From time to time if we aren’t careful, life has a tendency to sneak up on us and become rather complicated. As the days blend together we sometimes end up feeling overwhelmed, out of control, or just plain “dog tired” . Why do we use that expression anyway? Most dogs I know spend most of their days sleeping on a soft mat or curled up on the floor next to you waiting for dinner time - not a bad deal all things considered. But for those of us humans endeavoring to make life a bit easier on ourselves, I humbly offer the following suggestions:
Accept what is
Don’t waste your precious energy denying your current reality and fighting against what is. While you have the power to change your life situation through intention and focused effort, complaining about what is and devoting mental energy to resisting the present only burns you out and makes problems seem bigger, if not actually helping to magnify them through continued focus. Be the proverbial tree that bends with the wind and survives rather than denying there is a storm and falling hard to the ground.
Remember why you’re here
Do you have a life purpose that excites you? If not, read my post entitled Discover Your Passion and begin to uncover your own purpose in life. If you are already aware of your purpose, keeping it in the forefront of your mind will serve as a guide to help keep you on track and avoid being overtaken by an avalanche of distractions.
Set priorities
Each day, literally hundreds of things compete for our attention. Jobs, telephone calls, emails, letters, bills, text messages, TV, web surfing, spouse, kids, friends, leisure activities, books, magazines, etc. Determine what things matter most to you and prioritize them accordingly. If that means turning off the TV, or not surfing the web for 2 hours at night before bed so that you can have more time with your kids or your partner, be willing to consider it. If you have a busy schedule that is always up against the clock, know that everything comes at the expense of something else. Be ruthlessly honest with yourself about why you do the things you do and the trade offs involved. Make sure that the way you spend your time serves you.
De-commit
Do you frequently seem to be running around to satisfy someone else’s agenda? Even if it’s for outwardly worthy causes like PTA meetings, civic and professional organizations, volunteer organizations, networking events, charity causes and the like, such commitments can quickly overtake your schedule and leave you feeling harried. If the items on your schedule fit with your self defined life purpose and provide a sense of satisfaction, then don’t change anything. But if, as Steve Martin once said in the movie Parenthood: “My whole life is ‘have to’ ”, you feel like everything you do serves everyone but yourself, be prepared to make an honest analysis of your daily activities and scale back those things that don’t fit with your desired sense of self.
De-clutter your surroundings
There is something to be said for simplicity. Clutter breeds distraction. I am a firm believer in simplifying one’s lifestyle. If something takes up space without providing value (sentimental or otherwise), consider getting rid of it. Just because someone gives you something is no reason to keep it around if it doesn’t serve your needs. Haven’t read that magazine in 6 months but you’ve really been meaning to? Consider tossing it and freeing up the mental energy that now tugs at you and says “I’m gonna get around to it one of these days” whenever you see it. This can be very liberating. The same goes for boxes in the garage, clothes in the closet, and even the stuff on the floor in the back of your car.
See the beauty in all things
When you focus your attention entirely on the present, you become aware of how beautiful and how simple life truly is. You are already complete and there is nothing to do. You are able to marvel at the joy and synchronicity inherent in all of nature, without judgment or anxiety. As simple as this sounds, in practice it can prove quite difficult. Turning off the mind from focusing on problems, creating solutions, and making judgments is something that should come naturally to us, but most of us have conditioned ourselves otherwise. Practice taking even just a few seconds several times a day to catch a glimpse of what goes on around you that normally goes unnoticed in nature. See if you can both sense and appreciate the beauty inherent in all living things. If you can truly stop the mental machine that is your mind for even a brief moment, you will begin to relax and gain a new perspective that will both invigorate you and leave you with a comforting sense of peace. Having done that, you can grab that cup of coffee between your legs, take a swig of caffeine, and hold the wheel with one hand while calling your spouse/partner and telling them about this great article you were reading on your blackberry while you were waiting for the light to change. 
If you find this site helpful, please leave a donation for Ken and enjoy the spirit of giving too.