Relax

Are you like me and tend to always be in a hurry and want to cram as much as you can into an entire day? Are you perplexed by people who look relaxed, peaceful and take their time?

My mother-in-law was one of those people. When she lived with us it would frustrate me that she took her time doing everything. She would never hurry, she would saunter, no matter where we were going; eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at the table, of all places; and she would hand write a letter twice; draft and final version. When she was working, she'd even go to work an hour ahead of schedule so that she could take her time eating breakfast and read the newspaper, at the local restaurant. Although, I’m pretty sure she came up with some of these tactics for self preservation while she was raising eight children.

Now that I'm feeling overly busy and stressed out, I can appreciate some of her once annoying habits. I’ve made a decision to take it easy, take control of my life and take care of myself.

Here are a few tips that I would like to share to help you take it easy and manage your stress level. They may seem simple but they are very effective.

v       Meditate

o   Pray

o   Read the Word

o   Be thankful

v       Turn off the television

o   Listen to your thoughts and be in the moment

o   Be more productive

o   Distance yourself from negativity

v       Exercise

o   Helps you sleep

o   May alleviate pain and stress

o   Helps maintain a positive mind set

v       Eat healthy

o   Take control of what goes into your body

o   Limit caffeine, sugar and processed foods

o   Try new veggies and fruits

o   Try new recipes

o   Eat at the table

v       Manage your time

o   Think through before committing

o   Just say No

o   Be proactive to avoid procrastination

Slow down and pay attention to yourself; there is only one You and You are the only one who has the power to take care of your mind, body and soul.

Resources: Mariel Hemmingway and Leo Babauta.

Pay It Forward

Do you remember the movie Pay It Forward; where a little boy, Trevor, is challenged and fascinated by an assignment from his teacher to think of something to change the world and put it into action? Trevor’s idea is to pay a favor forward rather than back. His efforts to make good on his idea bring forth a transformation not only in himself, but in the lives of friends and family around him.

My challenge to you; create a transformation in your own life and the lives of others by Paying It Forward. It’s easy:

v       Smile

v       Encourage someone

v       Listen

v       Volunteer

v       Buy a random person coffee/lunch/dinner

v       Donate school supplies to your local school; even if you don’t have any children attending

v       Offer someone a ride

v       Donate food

Help transform our world, one favor at a time.  Please share your Pay It Forward experience by submitting a comment.

Happiness

There’s a lot of talk and hype going on about being happy; like there’s a secret formula. Just yesterday Oprah did a show about, “Happiness”, what makes people happy and are they born that way or is it due to some other factors. They interviewed several people and asked them “what makes you happy.” Guess what?

The answers were both genetics and other factors like:

v       Positive family

v       Peaceful surroundings

v       Exercise

v       Eating right

v       Knowing  your neighbors

v       Talking (networking) with people (face-to-face, not online)

I believe this is true. Happiness comes deep within yourself by dealing with all the junk from your past and present, being thankful for your friends and family and your faith and trust in God. The song, “Oh Happiness” by the David Crowder band, captures the meaning of happiness, “Oh Happiness, there’s grace, enough for us and the whole human race.” We all can have it, it’s free!

Trust me; I didn’t always feel this way. When I was younger I felt the whole world revolved around me and my wants and needs, and when I didn’t get my way I would be angry and depressed. I finally got sick of myself and began to seek help from my church. They offered several different classes that seemed to be just perfect for me. The journey was difficult and a little painful; ok a lot painful. But, it was all worth it. I am very thankful that God put all those people in my life that could help me through my journey.

Now it’s my turn to be there for others.  I enjoy being there for people and hope and pray that I can help them in their journey in search of happiness and a Simple Soul Life.

Soul Peace

Everybody craves it, and is not exactly sure how to get it. Mostly, it’s about nurturing relationships and having a comfortable home to come home to.

It’s also about:

v       Setting goals

v       Getting organized

v       Having a clean house

v       Reading a good book

v       Cooking a fabulous dinner

v       Spending time with your family

v       Catching up with friends

v       Sending  a handwritten card

v       Pushing yourself beyond your own limits

We not only crave peace, it is vital for our mental health. In order to get peace you may need cut back or minimize something(s). You may feel chaotic because there is simply too much going on. Start with taking an inventory of things you think are making you feel crazy. Write them down and try to eliminate them one by one.

For example:

v       Do you have a lot of bills that you can’t pay?

o   If so, do something about it. Stop spending on unnecessary things and seek out resources that can help you get your finances in order. A couple of excellent resources are Dave Ramsey and Suze Orman.

v       Is your house a mess?

o   Conquer one room at a time. Clean it and organize it from top to bottom. Get the entire family to help you so they feel accountable and responsible for keeping it clean on an ongoing basis. You can find excellent tips by visiting the websites of Real Simple and HGTV.

v       Are you and your spouse feeling disconnected?

o   That happens to every marriage at one time or another. Life can get very busy and hectic, but it’s vitally important to nurture your marriage relationship in order to achieve Soul Peace. Focus on the Family  is a great resource for both marriage and family.

I would love to learn what works for you. Please share your personal Soul Peace tips by submitting a comment.

Design your own brand

Do you find that you’re frustrated with your job and ever wondered what your dream job would be? Did you know that you can design your own brand? I know that may sound a little crazy at first, but the premise behind it is, “everyone has a chance to stand out. Everyone has a chance to learn, improve, and build up their skills. Everyone has a chance to be a brand worthy of remark.” (Peters, Tom; The Brand Called You, August 31, 1997).  

When I read this for the first time, I have to admit, I thought is sounded a little crazy, but why not? Have you thought about investing in yourself? Why not believe in yourself and the talents you possess and what you have to offer?  Why don’t you take a chance on yourself and promote yourself and stand by what you believe?

You should feel empowered to create your own job (Babauta, Leo;  zenhabits). Of course it will take a little work, but you can do it. Just take small steps; do some research, create a goal and create a timeline to achieve your goal.

Begin your journey in finding your own Simple Soul Life.

Welcome!

Welcome to Simple Soul Life. My name is Marcia King. I’m married and have two, twenty-something, daughters. I work full-time as a communications project manager and I’m a part-time college student in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree in communications.

I’ll be sharing information from my own experience and am not by any means or stretch of the imagination claim to be certified or schooled in this matter. My schooling has been solely through the prestigious “school of hard knocks.”  This blog was created to be an interactive tool in attaining/retaining a Simple Soul Life in the journey and challenges of life.