Note: This is a guest post from Lisa Avellan of Simple and Soul.
Is it ever too late to simplify your life?
Technically, no. You should start today.
But practically speaking, there will come a time in all of our lives when we stare into the eye of a storm with one hand holding down the fort and the other distracted by the insignificant clutter and demanding tasks because we’ve put off simplifying one day too long.
It’s that moment when suddenly the world stops you in your tracks and reminds you how little you control. The world hasn’t stopped though and now you have to manage a crisis while managing the consequences of overconsumption, overwhelmed homes and calendars, and the important buried under the immediate and you realize you’re spread too thin.
When the Simple Life Matters Most
Until recently I believed simplifying my life by owning (and wanting) less and being intentional with my priorities was the purpose of my new minimalist lifestyle—that the immediate benefits of less distraction and more margin for what I truly love was the sole purpose.
That was until our family was halted by an all too common storm: cancer. Again. The eye of this storm has fixed itself in our lives indefinitely while permanently burning a hole through normal and routine and safe. It is changing the pattern of life, forever.
When the winds are fierce and the howl is deafening and the rains drench deep to the soul, where fear devastates our happy go lucky existence, simple becomes our breath. Simple is our heartbeat.
Because in the face of cancer there is no margin for distraction or comparison or retail therapy—there is only breath and heartbeat. Life yesterday was normal and today it’s threatened. The lens of life, unaided by fancy electronic gadgets and fashion forward wardrobes, now focuses on the absolutes: Love. Family. Health. Hope.
More Does Not Equal Prepared
When we travel with our young daughters, I am often preoccupied with preparing their carry-on bags with enough snacks and activities to keep them distracted, quiet, and manageable for the duration of the flight. I brainstorm every possible need they may have to ensure I can provide something to appease their fickle desires and inevitably I overwhelm everyone with the overstuffed luggage.
I prepare with the mentality that more will fix everything.
Our lives are full of messages that what we need is more. More money, more clothes, more stamps in our passports, larger homes, more toys…the list goes on. Yet, the message of more hasn’t fulfilled its promise.
More does not equal prepared, but it can equal distracted and overwhelmed and fragile. Buried underneath the weight of debt or clutter or busyness we sacrifice our readiness to take on life’s most ominous forecasts.
A prepared life is unrestricted by possessions and activity. It’s free from the unnecessary for the purpose of intentional readiness.
Simple living is more than creating space and joy in your life; it’s also preparation for life’s inevitable storms that require our full attention. It’s removing the side show of distractions and unnecessary fluff which steals our ability to handle the important and necessary with clarity.
The More of Simplicity
Cancer diagnoses, devastating earthquakes in developing counties, or wildfires and hurricanes are not so subtle reminders that he with the most toys does not win. Our physical possessions are quickly discarded when disaster strikes.
Staring in the face of eternity we know soul deep that our hope is not found in our stuff.
The simple life cultivates hope; it prepares us to see and feel limitless hope. It shows up when doctor appointments don’t have to compete with unfulfilling activities on the calendar. Hope shines when a debt-free lifestyle softens the blow of the pending hospital bills. Hope floats as family and friends rally around not in pity but in support and love because of the relationships nurtured with intention.
The more of simplicity is hope!
And hope is mighty powerful in the face of the unknown. Hope is contagious and abundant when we value a life of simple joys, purposeful community, and authenticity.
Better Late Than Never
It’s never too late for hope. And hope is brewing even in the darkest storm. The storm—the frightening diagnosis or the middle of the night phone call or the bad day on the stock exchange—it may be the warning siren to summon us into a simple life, offering us the opportunity to adjust our focus as we ride out the storm.
The simple life presents us with purpose and resolve and we no longer have to gather up our wits and fight with our reserves. We can fight with everything within and be present in the moment—to give ourselves fully to the storm and let go of the insignificant for the sake of the most important.
Maybe it’s never too late to simplify, but one thing I am more sure of now is that the simple life is more than owning less and less to do.
It’s also putting what’s most important first and crafting a life of margin in preparation for the unknown and inevitable complications of this broken world.
Don’t wait till the storm makes landfall. Simplify now and weather it out with hope and clarity and peace.
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Lisa Avellan blogs at Simple and Soul where she inspires and equips others to live with intention. You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.
Sara Jane says
Love your blog. Clear and concise. Thanks!
Mary Lou says
One positive about moving around is that you learn to let go of ‘stuff’ that no longer has a place in your life instead of storing it away like we do if we stay in one place. Now I’m at the point of realizing my adult children might not want/need some of what I find sentimental. Time to purge once more. Thank you, Lisa! :)
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Kristal says
Great reminder, life is so fragile, but it really is strengthened when we don’t care the burden of too much stuff. Having the freedom to be there for the ones we love, when they are going though really hard stuff is invaluable. Thanks for sharing your story
Kelley says
I was thinking about this very thing recently. My 90-year-old grandparents have been forced, by heath issues, to move into an assisted living home. They’ve had to downsize from an entire house to a one-bedroom apartment.
They had a difficult time parting with so many possessions, knowing that they would never see or use them again. Also difficult was the fact that their children and grandchildren didn’t want much of their stuff – antique paintings, boxes of family albums, sets of fine china.
They’ve been forced to become minimalists – but in a way, it’s too late. It was against their will and was a painful process during a time that was already filled with physical and emotional anguish. Don’t wait until it gets to this point.
Free2BMe says
Im sure it’s very difficult to swallow (process), the fact that when one comes to the end of this life and realize that they have been carrying around a full set of luggage, when in reality, all they really needed was a backpack :)
Judy says
What a perfect illustration. We must keep in mind what stress it would be if we were in your grandparents position. I have always been of the opinion that you should give your things away while you know where they are going. Plus we should add having the energy
Valerie Janzen says
I have just lost my younger brother to a heart attack. He was 57 yrs old. He was such a wonderful brother with so many accomplishments. Walking around his yard and seeing the bits & pieces of his life in his home were all just that…bits & pieces. Nothing is more desired by his family then to have him back again. Everything else is just stuff. Simplify your lives so you can enjoy what (who) is most important. All of us will leave this existence some day. Lets be as undistracted as we can to have an even more enjoyable time together & a load of happy memories.
Nathan Atkinson says
Love this! Thanks for a great article. My wife and I aren’t waiting! I’ve been simplifying for a while now and she’s starting to join in. Feels great to declutter.
M Park says
Love. I commented to a friend earlier this week how I was aiming to maintain the simplicity we discovered out of necessity when an unexpected medical issue landed me with a week long hospital stay. We want to be intentional with our time, talent and financial resources.
Peter B. Hawley says
Lisa, I am recovering from open heart surgery, a humbling experience, and learning MORE will not buy you an addition breath, my most important asset. Be well. PBH
Brenda F. says
I have read various books, and articles on organizing and simplifying life as well as written blogs on the topic myself. This is the first one that has pointed the direction toward preparation for the unexpected storms of life! Thank you! What words of encouragement and hope, and new very important reasons to simplify!
Norma says
It is incredible how, inspite of so many bags and boxes of stuff that I have gotten rid of, I still have so much stuff! As the one with the cancer diagnosis, I really want to get rid of the clutter so my son’s don’t have to. Slow and steady wins the race.