Keepin' it Simple

Today, December 27, I have taken all my Christmas decorations down, packed them all away and hucked the tree out the front door.  A bit Grinch-ish, perhaps?  Yes.  Probably more than a bit but I'm OK with that.  I love the feel of the house after we take everything down:  open, airy, clean...simple.  Simple is my own personal montra.  It's my style.  It's my sanity.  When the rest of my life is overwhelming and work is piling up, it helps to have a house that is clutter-free, pretty well organized and SIMPLE.

See, I'm the type of person that really can't sit down and relax until the sink is empty and the washer is running.  I like having a basket of laundry to fold or a quilt to stitch while we watch TV.  I set the kitchen table before I go to bed because it helps me relax knowing I'm prepared for the morning.  I know, I know...you should try living me.  It drives my husband batty sometimes.  So, simplicity keeps me sane and allows me to relax, because without it...well, I'm sure I would be wound about 3 clicks too tight all day long. 

But my simplicity thought process goes far beyond my house.  I've always been a t-shirt and jeans kind of girl so it's safe to say that my fashion sense is, well, simple.  There are times that I think I should try new things, wear something I normally wouldn't, but usually, I just feel like I'm acting when I do that.  I'm not going to re-invent myself at age 37.  Keep it simple and simple can be beautiful.

One area I'm trying to work simplicity into is fitness.  I will admit to being a sucker for exercise equipment & techy things.  I have the nike+ system for my iPhone to track my mileage and pace (when I get out and run), I have the wii Fitness Plus game & balance board  (side note:  I don't appreciate the sound the the board makes when I step on it:   a condescending "Oohh..."  But I digress....), we have the Active 2 sensors for the wii and all kinds of resistance bands, weights and gadgets.  But I've come to realize that all I need are my shoes.  Keep it simple, Amy!  Go out and walk or run.  I make it harder than it needs to be and it's not rocket surgery.  It's not about training for a flippin' marathon, it's about getting outside and moving my body.   I don't have to throw out sugar and red meat...just find moderation.  Simple.

There's another part of keeping things simple...being able to say No.  I don't have to serve on every Parent's Club committee or sit on the soccer club's board of directors to be an awesome parent.  There was a time when every volunteer activity I did looked like this:  volunteer (to look like a good mom), forget about it with all the other activities going on, remember it 2 days before it's deadline, work thru every spare moment to get it done, hating every minute of it.  Ugh.  When my husband asked me why I kept volunteering for things I didn't even like doing, I thought to myself: 'Huh...he's kinda smart'.  To be honest, I was just doing it to keep up appearances and look like what I had mistakenly thought a good mom looked like.  When I decided to only pick one or two activities or committees to be involved in per year, life got much better and much easier.  Sometimes, simplicity means not caring what other people may think of you or your choices.

So, as I look at 2011 looming ahead of me, my goals all revolve around simplifying my life as much as possible.  Because when 'stuff' isn't in the way, it's alot easier to see the things that are important and that's where my focus should be.  Plus, I figure life is gonna happen whether we are ready for what the Lord throws at us or not.  If we're all amped up about things, it's not going to help us get through it or see what it is we're supposed to be learning from the situation.  Keep it simple, roll with the punches, admit your mistakes and move on....