__________________________________________________________________ Making Lives Simpler Practical News and Tips for Living the Life You Truly Desire __________________________________________________________________ May 2001 Volume 5 Issue 3 __________________________________________________________________ IN THIS ISSUE: I. Being a Good Steward II. 5 Quick Tips for Better Stewardship III. 5 of Their Tips IV. In the News V. References _____________________________________ I. BEING A GOOD STEWARD Part of simplifying our lives is being a good steward of all that we currently possess. That means not only our body and our health, but our chosen material possessions as well. Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary defines "stewardship" as "the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care." To me, that means truly appreciating and taking care of what we do have. It also means letting go, consciously and with grace, those things in our lives which we no longer need, and not having a need to accumulate more "things" in order to be happy. My husband and I moved into our present home a few years ago. The previous owner, or steward, didn't give it the care it really deserved, and it took much of our energy to bring it back to its present condition. For example, in repairing our house, my husband and I had to fix numerous electrical problems including the replacement of several light fixtures. We didn't want the old fixtures to just end up in a landfill. Instead, we did some research to find a party who could use them. It can be a balancing act, the simplicity of just throwing things away versus finding a good home for them. And as time went on, and the repairs went on, we realized that we were presented with this situation so that we could lovingly care for this beautiful house and land. Now the property looks great and even our fruit trees, which originally were not very productive, are now extremely abundant. Dedicating some of our energy to appreciating and caring for our property is a conscious choice we make on a daily basis. Appreciating and taking loving care of our possessions can be a natural extension of a slower-paced, more conscious life. It's a lot easier when we pare down our belongings and surround ourselves with only those things we love and use. It's tremendously liberating to re-evaluate our possessions from time to time, repairing or replacing and releasing the rest. Perhaps you could dedicate some time in the next few weeks to begin a period of cleaning up and clearing out. It's a processes that can reap big rewards in how you feel and how smoothly your life runs. Remember, it doesn't have to be a major project. Just do a little at a time. Also use this project as a tool for grounding yourself and awakening a fuller appreciation of the things you love that are entrusted to your care. All of us have different needs for order. Some people need an immaculate home with nothing out of place while others function quite well with a more relaxed standard. For me, I've noticed that when my property and possessions are clean, orderly and in good working order, I have more energy and time to spend doing the other things I love to do. Linda __________________________________ II. 5 QUICK TIPS FOR BETTER STEWARDSHIP 1. Appreciate EVERYTHING. Appreciation is a potent tool for happiness. Even if you hope to change something, like your car, home, or wardrobe, you can still appreciate the way it is now. And don't stop there. Appreciate a flower, a friend, your skin, indoor plumbing, the Internet, you name it. 2. Make a "to do" list of things in your home you need to mend or replace. Start at the front door and work clockwise through your home. Extend the list to your car, garage, yard or other property. Keep that list handy and schedule a couple of items per week to fix, replace or let go over the next few months. 4. Choose one possession that does mean something to you. Then, carefully and deliberately, so you can enjoy the process and the end result, wash it, clean it, polish it, mend it, fix it, or refinish it. Do whatever it takes to bring it back into your full appreciation. Then put it in its special place. 3. Clear clutter consciously. If you have a lot of clutter, start with one small area such as one drawer or your medicine cabinet. Set a timer for 15 minutes, and then remove all the contents. Take each item in your hand and ask yourself, "Have I used this within the past year? Does it lift my spirits? Is it something I truly love?" If the answer is yes, put it back into its own place. If the answer is "no," out it goes. 5. Whatever tasks you choose, let them be a meditation that can keep your attention in the present. Afterwards, step back and take a look at your accomplishment. Your possession is warmed from the attention, and if you check inside, your heart may be too. __________________________________ III. 5 OF THEIR TIPS "A place for everything and everything in its place." - Mrs. Beeton, from The Book of Household Management (1861) "When eating fruit, think of the person who planted the tree." - Vietnamese proverb "Where the heart is willing it will find a thousand ways, but where it is unwilling it will find a thousand excuses." - Dayak Proverb (Borneo) "The cost of a thing is that amount of life which must be exchanged for it." - Henry David Thoreau "It's good to have money and the things that money can buy, but it's good, too, to check up once in a while and make sure you haven't lost the things that money can't buy." - George Lucas Lorimer ________________________________________ IV. REFERENCES To find more resources or to order these go to http://www.simplifylife.com/reference.html Unclutter Your Home, 7 Simple Steps 700 Tips and Ideas by Donna Smallin (Room 8 - Additional References of Interest http://simplifylife.com/readmore.html) "Learn how to eliminate unnecessary belongings without guilt or regret. Contain clutter with simple, inexpensive storage ideas. Read how you can get family members to participate. I even included some Internet resources for you!" -Donna Smallin Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui by Karen Kingston (Room 8 - Additional References of Interest http://simplifylife.com/readmore.html) "Kingston reminds us that clutter is stuck energy that keeps you stuck in undesirable life patterns. Therefore, you can 'sort out your life by sorting out your junk.'" - Amazon.com. And according to one of my Simplify Life clients, this is hands down the best and most motivating book on clutter clearing. Speed Cleaning by Jeff Campbell and the Clean Team Staff (Room 8 - Additional References of Interest http://simplifylife.com/readmore.html) "Clean your entire house in 42 minutes with the Clean Team's unbeatable system that makes every move count." - from the publisher. A great collection of timesaving tips, and it's fun to read. This team has also written "Spring Cleaning," "Clutter Control: Putting Your Home on a Diet," and "Good as New." ________________________________________ V. IN THE NEWS In "Shape Magazine's" May 2001 issue, they highlighted one of my most favorite tips for having fun. That quote and other recent articles are available on my website in "In the News" at http://www.simplifylife.com/info.html _________________________________________ MORE ABOUT "MAKING LIVES SIMPLER" Linda Manassee Buell is a full-time Personal and Business Coach, and author of the audio tape, "Simplify Your Life, 7 Simple Strategies for Doing What You Love to Do." She has also recently revised her helpful eBooklet, "Simplify Your Life: 101 Ways to Create the Life You'll Love." To order your personal copy by check or credit card, just go to http://www.simplifylife.com and click on Shop the Store. Anyone is welcome to subscribe to "Making Lives Simpler." To subscribe or un-subscribe, send an e-mail to requests@lists.webvalence.com with "subscribe MakingLivesSimpler" or "unsubscribe MakingLivesSimpler" as the subject. (Be sure there aren't any spaces between the words MakingLivesSimpler.) This mailing list is confidential and will not be sold, traded, or bartered. Linda's e-mail address: Linda@simplifylife.com Linda's Website: http://www.simplifylife.com "Making Lives Simpler" (c) 2001 Simplify Life All Rights Reserved