We often hear the saying less is more, but how many of us really accept the concept or understand how it can apply? I know I used to just brush it off, but not any more! Here is a brief guide on what you can have less of and have more happiness.
Brief Examples:
Less Twinkies, more jogging
Less mess, more focus
Less work, more enjoyment
Less judging, more accepting
Less rushing, more breathing
Less fast food, more family meals
Less frowny faces, more smiley faces
Less ugliness, more beauty
Less anger, more forgiveness
Alright now the break down of them.
Less Twinkies, more jogging
Twinkies just in general are not good for you, and jogging is pretty much the opposite. Wake up in the morning and go for a jog and you can feel the benefits the ENTIRE day! It gets your blood pumping and achieving a small thing like a morning jog and stimulate your mind into believe in yourself more. Simple things can have great rewards! or consequences. Eating a Twinkie because "you worked out yesterday" just delays your rewards for working out. Don't fall for it, don't let the all mighty Twinkie suck you into its state of delusion.
Less mess, more focus
The mess, by mess I mean basically clutter. A lot of things in our life can be messy and sometimes just clearing them away and focusing more on less tasks allows for us to achieve much more happiness. After all the point of this post is less is more. Focus on less tasks and just enjoy the tasks you are focusing on. Give them your all! and give them 100% attention.
Less work, more enjoyment
Like the one above, this one is about just relaxing more. Sure it's nice to put in 50 hours in a week and get some extra cash, but I find it much nicer spending an extra 10-20 hours with family and making memories that last. When we die we won't take our billion dollar fortune with us, however we might take our memories (depends on your beliefs). Time is the one thing we can't get back. When it's gone it is gone so use it wisely. Spend time with those you love, spend time doing what you love, spend time loving!
Less judging, more accepting
People more often then not judge other people or even things, but who cares? For example I get a lot of people who think I am weird, but I don't care, I know who I am and that's all that matters. We should just learn to accept people and things, we shouldn't judge them and want them to change. We should label people or objects for that matter. Everything has greatness, it's not up to us to decide. Plus if you accept people they may accept you and it's far greater to make friends than enemies. Our true happiness lies in the hands of those around us, if they are suffering subconsciously we wish to help. Stop spending time judging and just accept them so you can help them.
Less rushing, more breathing
People rush way to much, slowing down and simply living in the moment can be the difference between going to bed happy and going to bed upset. Quit trying to pack you're entire life into a day, simply enjoy the day. When you start rushing and cramming your schedule you create a stressful environment which is counter productive to our happiness. Instead when you feel like your in a rush, for example when you're late for work or class, simply breathe and enjoy the beauty around you. You might say "What beauty, I'm in a traffic jam late for work my boss is going to freak!" The beauty is everywhere, look at the sky, look at the cars next to you, are there any kids in those cars? Kids more often than not have a way of cheering me up for they can see the simplicity in life and they smile at it. Maybe you will get fired, but on the bright side that's less clutter, more family time while you apply for other jobs. Less rush, more accepting and breathing.
Less fast food, more family meals
Fast food! I used to work at fast food and eat there all the time, but now I see that it just helps produce a rushed environment. Instead of eating fast food for lunch pack a sack lunch and go sit on a lawn and eat, enjoy the days while you have them! Instead of ordering Pizza for dinner with the family, get them to help you make a meal. Create memories yourself! Enjoy every moment you have with them while you have them. Eventually your kids will grow old and go to college and you will rarely see them, spend time making memories with them. I know I used to enjoy making things with my mom in the kitchen, I don't remember making much, but I do enjoy looking back at it. So make family meals and have the kids help out! Less rushing and fast food, more enjoying.
Less frowny faces, more smiley faces
Less frowning more smiling. Very simple concept great rewards. Smile at more things. If something bad happens, find the good and smile at it. A smile can defeat your greatest enemies.
Less ugliness, more beauty
Like the judging one, quit judging things and accept their beauty. Everything has beauty, try and see it!
Less anger, more forgiveness
Simple concept, overly hard to achieve. Try to live every day with less anger, when someone does something you don't like, if you cant change it then don't let it bug/bother you. When you feel anger coming or are angry breathe. Try to catch anger before it catches your. Forgive people more instead of being angry. Doing both of these will greatly bring more happiness into your life. It's a hard thing to do sometimes but the rewards can be outstanding! If you forgive instead of getting angry it can make others look up to you and help inspire them, and life isn't always about us. Our happiness is greatly impacted by the state of those around us, if you're their reason to smile, it usually allows you to smile more.
Good luck! I hope this post helps improve peoples life!
Another great post similar to this, http://zenhabits.net/brief-guide/, Leo has a great way of explaining things.
