I'm finding there is one word I'm drawn to lately. It's a bit ironic because there were days in my past where that was the last thing on my mind.
Oh, I have stories to tell about where I've been, and what I've done. I have stories to tell about maximizing my impact, multi-tasking, optimizing my schedule, doubling my impact, etc.
But you know where it all got me and how I got to my happy word?
I got fat, sick, tired, empty, worn out, shellshocked, and emotionally negative. I got too devastated to spend time with God trying to regroup.
And over a ten-year period, yes, while I was growing kids and a business, I found I was spending my most impactful time nurturing that little girl inside ME who realized I had forgotten myself. I had rationalized focusing outward while I was melting inside. I had to spend some time repairing.
What's the word I found while I was fixing myself? That's what it was, people. Don't read too much into it. God has definitely been at the core, but I had to consent to participate. I'll talk about that!
SIMPLICITY.
Questioning why I do things, or what the anticipated impact is of a desired action.
Questioning the importance or validity of that desired action.
Questioning the need for running a rat race.
Questioning the need for stuff that was keeping me running.
Questioning why the prototypical Joneses cared what I did. (My sister-in-love and her family have the last name of Jones. I have to be careful! She matters to me so much. I'm not referring to her.)
Questioning...IS THERE ANOTHER WAY?
Now, it was a lot of work to get where we did. I'm an open book. I'm happy to talk about all of it.
But, now that I'm living in simplicity, I LOOK for it. And I find it's easier to shed basal desires for sh-tuff as I really dial into loving and living a life I can live. I'm loving living a life I decided on, rather than someone else. I'm loving being able to sleep at night and knowing how to deal with the cares of this world. That has led to better sleep for me.
I'll go over that in this blog. For now, I'm feeling compelled to share with you my definition of simplicity.
Webster's defines "simplicity" as either "the state of being simple, uncomplicated, or uncompounded; freedom of pretense or guile (aka 'candor')."
I especially relate to the very last word in the definition. To me, it relates to being consistent in every fiber of my being and throwing out that which does not conform, to be guileless.
I'm leaving you with two verses to ponder that have been instrumental for me in this whole process.
First, Hebrews 12:1, which reads:
"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us..." (NASB)
and
James 1:6-8, which shares how when we ask of God we must be consistent in our inner being.
I think there's so much to unpack here that I will cover in this blog over weeks and months rather than right here in one post.
Simplicity for me is about abandoning that which really doesn't fit me. It means being willing to let go of expectations, needs, parameters, paradigms, the "status quo" just to fit in, especially if it just adds heavy loads to my back. It means only doing or being about those things which truly matter, and are about my mission.
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