts. When you are fretful and worried, you become like a cranky child, imagining worst case scenarios and disaster scenes around every corner.
Fear has been described as an acronym: False Expectations Appearing Real, but most of those expectations never become reality. Replace them with the energy of faith and optimism. Trust in the big God who loves to give you the wonderful gifts of the kingdom. Worry and fear are about the future, but faith is a choice you make right now. Strengthen your faith by exercising it today.
Fear means you are Forgetting Every Available Resource.
Bo Gyllenpalm
• Just for today, replace every negative or fretful comment with a phrase of faith and optimism.
#14
Say “Yes” by Saying “No”
Some people have trouble saying “no.” They’ll say yes to everything and everybody until they can’t call their lives their own. They feel they can’t say “no” because they’re afraid it’s too “selfish” or too “mean.” After all, doesn’t serving God mean serving everybody else, too?
“No” is a very important word for your vocabulary. “No” can help you sort priorities so that your time and energy is used for the highest purposes instead of being drained away by unthinking need. Honor what is important to you by being willing to say “no” to requests that do not honor your highest purpose.
We design our lives through the power of our choices. We feel most helpless when we’ve made choices by default, when we haven’t designed our own lives on our own.
Richard Bach
• List ten things you would love to do “if you only had the time.” Make an appointment with yourself and do one of them.
#15
Drop Perfectionism
It’s one thing to love excellence. It’s another thing to drive yourself crazy attempting to be perfect. You may tell yourself “Nobody’s perfect.” Do you really believe that? Or do you keep picking at yourself for not meeting your own exacting standards? If you’re too hard on yourself, it’s more than likely you’ll be hard on others, as well.
Perfectionism is another way of trying control life. But life is much larger than your limited ideas of what should be. Drop the baggage of unmet expectations and open yourself to the serendipities of life. Allow the divine perfection of grace to surprise you.
Striving for excellence motivates you; striving for perfection is demoralizing.
Dr. Harriet Braker
• Celebrate the grace of “imperfection”: A clumsy puppy. Weather-beaten wood. Antiques worn by time. A small child with an ice cream cone.
#16
Do What Makes Your Heart Sing
You have more energy and joy when you do what makes your heart sing. You go through life with ease and grace instead of struggling with frustration when you invest your energy in what you love. When something makes your heart sing, it is often God’s way of getting your attention to show you what you were meant to do with your life.
This heartfelt way of living is worlds apart from dry drudgery or frantic fearfulness. A gifted musician loves the music, an athlete the sport, a teacher the learning. When you let love lead the way, you allow grace and Divine right action to support your endeavors.
Everyone should carefully observe which way his heart draws him, and then choose that way with all his strength.
Jewish Proverb
• Give yourself permission to enjoy a better quality life by investing time and energy in something—or someone—you love.
#17
Keep Paper in its Place
Does it sometimes feel like a blizzard has landed on your desk? If you are constantly digging through papers to find what you need, simplify your search by organizing your papers and creating a filing system that works for you.
Begin by sorting papers in order of importance. Invest in filing systems or organizers that help you tame that paper tiger. Have a place for everything, and keep up with your “to file” box. Be ruthless in eliminating papers you no longer need. When you keep paper in its place, you have control over it instead of it controlling you.
Once mastered, you will consider organizing to be an incredibly cleansing and empowering process—an exhilarating way of freeing yourself up and maintaining a steady life course in a complex world.
Julie Morgenstern
• Set aside a box or basket for newspapers to recycle. Donate old magazines to medical offices or nursing homes, or use them for creating treasure map collages.
#18
Clear Your Schedule for a Day
When you’re healthy and able to keep your commitments, having a whole day for yourself seems like an impossible extravagance. Yet if you became sick and unable to meet your obligations, you have no choice but to clear your schedule. Consider making some breathing space in your schedule before you get sick and worn out.
Give yourself the gift of one whole day off to rest, recuperate, and tend to your soul. Nurturing your inner life helps you order your outer life and restores your energy. Consider this day away as an utterly necessary appointment to become still in God’s presence, reconnecting to the Source of all your good.
I learned the interior of life was as rich as the exterior life, and that my richest moments occurred when I was absolutely still.
Richard Bode
• If you have family obligations and need help, trade childcare or home help with a friend and give him or her a much needed day off, too.
#19
Create a Barter Network
Your friend is super with plumbing and you’ve got a stopped up toilet. He loves your apple pie, so you trade pie for his plumbing services. You’re a whiz at computers, and your computer-phobic buddy has a software problem. You’d love to have her help at next week’s yard sale, so you strike a deal that pleases both parties.
You don’t always have to pay full price for goods and services. Consider the art of the trade, and pool your resources to help each other out. A barter network could save you money and headaches—and create a network of friendly support for all concerned.
A thing is worth precisely what it can do for you; not what you choose to pay for it.
John Ruskin
• Brainstorm with others and create a list of friends with skills and friends with needs. See how you can match them up creatively.
#20
Clean House
Cleaning house is like cleansing and ordering your life. You can ignore clutter, but it is still a distraction, like a squeaky wheel or dripping faucet. Conquer clutter with a mop, broom, and duster, and create an oasis of restful cleanliness and order in your home. Things seem to run more smoothly when the house is freshly cleaned and the atmosphere is lightened by your elbow grease.
Use your house cleaning time to put your thoughts in order, too. There is something about repetitive work that allows the mind to think more clearly and cleaning house can be symbolic of other cleansing and ordering in your life.
An hour’s industry will do more to produce cheerfulness, suppress evil humors, and retrieve your affairs than a month’s moaning.
Benjamin Franklin
• If you don’t have time to do a thorough housecleaning, concentrate on one room and get it cleaned, aired, and in order.
#21
Tell Your Truth
Remember the peer pressures of adolescence? People would do anything to fit in with the crowd. Even as an adult, it’s a game that’s all too easy to play. What a relief it is to take off the mask of conformity and admit who you really are inside.
Make your life simpler by choosing authenticity over conformity. Trust your heart’s wisdom and be brave enough to stand up for what you believe. Instead of working so hard to be who you think others want you to be, relax and be yourself. God will honor your honesty and you’ll feel better about yourself.
We all know that to sit on how we’re feeling, and to not be able to be who we are in the world, is intrinsically less satisfying than being who we are.
Michael Lerner
• Start with an inner truth inventory: have you been avoiding a truth you don’t want to admit to yourself? Ask God to give you wisdom on this issue.
#22
Emphasize Style Over Fashion
Fashion dates you, but style is timeless. Fashion is the mini-skirt or the mohawk you sported in high school, the trendy look that may be eye catching but feels uncomfortable. Style is the way you approach life as an adult. Instead of cluttering your closet with clothes that are here today and nowhere tomorrow, enjoy a few classic pieces that take you through the years.
Style is about simplicity and being comfortable in your own skin. The man or woman of style doesn’t need to impress. Style is who you are, not just what you wear. Let your style come from the inner person who loves life and enjoys timeless beauty, not current trends.
Fashion fades. Only style remains.
Coco Chanel
• The next time you go shopping, choose well-made classic clothes that you’ll enjoy for years instead of trendy items that will be outdated next season.
#23
Clear Emotional Clutter
Just as clearing clutter in your living space calms and soothes the soul, so clearing emotional clutter helps you live life more freely from the heart. Emotional clutter includes the ego agendas that trip you up in your relationships. When you are feeling overwhelmed by life, God wants to be your comfort. Anxiety eats away at your energy and makes you less able to cope with the challenges and problems life presents.
When a low grade worry is niggling at your brain, or an unnamed fear tugs at your emotions, it’s time to take your cares to God instead of trying to carry them by yourself. As you allow the Divine Presence to clear your emotional clutter, you’ll begin to experience more of the sweet serenity that comes from releasing that which no longer serves you.
He who knows others is wise;
He who knows himself is enlightened.
Lao Tzu
• When you are hurting, take your emotions of fear, anger, anxiety, and frustration to God. Write your prayers and feelings in a journal.
#24
Simplify Your Surroundings
One particularly effective way to make your life simpler is to clear your living space of clutter, creating an atmosphere of peaceful calm instead of chaos and disorder. As you clean and clear, decide what you want to keep and where you want to keep it. Invest in good storage. There are clever, inexpensive storage alternatives available.
Simple surroundings take advantage of clean lines and natural beauty. Instead of a welter of small knicknacks, consider replacing them with an elegant bonsai plant or a single treasured antique artistically displayed. Timeless simplicity soothes the spirit, creating an oasis of calm in a busy life.
We shape our dwellings, and afterwards our dwellings shape us.
Sir Winston Churchill
• Follow these simple guidelines for keeping clutter under control: If you take it out, put it back. If you open it up, close it. If you throw it down, pick it up.