Simple Workout

This can so easily be the truth, as Americans we know full well that exercise is good for us.  Our society is set up to help us achieve this discipline in our lives.  Many work places have full blown gyms, employee health incentive programs, or both.  There are 24/7 fitness clubs popping up in our towns. Entire stores devoted to workout clothes and equipment.  We do not have to look hard or far to find opportunity to spend our money on working out. 

If you have not or do not currently own a piece of workout equipment that is collecting dust, I am sure you know of someone who does.  There are tons of books, DVDs, clothes,etc.... devoted to helping you workout.  It is a fierce competition for your time and your money.

If I am going to continue to simplify I need to understand how I operate in the realm of the the workout world.  I could waste a lot of time, money and space on an endeavor that is not going to serve me well if I dive in without understanding who I am first.

I have tried running, bought the shoes ($$$$)  they still look new.  Then I thought I would walk, bought different shoes ($$$) they still look new.  When we first got married we bought a Nordic Track, it is still in our basement, collecting dust.  I have had workout tapes, leg warmers, cute  stretchy clothes, club memberships.  All of these things were purchased with the best of intentions but in the end it was a waste of good resources.

When we lived in Singapore we had a full gym at our condo complex it was a two minute underground walk, I used it maybe 10 times in two years.  So what is the issue?

For me the issue is certain types of exercise do not connect with me.  I did finally join a Yoga studio and knew right off that I could indeed do this kind of workout.  There is something to be said about trying different things, you will not know what you like until you try it.  If you can try it without a big investment then do it.  Many health clubs offer a free trial for a friend, just use the things you already have on hand and try it out.

To keep it simple start off slow with your investment.  For yoga all one really needs is knowledge, a towel and some loose fitting clothes.  You can even do it in your pajamas, no one will know.  Think about your sport of interest, what is the minimum needed, do that first.

After some time if you are still doing your workout then figure out what is the one thing that would help to to improve this workout and invest in that.  If you are still doing it then go ahead and slowly invest in the sport making sure that the equipment you purchase fits your budget, space and time in your life.

Purge all of those workout items in your home that are lying around doing you no good.  Donate them to a second hand store someone will be thrilled to get it.

Keeping it simple means evaluating, nothing is done on a whim when it comes to purchasing items. 

Keep in mind how many sets of workout clothes you really need, this involves knowing how often you will participate in the sport and how often you do your laundry.

Do not buy new items until the ones you have are fully worn out, then rid yourself of the worn out item and invest in the best replacement.

When we limit ourselves to what we truly need, and will use, we save money, time, energy and space making our life simple and more enjoyable.

Whatever your sport, walking, biking, running, yoga, working at the gym, know yourself and only invest in those things that will allow you to improve yourself.

Remember:  Keep it simple.

Simple Shopping?

I keep waiting for the road to simplicity to become simple and it just simply is not simple for me.

 As I have said in the past, in order to simplify you must know yourself.  I am learning that I really do like change.  I like to eat different things each week, I never have just eaten a sandwich every day for lunch, or eggs and fruit every morning for breakfast.  In fact there are very few "everys" in my life. 

The question is why?  What is it about me that gets so excited about change? 

Clothing is a big area in my life that needs to get simpler.  I love clothes, I like to look and feel nice.  Again, I like NEW things and I think that I am coming to the conclusion that it is OK to like new things as long as I follow a few guidelines when obtaining new things.

Do I have the money in my personal budget to buy the item?

If I bring home this skirt, what item or items in my closet am I going to donate?

Will I wear this more than a few times? 

Is it versatile?

WHY do I want it?  Is it just cute, on super sale, or unique but not really something that will serve me on a weekly basis?

I have been reading a lot about simplifying clothing.  One thing I know about myself is that looking at catalogs is NOT A GOOD IDEA. That actually is what spurred me on to write this blog, two catalogs in the last three days and I "need" several items in each.

 Yikes, put the catalog down and think about this coming summer.  What do I really need?  After figuring that out, then I can look for it and get the BEST item that I can afford to fulfill that need.

Following the guidelines I have set has lead to simple shopping. 

If you are interested in reading more about simplifying your clothing you can go here.  Getting my clothing down to a reasonable amount is something I am slowly working on.  Good luck to you if you are on this journey.

Please do share in the comment section if you have a method or some ideas on how to simplify clothing.

Simplify Inch By Inch

As I walked into the yoga studio in Singapore I was excited to start my new adventure in healthy living.  The studio was big, beautiful and clean.  OK, I can do this right?

I carefully selected a mat in the center of the front row so I could easily hear and see the instructor, I was early so I just sat there.  Suddenly about five minutes before the start of class the studio was filling up and my nerves started to tense my body up.  I had never done anything like a yoga class before, it was completely new territory!

The instructor entered, introduced himself and then proceeded to tell the class to close our eyes, take in a deep breath and relaaaaax, soften all muscles and focus on our breathing.  With each breath we were to feel our muscles soften in preparation for the task ahead of us.  Tight muscles can lead to injury in yoga. 

Yoga is about letting go, yeah right!  I was really freaked out now. 

As the class progressed the instructor said "inch by inch, millimeter by millimeter, there is no need to force it just let it happen, this is yoga."

As I attended more and more classes I did relax, I did let go, my muscles did soften and the poses did happen.

I can see this is similar to my simplifying process.  At first, I had no idea where to start.  WHAT do I do?  As time has gone on it has become easier for me to catch a vision of what simple might mean to our family.

I encourage you to pick ONE area to clean out, maybe the top of your dresser, a drawer, a closet shelf, your car, your purse, just pick one.  Then relaaaax, take a breath and let go as you rid your life of the things that are adding clutter and stress to you and your family.

Inch by inch, millimeter by millimeter, clean it out, let it go, this is simplifying.

Buy One Get Two FREE

Who doesn't love a good sale!  I took my son to get his haircut today and much to my delight they were having a sale.  There is something about a good sale that is hard to pass up.

While I've been on this journey to simplify our lives I am learning that just because it is a good sale does not mean I need to buy it, at the same time, just because I'm simplifying does not mean I can never spontaneously buy something that is on sale.

So, how does one decide when to buy items on sale and when to pass up the deal?  Here are some guidelines that I have started using to help me make that decision.

Do I NEED the item that is on sale, if yes, of course buy it,  if no, even at a good sale I may be wasting my resources.

Is it a consumable item that I already use?  If yes, I may want to buy it.  If I do not normally use this item I need to walk away from the deal.

 Do I already have a stock of this at home?  If yes, I need to pass up this sale.

Do I have space to store this item in my house?  If no, leave it behind.

 Please note it is good to have some kind of organization system for the storage of your house hold goods.  If you know where to look on the shelf for an item, it can save you from buying a refill of that item when you already have it on hand.

 I once bought a condiment that we normally use, it was on sale so I went ahead and bought two bottles,  we go through about a bottle a year.  A week later I was cleaning out a cabinet and found that I had two more bottles of the same condiment sitting on the self that were expired.  This can happen so easily and it is not simple nor is it economically smart.  It is a good idea to know what you have on hand before buying the item on sale because $2.00 is $2.00 don't waste it.

Coupons and sales can save us a lot of money and time IF we are smart about what we purchase.

 Don't fall into the trap of getting a good deal if it is not going to be useful for you or your family.  We can easily clutter up our lives, our homes and our budget with good deals that are not so good.

The hair spray did come home with me today as it was MY spray that was on sale and I do not have any on my self that are not being used. I was thrilled that I did not have to  pass up a buy one get two FREE deal!

Living Simply Not Simply Living

I have been on a quest, a learning adventure for about three years now.  What does it mean to live simply?

I can now tell you there is not a simple answer to that question.  You see, each person who reads this blog is different, we all have different passions, desires and interests in life.  What seems simple to me may not be simple to you.

In my three year journey I have learned that in order to simplify I must understand who I am.  How do I work best and what will work for my family.

I have read many books, blogs and articles on this subject.  Simply reading does get the simplifying job done but it does help me to understand who I am.

My reason for writing this blog is two fold. 

1.  Writing helps me to process and simplifying for me is something I must process.

2.  I have had friends express interest in knowing what I am learning on this journey so this will allow me to share with them while I process.

Let me just say:  Living simply is not simply living.  When we simplify our lives we actually enrich them, it is not a boring life, it is not a depraved life.  It is a rich fulfilling life with room for family, friends, hobbies etc...

So until next time, strive onto simplicity.