*Writers — Strive for Voluntary Simplicity!
A Simple Life is LIFE!
We writers have been told that we can have it ALL. Then we found that we were overwhelmed because we were expected to do it all in order to have it all. Have you ever thought that you can live a more satisfying life by intentional voluntary simplicity?
What IS Voluntary Simplicity?
When our lives are filled with too much and too many, we must begin to recognize that fact and to look more closely at how we are living and what we are doing.
Usually the term ‘Voluntary Simplicity’ means choosing to consume less of material goods. My thought is that it means MORE than that!
For me, it means simplifying my entire life — physically, mentally and emotionally.
Physical Voluntary Simplicity
Through the years, I have downsized my ‘living’ space which means I have less area to keep simple and clutter-free. For example, I try to keep my closets in an orderly way, giving any unneeded items away.
Desk area — isn’t it strange how many items want to land on the desk? I try to keep mine uncluttered and streamlined to have handy what I need daily.
Computer — files are organized so I can easily find my own words on a subject, which includes research and photos needed for an article. I also carefully track the items I want to submit, where and when. That includes a simple recordkeeping system of my choosing to track my work.
Craft, Project areas — some I have given up for this season when I want to WRITE. Paints are stored neatly, ready for any inspiration. Yarn is neatly displayed in apple crates, in plain sight, ready to grab for a project.
Equipment and Maintenance — look around and think of ways that you can make life easier and simpler for yourself so you can spend more time WRITING. Maybe it’s time to purchase one of those nifty little vacuum cleaner robots that run itself around. Or maybe your finances will allow for lawn maintenance.
Activities — should also be reviewed. Are they balanced or are you always running out the door?
You get the idea. It is not conducive to WRITING if one is living and working in a jumbled mess or where there is an avalanche of to dos and places to be.
What physical areas that surround you can YOU simplify?
Mental Voluntary Simplicity
Similar to my physical life, I find myself cramming everything and everything into my mind.
Input — I have attempted to streamline how I use my brain space and what I put into it. Books I read are carefully chosen. Social media is enjoyed not only for social connections but for educational purposes, yet I limit its use to protect my well being. Again, too many and too much can hinder us.
Output — our writing lives need to be as simple and streamlined as possible. We need a simple solution to capture our ideas and move them to completion and submission..
Emotional Voluntary Simplicity
Keeping relationships as simple as possible can help us thrive as writers. We want the energy we use in that realm to be healthy so that we can be free of stress and strife.
If there are unhealthy relationships with a person or group, it may be time to let them go or to step back from them. For example, I attended a writers’ group at the local library, being one of the ‘founders’. Yet after 20 years, there were few who attended and even fewer who shared their work. I knew it was time to depart because no amount of ‘cheerleading’ was changing intereacitons.
Voluntary simplicity is a direct outgrowth of our choices!
…a man’s life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses. Luke 12:15
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✍ — Published by Warren Brown, at Dancing Elephant Press. Click here for submission guidelines.
