The biggest problem we are faced with in raising a family these days is that there seems to be way too much stuff in our lives… Too much stuff to do and not enough time to do it all… And too many things accumulated that we just can’t possibly maintain them all and appreciate or value what we have. With all the abundant opportunities out there and our possessions, you would think we would all be very happy, but we’re not! In fact, we are a nation that is becoming more depressed than ever before. Why is this so?

The truth is this: It is often the simple things in life that bring us the most joy and yet most of us no longer know how to create a simple life for ourselves or our children. We have allowed our lives to become so complex and full, trying to keep up with everybody else and perceived expectations, that we no longer have any time to connect with each other. In fact, our ‘business’ and obsession with ‘screens’ seems to be getting out of control… we are like little mice on a wheel, unable to slow down or get off.

What is scarce is precious… yet nothing seems to be scarce anymore! Maybe this is why very little seems to be valued and/or appreciated these days. Rather, it seems that our compulsion to ‘have’ and to ‘do’ as much as we can is creating a generation where self-entitlement is becoming the norm. There is just way too much stuff to do… like busy schedules packed full of all these wonderful opportunities on offer that we think our children should have, too many expectations, too much pressure to achieve, too much competition, and quite simply, way too many distractions, such as TV, Video Games, Toys, Computers, I-Phones and so on.

One way of creating a happier family life is to create more ‘down time’ for ourselves and our children in order to re-discover each other, to use our creative minds, to connect, to explore, to wonder and to appreciate what we have. It’s time to stop looking for the next thing to ‘have’ and packing our lives full… and it’s time to find the gift in boredom! When we allow our children to be bored, we are in fact creating an opportunity for them to discover creative play, which they will do. With no distractions, it’s amazing how children will tap into their creative minds, which is essential for healthy brain development. If your children aren’t use to ‘down time’ there may be some resistance at first, but if you don’t give in and continue creating it, children will quickly adapt and learn to enjoy it.

There are many other ways to simplify family life, which is well worth doing since there is a strong connection between simplicity and happiness. I am not suggesting to get rid of all ‘screens’, toys etc, but the pendulum has swung way too far towards being busy and distracted with all these things… And to make matters worse, it is becoming so easy to get what we want, particularly information, that very little effort is often required, resulting in ‘lazy minds’ and complacent attitudes. The consequences of our technological driven world are becoming more evident… there are too many choices, pressures and distractions. And on the whole, we are becoming more stressed and depressed. This is why it is crucial that we start the pendulum swinging back towards living a more simple life.

Some tips to simplify your life:

* Schedule in only 1 or 2 afterschool activities each week

* Try to have 2-3 screen free days each week

* Cull stuff every 6-12 months, like toys, clothes etc

* Get rid of clutter – just have enough of what you need like clothes, shoes, toys, games etc

* Create ‘down time’ for your children every day (no distractions)

* Create ‘talk time’ with your children every day (no distractions)

* Create time for outdoor active play everyday

This article was inspired by the interview I heard with Kim John Payne http://www.simplicityparenting.com/

on an online parenting radio show hosted by Sandi   www.leadingedgeparentingpage.com

I highly recommend both of these sites!

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We all need hope… hope for peace, happiness, health, financial stability, freedom, love and so on…

Hope for these fundamentals is essential for our soul… Hope is Healthy… Hope is what keeps us striving to better ourselves and the world we live in…

However, many people confuse Hope and Attachment.

Attachment is when we focus on having specific things and/or people and believe that it’s these things or people that will bring us happiness.

We often call ‘attachment’ hope, but they are not the same…

For example, when we fall in love we hope that this particular person will also want us… so rather than just hoping for love in general or a partner, we focus on this one particular person whom we want… this is attachment, not hope… we are not leaving it up to the universe or God, we are trying to control things to get what we want.

Another example is if we see a property that we really want… so rather than just hoping for a comfortable place to live, we become focused on having this particular property… and we can often go to all kinds of extremes to try and get it… once again this is attachment… we are not trusting that we will be given exactly what we need.

I believe that there is a much greater force that acts independently of us ‘willing things to happen the way we think they should’… so we may as well stop ‘willing things’, relax and enjoy life a little more.

Attachment is what causes STRESS… the biggest killer on this planet.

When we let go and trust, we relax and experience PEACE…

What would you rather?

Our actions are a reflection of our character and our character is what determines the course of our life. Unfortunately, this planet is filled with people who believe that making others believe we have character is the same as having it. Where we go, what we do and all of the things that we treasure are all connected with this idea that has nothing to do with real character.

What kind of character do you have? Part of character is being willing to hold up the mirror to ourselves and really take a look. But we don’t want to look at ourselves because if we look in the mirror and it shows us something we don’t want to see — everything that we are, all that we have, all that we’ve done — what’s it going to mean? So rather than look to see what is true, we’ll put the mirror aside and look instead at a thousand pictures of the way we want to see ourselves.

Constancy for example is a quality of character, which means doing one thing all the way. The man or woman without character is a creature of circumstance, where every circumstance determines what they are. Look honestly at yourself: Do you have a constant character, or does every circumstance determine what you are? Is what you think about determined by what other people think about?

If you are able to put principle before person then this is a sign of true character. What are you putting first all the time? What is your principal concern? Is it to be self-interested and self-serving? Do you care only for that which satisfies you?

The purpose of this life on earth is to go through a transfiguration and internal change that leaves our character like nothing it was before. We are meant to rise above this present character of “me first.” To do so, we must learn to put principle before person. This means putting Truth first and ourselves last. Usually we only put ‘Truth’ first if it serves us to do so. There is no character, just the search for comfort. To develop a ‘true’ character we must create a new intention; the intention to go in a straight line, to be constant to the principle of Truth instead of to ourselves.

Inside, we have a true character that yearns to break out. This character has no need to spend the day thinking about money or worrying about what other people are worrying about and does not desire to serve ones self. A true character spends the days sacrificing the self for the higher principle or Consciousness. That means regardless of how you feel about any situation, you put the ‘Truth’ first instead of yourself.

Are you willing to learn about Real Life? Are you willing to call into question everything about yourself? Are you willing to doubt your present character? Are you willing to stand upon what you see when you’re willing to look at your character? If you see certain things that tell you that what you are embracing is destroying everything, including your chance to be a true human being, are you willing to do without these things? These are the things you have to ask yourself. It isn’t hard to do. What’s harder is to remain a human being without character.

Unless we put principle before person, our life is being frittered away. How can you put Truth first? Every day, at least make a new aim to watch yourself, to hold up the mirror and do the work. Do what you can so that ‘Truth’ can do what it’s meant to do for you… and it will.

Taken from Guy Finley’s work

Appreciation, having goals, loving relationships, helping others and evolving to a higher state of consciousness seem to be the things that bring us the most joy and gives us a sense of purpose in this life here on earth.  But none of these things are possible without LOVE, which is at the core and allows us to appreciate and learn from every moment and experience we have. Once we begin to live in gratitude of every moment, we become an instrument of love… this I believe is our primary purpose and the other things that bring us joy and fulfillment are secondary to this.

Quote by Guy Finley – Every moment — no matter what it brings to you –is made especially for you — to transform you into a happier, brighter, more fulfilled human being. http://www.guyfinley.org/product/S125A/

Once you know the truth of this for yourself, it instantly puts everything that happens to you in a fresh new light:

• You never meet a “problem” that doesn’t already hold within it the key to its solution and your elevation. In fact, you no longer view it as a problem, but rather as an opportunity to learn and to love more deeply.
• You never meet another person who doesn’t bear a celestial gift meant just for you to raise your understanding and free your soul. And quite often, it is the person who pushes your buttons the most who can be your most powerful teacher and therefore your greatest gift.
• You never meet a moment that doesn’t have the potential to open your heart to the greater Love that’s always trying to give you more of this love. If you stay open to this truth, every moment will have meaning and your life will become richer and fuller.