Simplify

My One Word for 2023 is Explore. In the spirit of exploration, I made the decision not to stop at one word this year - but to also have a word for each month.

During July, I am exploring the word Simplify.

Life is complicated. And we can make it even more complicated with our endless busyness.  All the endless activities, the mental and emotional stimulation, the multitasking, and the "stuff" that we cram into our to do lists, our days, our brains, and our home.

Simplify started stirring in my brain as I was listening to an episode of the Authentic Online Marketing Podcast with Ruthie Gray. She was talking about learning to say no and prioritise. Suddenly, it was as if something clicked in my brain and I thought to myself, "I try to do too much at once." 

My main focus for the month is to simplify my monthly and weekly goals as well as my to-do list. I'm simplifying my monthly goals by limiting the number of goals I set myself. Staying focused on a a few top priorities. I will be setting my weekly goals based on the smaller steps I need to taken in order to reach those monthly goals. 

My daily to-do lists will be created by breaking those weekly goals down to even smaller steps. And I'll be keeping them simple by trying not to add a dozen other items each day - just the absolute basics and priorities. Less multitasking. Fewer distractions.

I started simplifying my eating habits last month when my word was Healthy, and I'll be keeping that up for this month. Simple, unprocessed foods: lean protein, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. That doesn't mean boring - I'll be trying some new recipes and making some favorites we discovered last month. It just means keeping ingredients to their simplest form - unprocessed, less added sugars, etc. I have to admit - it's been a struggle for me.  But I am slowly making progress.

We'll be going to California for a week later this summer, and I would really like to simplify what and how I pack. I have been thinking about this since our trip to Ireland and the UK last fall, after dragging all my luggage around airports and train stations. It would be nice to stop over packing and simplify what I take on trips. My ideal situation would be carry on only. 

What other areas of life can benefit from being simplified?