LESS IS MORE
he got me for my fortieth birthday. All my family insisted on making a huge thing out of my birthday, taking me out, tying "I am 40" balloons to my chair, making me wear a "fortieth birthday" banner. It was all very embarrassing and made me feel totally exposed. John simply handed me a box in which the ornament I loved was nestling. No fuss, no embarrassment. Juat the right thing at the right time when I was feeling at my lowest.
Things that make me feel 'at home'. Our squashy comfy sofas where I can stretch out and relax. The books all around me. (It feels really strange walking into the houses of people who have no books.) The "weeds" in my front garden. All my neighbours hate them, but they are a source of endless facination for me. Every year there new species of wild flowers and then there are the regulars - the snowdrops and the bluebells - that return every year. The photos of all the beautiful countryside near to where I live convince me that I am indeed in the right part of the world, for me at least.
Things that make my life easier? My washing machine, my cooker, my electric kettle, the refrigerator. Even the car.....Yes, I can admit it. The car does make our lives easier. We can go away on holiday in it. Get shopping with it. Visit friends. I am fortunate in that I don't drive, therefore the temptation to overuse the car is lessened.
The things that represent something very important to me? My wedding and eternity ring. Symbols of my love for my husband and his love for me. The degree certificate. It represents the six years hard work I put into getting a degree with Open University while I was still working.
You will have other special possessions, different memories but this task is also essential. It tells you the things you should avoid getting rid of. These are the things you would really miss when they are gone.
TASK THREE - How far do you go?
Having done task one and two you have already done all the work of simplifying your life. You have sorted your possessions into three groups: those you hate, those you love and the rest.
The simplest lifestyle you should attempt is one in which you have the essentials plus those things that you love and get rid of
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