simple living

I Wanted a Simpler Life

Posted by Barbara Techel

It started in my late 30s. This yearning of wanting a simpler life. I no longer wanted to be in the corporate world. It did not feel authentic to me. It felt crazy busy always striving for more, more, more. I came home almost every day from my job complaining about one thing or another. I could not stand the politics. I wanted a simpler life.

It is not always easy living a simple life; yet when I bring myself back to it, I want more of it. I sometimes get caught up in the “expectations” of the world or thinking I should live more like the “Jones” next door. So yes, I am human, and though I know it is always about choices, I can sometimes lose my way. But the longer I live this simple life, the more I find myself feeling more comfortable in the choices I have made to have less and not more.

I imagine everyone defines a simple life in different ways. For me, it is about not having to go to a corporate job. It is about weekends spent at home grilling out, playing games with my hubby, hanging with my dogs, and putt-sing to my heart’s content around my house. It is about getting up each morning during the week without an alarm and finding my way out to my writing cottage. It is about having lunch with my mom or close friends in the middle of the week. It is about a walk with Frankie or Kylie when I need a break away from my computer and my work.

We do not take many vacations, and when we do, we drive and take time to enjoy all the beauty of the landscape. It means I shop at second hand shops for clothing and most household items. I still chuckle to myself as I think back to my 20s when I would not have been caught dead in a thrift store. Now I find complete joy and excitement when I “score” a cool new outfit, shoes or decor for my home, and pay nothing close to the original cost.

I wanted a simpler life, and though sometimes I struggle because of my ego… My heart is more often than not, guiding me on this path of simplicity and happiness.

How do you define a simpler life? I’d love to hear from you!

PS: For some reason some of my words are being hyper-linked, of which I did not do (like the word politics). Not sure why. Computers can sometimes cause me to not live a simple life when I can not figure out why it is doing something I do not want it to. Sigh.

 

Permission. No Guilt. A Life Wish

Posted by Barbara Techel


I felt myself not wanting to do much of anything today after lounging around all day yesterday.  So I had to give myself a little pep talk.  “Ok, Barb, time to get on with the day. You have my full permission to move into things at a leisurely pace. No hurry. Take your time.” Ah, now that felt like a good idea.

So I started with a leisurely walk with Kylie, my English yellow lab. She’s not much of an exerciser and I’ve often been frustrated by it. But lately I’ve seen a few of the neighbors taking their dogs for a walk through the athletic field which is behind our house. It is surrounded by many trees and a nice wooded area. The dogs always look so happy heading down the path. I like to try and watch for their return which is usually about a half hour later, because it brings me such joy to see happy, tired dogs with their tails wagging with pure delight.

Hmmm, I thought- maybe Kylie would like a leisurely walk instead of how I would walk- which means getting my heart rate going, doing it to stay in shape, etc. So instead of approaching it as exercising, we went to explore and take in the sights of the morning. Boy- did she have fun (and so did I)!  She was hot on the smells of the previous dog tracks and was having the time of her life. A few times she would stop and look up at me and as if to say, “Wow, Mom, this is really fun!  Can we do this more?  Can we? Can we?” I smiled and said, “Sure girl, I will try and do this more with you.”

I think we have to give ourselves permission to not only slow down when we want, but to move at a pace that is comfortable for us. So much guilt we tend to put on ourselves to get so much “stuff” done. I don’t want anymore guilt. Kylie reminded me of that today on our walk. I want to live an even simpler life than I did last year and the year before.

The last few years I have set  alot of goals for myself though I’m not really a fan of goals. But the past few years I have written down 5-6 things I want to accomplish each year in terms of my Joyful Paws business. I’m proud to say I’ve accomplished every one of them. But as I moved through my day today the afternoon found me out in my writing studio sorting and organizing things that needed attention. I also grabbed my dry erase board where I write down my goals each year and wrote down three things I’d like to accomplish for 2012 for Joyful Paws. That’s it. No more. It feels right. They are three big goals, so I think it will be enough to keep me busy. But it will also give me time to enjoy more walks with Kylie… as well as with Frankie once the weather is warm again so she can come along in her doggie stroller.

So it’s my hope that you give yourself permission to live each of your days just as you would choose. No guilt. Just pure pleasure.

A Life Wish

May the days and years ahead of you be filled with

OPENINGS

that you may sense clearly the path you choose to walk;

VISION

that you may see, search, and dream without limitation;

SENSITIVITY

that you may hear and follow your own innter guidance, discern when to act on behalf of yourself and/or others and when to simply be and let be;

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

that you may taste the fruits of success; and,

POSSIBILITIES

that you may discover what you want and need, know who you are, give to others of your heart’s joy, have the courage to stand for your own convictions, and believe in yourself no matter what

~Raphaella Vaisseau

Frankie’s Window to the World- Reflection of My Truth

Posted by Barbara Techel

 

The front door is usually reserved for Kylie, but every now and then Frankie squiggles her way up to the front eager to see what might be going on out in the world- well as far as she can see in our little corner of the world, that is.

Sometimes Kylie and Frankie snuggle together gazing into the yard. This always gives my heart a jolt of warmth. It is especially nice to see because for so long, Kylie just couldn’t seem to understand Frankie’s wheelchair. When Frankie is in her wheels Kylie acts as if Frankie is a toy and plays too rough. It made me sad that I had to separate them and couldn’t have them in the same room together. A little over a year ago I discovered that when Frankie is not in her wheels, Kylie treats her like any other dog and hanging out with her. That was a joyful paws moment when I discovered that!  Seeing them snuggling together warms my heart.

It also makes me smile when Frankie wants the full view out the front door to herself and Kylie kindly gives up her spot, so Frankie can enjoy it all to herself.

I love to watch Frankie and try to imagine what goes through that little head of hers.It is if she is a little Budda- just sitting and being. I suspect she does not worry about what tomorrow will bring, or has a clue of what a to-do list is, or worries about what is going on in the world. It is why I love to stop and sit in a few moments of her reflection to remind myself that I always have a choice to how I live each day of my life…and how I live my truth.

Frankie and Kylie are my constant reminders of that because animals just seem to naturally live their truth. A reminder  I welcome openly. It is how I pause and give thought…. to what is my truth and how I see the world and live within it…. My dogs, my husband Johnnie, my cozy little home, a few special friends, time with my mom, and work that has meaning to me…my truth…my world.