6 Ways Simplicty + Being My Own Boss is Changing My Life

Prior to my layoff, my life was a chaotic mess. I was running on empty. Nothing was intentional anymore because there wasn’t any time for being intentional. My morning were crazy no matter how early I woke up. The commute to work was absolutely annoying and rushed. The workday dragged on and on.  My house was a disaster because I had no energy to stay on top of the basics. By the time I got home from a bustling day at the office there was nothing left to give my family but a glazed-eyed mess.

I thank God that I got laid off. I have spent the last few years trying to simplify my life, but felt hopeless. I was cycling between simplifying and spending just to pass the time, paying more for convenience, surpassing my budget on energy drinks and pick-me-up splurging at Target. Now I am forced into simplicity and I love every second.

There are some things to be thankful for while either transitioning into simplicity, or forced.

1. I am my own boss. No longer do I have to feel guilty when I am a few minutes late due to horrendous traffic outside of my control. I now own my time and spend it on things that are productive, useful, and happy to me.

2. I am productive on my time, not time demanded of me by an employer. I am most productive when I first wake up and then late in the evening. Time in between is not a good “work” time for me. While employed, I was made to pretend to work for 9 straight hours whether productive or not. Now I can work on my own in my prime.

3. The day is calm. I spend time enjoying my morning coffee. I take walks in the sunshine mid afternoon. I enjoy cooking supper. My home is more organized. I have more energy to give my family.

4. Rest is a priority. I used to feel shame and guilt for resting. So, I would spend all weekend catching up around the house from what I missed out on during the workweek. I only got 4 hours of sleep at night. Now that I have my own schedule, my body sleeps and rest when needed. My heart and soul and body is better for it.

5. Creativity emerges. Since there is more time to focus on what I am passionate about, my creativity is growing. I used to be so worn down that there was not a glimmer of passion or creativity left. Now that I am removing the unnecessary, my creative juices are starting to flow again.

6. Sacrificing useless spending is not even an issue. While working, I always thought I would miss consumerism. I thought that I would miss out on latest trends and not have the coolest devices and clothing. I truly thought I needed to be apart of it. Now that I can’t {and don’t want} to spend frivolously just for the sake of it, I do not miss it at all. I have no need to pop into Target or WalMart during my downtime to purchase something that I think will make me feel better. I wear the clothes I have. I am not tired and ill so I don’t feel entitled to buying something to make me feel better because I do feel better without those things.

I say all this to say that simplifying is saving my life. I can hear my own voice. I can do things that I like and that I am passionate about, like my etsy shop: Charli’sWeb. I can write here at Mrs. Minimalist to help others. I can snuggle my baby girl all day long. I can rest without hesitation. It is important for all of us to live a life of passion. I know what it feels like to be lifeless and it is just not worth it.

I challenge you to think about what it is that makes you come alive. What can you do to relieve some of the anxiety and stress that you are going through now. If your top 3 answers is NOT a product or store item {I bet it’s not} then you have some rearranging of priorities to do to live the best possible life you can.