Episode 114 – How Living Simply & Atomic Habits Work Perfectly Together

LISTEN TO EPISODE 114 HERE -> https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/yLaODAFgbzb

Are you familiar with Atomic Habits?

This book by James Clear has sold over a million copies and for a good reason. In it, Clear explains how to put an end to bad behaviors and embrace better habits that’ll improve your life – with concise actionable steps you can take today.
 
It explains that you don’t have to totally overhaul everything, all at once, to make meaningful change. And, in fact, the all-or-nothing mentality is often unsuccessful.

Instead, Clear advocated for making small changes over time. Then, build on those changes as you go. These incremental adjustments can help you eventually achieve massive results. 

And if you’re on a mission to live more simply, the Atomic Habits strategy can help you get there.

In fact, simple living and Atomic Habits go hand in hand, complementing each other perfectly. Together, they can help you live a simpler, more meaningful, and more intentional life. 

What is simple living? 

Before we dive into how simple living and Atomic Habits pair so perfectly together, let’s take a step back and take a look at what simple living actually is. 

At its core, simple living is all about streamlining your life by eliminating clutter and needless distractions. It’s about finding joy in the little things, choosing to be content with what you have, and being intentional with your choices.

It’s a far departure from the consumer mentality that is constantly craving and acquiring more stuff. The focus is on keeping what you use and love and letting go of the excess while giving your attention to what matters most.

And while the shift to simple living can be challenging at times, those who adopt the lifestyle tend to embrace and enjoy it fully.

How do simple living and Atomic Habits work perfectly together? 

Now that you understand what simple living is, let’s look at how simple living and Atomic Habits work perfectly together.

1. Simple living and Atomic Habits encourage you to focus on your environment. 

One of the biggest ways that simple living and Atomic Habits work together? They both focus on the importance of your environment.

The spaces we exist in – and the ways that we use them – have a tremendous influence on our habits.

For instance, if we keep our living room in a constant state of clutter and disarray, we start to think it’s acceptable to throw our coats down on the back of a chair instead of hanging them up, or leaving books piled on the end table instead of returning them to the shelves.

By repeating these behaviors, we create a habit – a negative habit, as many of us would consider it.

Another example? Think about your bedroom. Your bedroom is supposed to be your sanctuary, a place where you can retreat at the end of the day to relax, unwind, and get some rest.

But if you’ve got a television in your bedroom, it’s easy to make a habit of binge-watching Netflix each night before you go to bed – delaying sleep by a couple of hours and destroying the tranquility the space is intended to bring.

By ensuring that our environment reflects the simplicity we crave, we can influence our habits – and make good ones easier to develop.

2. Atomic Habits and simple living focus on making things easier.

One of the cornerstones of simple living is embracing ease. Simplifying seeks to cut out the excess and distractions thereby making at least some aspects of life a bit easier.

And one of the primary points Clear makes in Atomic Habits is that you can’t make new habits difficult. Instead, you need to make them easy to start.
That’s where he came up with the “two-minute rule.” In theory, no new habit should take you more than two minutes to complete.

Want to get in shape? Start with two minutes of exercise – not an hour-long workout class.

Want to make cleaning and organization a habit? Try tidying up for two minutes – instead of spending a whole day struggling to stay focused.

Trying to read more books? Tell yourself you’ll read for two minutes each day and increase from there, instead of overcommitting and trying – and failing – to read a book a week.
 
This two-minute rule will not only help you earn some quick wins and find the motivation you need to maintain these habits, but it’s also a great way to introduce new practices into your life in a simple and stress-free way.

3. Simple living and Atomic Habits encourage reflection and celebration.

When you embrace simple living, one of the main ideas is being happy with what you already have – instead of constantly reaching for more.

Celebrating your decluttering wins along the way will motivate you to continue with the process. By reveling in the small victories, you’ll be encouraged to keep making progress toward your goals.

Once you’ve simplified your home and your life, developing decluttering habits will help you to maintain your results.

Similarly, with Atomic Habits, a big part of the process is celebrating your success – the incremental change you’ve been able to achieve. By reflecting on your wins on a daily or weekly basis, you can see just how far you’ve come – even when those changes initially seem small.

By recognizing your progress and acknowledging the success you’ve already seen, you’ll find the motivation you need to maintain your habits and build upon them – without becoming too ambitious and burning yourself out. 

4. Simple living and Atomic Habits benefit from routine. 

Simple living helps to reduce stress and make your life simpler – and that’s exactly what habits can do for you.

By making something a habit, it becomes automatic. You need less willpower and energy to perform the action over time. Eventually, those habits can become something you do without even thinking about it.

This aligns perfectly with the philosophy of Atomic Habits. Clear explains that one of the easiest ways to incorporate a new habit into your life is to “stack” that habit – in other words, to pair it with an action that has already become routine for you.

Want to start flossing every day? Stack that habit with brushing your teeth – something you’re already doing each morning and evening. After you brush, grab the floss and get to work. 

Want to begin a journalling practice? Stack that habit with your morning coffee and write as you sip your latte. 

By incorporating these habits into a natural place in your pre-existing routine, it makes it easier to create and maintain your desired habits. 

5. Atomic Habits and simple living help you to live intentionally.

The thing that I love most about Atomic Habits and simple living is that they both help you to be more intentional with your life.

Atomic Habits helps you to be purposeful in creating small habits that will move you toward your goals. By automating your desired behaviors you’re making important incremental changes that can add up to be life-changing.

Simple living seeks to help you weed out the extra stuff in your home and in your life. It saves you time so that you can focus on your highest priorities.

By using Atomic Habits to further support your desire for living simply, you can free up more time for what matters most to you. By being efficient with the things that you have to do, you’ll have more time for the things you need or want to do.

Combining small habits with simplifying will further your journey of living a more deliberate and intentional life.


I hope to have inspired you to take charge of your mindset, health and wellness, not tomorrow, not someday, BUT today!

 
The second invite is to join the community over on Facebook called:  Inspiration2grow for Female Goal Getters.  The group is made up of like-minded women who want to grow strong from the inside out and are looking for new ideas to propel their health and wellness to new heights.

Throughout the month of May I am doing a challenge for all those who want to begin slowly but surely to uplevel their wellness and change their lives with fresh, new ideas over the course of 30 days.  I’d love for you to join, just jump on over to FB and join the free public group: Inspiration2grow for Female Goal Getters.

And remember… you owe it to yourself to take care of yourself, show up for yourself every day and become the best version of YOU.

In case you haven’t heard it yet today, let me be the first to tell you…

You are an incredible human with so much potential.  I believe in you 100%. Now, go out there and show the world what you are truly made of.

Have a strong day. 

Til next time, friends.

Lisa xoxo
 
 

How to De-Clutter Your Mind – 9 Tips That Will Help

LISTEN TO EPISODE 92 HERE ->https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/VW8zuAysYxb

Today I am talking about de-cluttering the mind, which is one of the topics Michelle Williams and I covered in yesterday’s podcast.  While Michelle explained it very well and provided some helpful advice on de-cluttering, I just felt this is a topic that I would like to dive a bit deeper into.

Your brain may be waving a big, red flag at you begging you to free up some headspace, create a clean slate and eliminate the chaotic mess your mental state finds itself in.  If you feel like your brain is in overdrive most of the time, you know exactly what I am talking about.

“Just like your pantry or your closet full of clothes, your mind needs to be de-cluttered regularly.”  Lisa Oberbichler

By getting rid of all the non-essential mental baggage we can stay focused, motivated and more productive.

And…it is important to let go of all the negative thoughts and emotions that make you feel bogged down from time to time.  By eliminating unnecessary thoughts, fears and concerns, this will help to reduce stress, boost your self-esteem and free up mental space for other more positive things in your life.

It’s Tangible Tuesday and I’d like to provide you with some very effective ways you can implement TODAY to start the de-cluttering process in your mind.

1. Identify the Source of Your Stress

Before you can declutter your mind, it is important to identify the source of your stress. Ask yourself: What is causing me to feel overwhelmed? Is it a job, a relationship, a project, or something else? Once you identify the source of your stress, you can take steps to address it. For example, if it is a job, you may need to find a more suitable position or ask for help from colleagues. If it is a personal relationship, you may need to make changes to the relationship or find healthier ways to cope with stress.

2. Develop a Mindful Practice

Mindfulness is a powerful tool for decluttering the mind. It is a state of being aware of the present moment without judgment or attachment. Mindfulness can help quiet the mental chatter, allowing you to observe your thoughts without getting caught up in them. Practices such as meditation, yoga, and tai chi can help you develop a mindful practice and find greater clarity and peace of mind.

3. Prioritize Your Tasks

When your to-do list is overflowing, it can be difficult to focus on the tasks that are most important. To declutter your mind, take some time to prioritize your tasks. Start with the most important tasks, and break them down into manageable chunks. This will help you stay focused and organized, and it will also help reduce stress. Famous American poet Bill Copeland had rightly said, “The trouble with not having a goal is that you can spend your life running up and down the field and never score.” Prioritizing is a great way to proactively take charge of your life.

4. Practice Self-Care

Self-care is an important part of decluttering the mind. Take time out of your day to do something that makes you feel relaxed and happy. This could be anything from reading a book to going for a walk. Practicing regular self-care can help clear your mind and reduce stress.

5. Breathe

Take a deep breath. Pause. Exhale slowly. Repeat. How does it feel? Great, right? Deep breathing is a simple yet effective technique to clear your mind, induce tranquility and elevate your mood instantly. It lowers the heart rate and blood pressure and stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system which helps your body relax. Other than being a stress-reliever, breathing exercises also promote concentration and strengthen your immunity system.

6. Limit Your Digital Consumption

Social media, emails, and text messages can add to mental clutter. Try to limit your digital consumption by setting boundaries and taking breaks. For example, turn off notifications, or only check your emails at certain times during the day. This will help you stay focused and prevent your mind from becoming overwhelmed. Limiting the amount of information you consume is necessary to get rid of all that media-related clutter from your mind.

7. Learn to Let Go

Life can be unpredictable, and it is important to learn to let go of the things that are outside of your control. This can be difficult, especially when it comes to relationships or personal goals. However, it is important to remember that you cannot control everything. Let go of the things you cannot control, and focus your attention on the things that are within your power.  “Accept yourself, love yourself, and keep moving forward. If you want to fly, you have to give up what weighs you down,” Roy T. Bennett 

8. Take Some Time To Unwind

Last but not the least, take a break! Your brain needs to rest and recharge in order to perform smoothly. So, switch off your phones and laptops and do something that makes you feel happy. Whether it’s a long nap or a walk in the park.

9. Be Decisive

Here’s a thought to ponder…
Clutter (of the mind) is simply delayed decisions.

When you constantly put off making decisions, your brain becomes overwhelmed by all the clutter that’s created by those pending decisions. So, stop procrastinating and make that call. Whether it’s about the house you want to buy or that email you’ve been avoiding for so long. For simple decisions, carefully evaluate the pros and cons and don’t look back once you’ve made up your mind. 

Decluttering your mind can be a difficult process, but it is worth the effort. By following these steps, you can create clarity and peace of mind and find greater balance in your life. And, that’s a wrap for today’s show, friends.

My hope is that you start to implement some of the ideas, tips and strategies that I talk about and I would love to know which ones have been beneficial for you personally.

I would also like to invite you to become part of the Inspiration2grow community on Facebook.  The group name is: Inspiration2grow for Female Goal-getters.  It is meant to be a community of like-minded women who want to grow strong from the inside out.  There will be journalling prompts, nutrition and fitness tips, exercises to try, encouraging conversations among the community and lots more.  So, be sure to join this group for support, new ideas and the necessary rocket fuel to propel your health and wellness to new heights.

But before you look up today’s show notes or before you join us on Facebook, I would be very grateful if you could leave a review of my podcast.  A favourable one, I hope!  This way it will be shown to more listeners and the messages shared on this show could possibly reach more people who need it – with your help.

.And remember…
You owe it to yourself to take care of yourself, show up for yourself and become the best version of YOU.
In case you haven’t heard it yet today, let me be the first to tell you…
You are incredible, capable and your potential is limitless.  Never forget that I believe in you 100%.  Now, go out there and show the world what you are truly made of.
I hope to have inspired you to grow.
Til next time,
Lisa  xoxo