My 5 Point Simplicity Outline

January 22, 2009

I wish I could say that I was always as blissfully serene as I am today. For a long time my life was completely chaotic and exhausting. But after a few personal tragedies and several years of dedicated philosophical study, I can honestly say that now… I am. I live. I breathe. I enjoy.

Now my challenge is no longer to find happiness, but to maintain it. Obstacles to inner peace are always trying to slither their way back into my life. Maintaining lasting happiness, and helping others find theirs, is my primary goal. Therefore, I have developed a little routine to help me focus my efforts on a daily basis. In essence, it is an outline for a simple, contented life.

Monday through Thursday my day goes as follows:

1. Morning Ritual

This part is key, because it sets the tone for the rest of the day. I wake up, have Costa Rican coffee, check my email, and make the bed. I am not OCD at all (anymore), but I find that just making the bed makes most of the room feel clean and organized. I like to start my day with a little order, a blank slate.

2. Inevitable Duties

Some people have a job to go to; I home-school my son. From the time we start, until our classes are done, this task gets 100% of my attention. If someone calls during this time, I just let it go to voicemail. Some days we finish fairly quickly, others drag on into the afternoon; but I stay present until we are done. It’s usually a lot of fun!

3. Necessary Chores

Let me stress that I mean only those chores that are absolutely necessary on that day. I may need to wash or iron clothes for my husband’s business trip, or pay some bills, or deal with a cat litter situation. Some things just have to be done on specific days; the rest can wait.

4. Hobbies and Interests

In the afternoons, the girl next door comes over to play with my son. During this time he has absolutely no use for me, so I focus on my interests. I brew my favorite Oolong tea; I read, write in my journal, blog, work in the garden, and perhaps (yes, I admit it) watch some TV.

5. Evening Ritual

This is family time. I make dinner, read to my son, and wash the dishes we used that day (if the sink is fairly full). When I can, I try to leave the kitchen cleaned up so as to start the next day with a new blank slate. It makes the coffee taste better, too!

Friday we don’t home school, so I do some of my “maintenance” chores; I vacuum, pick up clutter, and do laundry. The rest of the day is about the same.

Saturday I buy my groceries for the week, and schedule a visit with family or friends. Did I mention I don’t have a car? We’ve been a one-car family since 2004, even when we lived in Costa Rica and Austin. So this is the day I get to use the car, and I try to make the most of it.

Sunday is completely unscheduled; the three of us spend time together.

This Simplicity Outline may seem a little boring at first glance. But, since I have carefully crafted my “necessary” activities around the things I most enjoy, there’s really nothing else I’d rather be doing. I also make sure to have ample leisure time every day so we can each have an opportunity to do whatever we want. We travel any time we can, and get out in nature as often as possible.

Try it! Think of the things you most enjoy, and the things you absolutely have to do; then flesh out your own 5 Point Simplicity Outline. Stay true to who you really are, and keep it simple. I expect you will find it soothing for your life to flow in predictable cycles, like everything else in nature. Or, you can come up with any routine that works for you. For some interesting examples, look here.

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Posted in about me, balance, serenity, simplicity