{"id":12314,"date":"2013-01-21T23:57:04","date_gmt":"2013-01-22T07:57:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=12314"},"modified":"2013-01-21T23:57:04","modified_gmt":"2013-01-22T07:57:04","slug":"how-to-clear-up-your-life-is-less-the-new-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/how-to-clear-up-your-life-is-less-the-new-more\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Clear Up Your Life: Is Less the New More?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Through the years, I’ve learned much about myself by journaling. There’s something about writing down our thoughts that helps make sense of the jumble of our minds. I recently wrote about\u00a0how to keep learning in order to conquer fear<\/a>, but I think there’s another angle to the story that I’d like to explore. What if, instead of constantly pushing to keep up-to-date with everything, we focused on doing less and less?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Inevitable Power of Thoughts<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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One of my best friends is ridiculously optimistic. The word “positivity” should be tattooed on her forehead. Me, not so much \u2014 until I read Napoleon Hill’s Think Rich. Instead of having you read the entire book, I’ll summarize it for you in three words: thoughts are things.<\/p>\n

The follow quote illustrates this beautifully:<\/p>\n

When we treat man as he is, we make him worse than he is;
\nwhen we treat him as if he already were what he potentially could be,
\nwe make him what he should be.
\n\u2014 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe<\/p>\n

When I came across this quote, everything started to make sense. We’re not always ready for change, but the change itself is ready for us.<\/p>\n

I dream of spending entire days doing what I love the most: writing. I dream of not having to touch email, Photoshop, or a pesky to-do list app. I dream of cradling two things: my laptop and my coffee mug. (I even have a pair of oversized, cozy writing pants reserved for such a wondrous occasion, but let’s keep that to ourselves.)<\/p>\n

Oh, but then \u2026 do you know what happens when I actually spend a day like this \u2014 just writing?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I worry.
\nI check my phone and email.
\nI read the news.
\nI think about any tasks I might have forgotten.<\/p>\n

Thoughts scroll through my mind incessantly: “Am I doing enough? Am I missing out on something?”<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The Power of No<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A few nights ago, there was an event in my hometown that I was invited to. You’d think a gathering of techies would be right up my alley, especially because I used to put this kind of event together myself, but I was completely torn about attending or not.<\/p>\n

It wasn’t an easy decision, but I reflected, and decided to stay home. I called my husband and told him I decided to pass. When he asked why, this is what I told him:<\/p>\n

“If I go, it would be because I’m afraid of missing out, not because my heart is telling me to be there.”<\/em><\/p>\n

The same logic applies to my work.<\/p>\n

I decided over six months ago that I want to focus on content, not technology<\/a>. I’ve known it for months, but I haven’t fully put it into practice. Now that it’s time to simplify, I’ve used this same strategy to say no to lots of things lately.<\/p>\n