Commitment

Living a simple life is for me, an active practice.  Even down here, at times, I can hear my inner motor begin to rev up and try to take off towards busyness.  If I am not actively committed to this exercise in quieting my world both inwardly and outwardly, it’s easy for me to take off into mental to-do lists and over thinking my reality.  And once I’m off to the races, it typically takes me a couple of days to relax back into mindfulness and presence again.

It’s been important for me to have the experience of living a simple life down here for these months because I’ve experienced first-hand how much happier and more available I am to life when I’m not running around in circles in my mind.  And nothing gets me more caught up in that cycle than living a life that requires a lot of maintenance and upkeep (big house, large expense list, etc…).

The great news is that I am much clearer now on how I can create my life to better support inner calm (low maintenance, small space, low monthly expenses).  I have the direct proof that not only can I find happiness in a small and very simple space, but that I actually thrive in it.  The commitment is to gently remind myself of these truths even in the face of temptation.