Do you ever feel like life is just too complicated?

I see so many women who feel ragged, run down, and just plain exhausted. I’ve been there plenty of times myself. But it also pains me to see these women not living their best life.

What’s getting in your way of loving your life and reaching your goals?

What’s in the way of thriving and not just surviving?

I think there are a few things that keep us in the status quo.

Full schedules

Do you feel like you are constantly on the go?

I’ve had a full schedule before and I hated it. I was exhausted and run down. I felt like I had no time for myself or just to rest.

What can you eliminate from your schedule?

Here are some ideas:

• Have kids only do 1 extracurricular at a time
• Try to have one day a week to stay home
• Only keep activities that align with your priorities in this season

No Clear Priorities

One major way to simplify your life is to be crystal clear on your priorities for the season you’re in. The number of priorities should probably be around 5. For example, my priorities right now include:

• Relationship with God
• Motherhood
• Marriage & Family
• Home
• Business

If something doesn’t line up with one of those priorities, it’s probably something I need to say no to. If I were to say yes, it would definitely add more busyness and complication to my life – and that’s something I definitely don’t need!

Too Many Distractions

Many of us have far too many things distracting us from living the life we’re meant to. Clutter, full schedules, social media, and so much more fight for our attention each day.

So what can we do to get rid of some distractions?

I think the solution is to set boundaries.

We can limit our time on social media  – I like to use the kill newsfeed browser extension to keep me from spending hours scrolling through the newsfeed.

We can also work on simplifying other areas of life – physical stuff, digital clutter, mental clutter, and home management systems. 

The simpler we can make our lives, the fewer distractions we have pulling us away from focusing on what really matters.

Too Many Expectations

Another way life can get complicated is by expectation. And most of the time these expectations are set by none other than ourselves.

So what expectations do you have for yourself? Are you pushing yourself too hard?

I’m a goal-driven, type-A person. I used to pretty much not let myself rest during the day… I always believed I thrived on productivity.

While I do to an extent, I’ve realized how much better I feel when I include some margin and rest in my life. Not to mention some self-care.

It’s amazing how much better you feel when you let go of the ridiculous expectations you put on yourself and instead set realistic and flexible goals so you can live the life you want without wearing yourself down.

Not Enough Rest

Rest is vital to our health. It renews and refreshes us to face each new day.

Do you feel exhausted most of the time? Then I’d encourage you to take a look at your rest and sleep habits to see what can be adjusted.

Could you…

• Go to bed earlier
• Sleep a little later
• Delegate tasks so you have more time to rest
• Schedule a time to rest during the day

Don’t try to make too many changes at once! The key is to keep is simple and make just one or two small adjustments at a time until it comes a part of your lifestyle. Then add a couple more and so on.

Yes, many of these require some sacrifice. But believe me, friend, those small sacrifices are oh so worth it finally feel like you’re living a life you love.