I've always rejected simplicity to some extent. I like profusion and color. I have a much higher tolerance for clutter than most people. And most of all, the act of simplifying seems like the opposite of simplifying to me. It seems like there is so much that someone has to do to achieve the standard of "simplified." There are so many routines that have to be implemented, so many chores that have to be accomplished. I tend to beat myself up and give up and let things go back to exactly how they were.
Lately, however, I have been craving more order in my life. It seems almost impossible to achieve. Our house is so messy. Our carpets have play dough ground into them, our chairs and sofa are decorated with spit up (the joys of having a baby with reflux). We're about to start potty training and I feel like every accident is going to be a permanent badge on the carpet that I will never be able to erase. As far as habits and routines go, the unpredictability of a baby and a 3 year old make the idea of habits and routines seem constraining and impossible to adhere to. I think for me, once I've imposed a routine, I really struggle with flexibility. I feel like deviating from that routine is a failure. So instead I just live in barely controlled chaos.
So my question to you is, how do you reconcile all this? Before I leap into KonMari/the Art of Simple/Better than Before/capsule wardrobes/Whatever it is that will help me achieve this elusive distinction of "simplified," how can I keep from being obsessive about it? How can I keep from spending crazy amounts of money, having to ignore my children, and imposing arbitrary rules on myself that are really going to make me more stressed rather than less? Does anyone else struggle with this?
Oh all of you who have achieved clean houses, typical routines, who are able to shower and put on makeup in the morning and get out the door and pay your bills on time, HOW DO YOU DO IT?
Lorren you are a lovely and amazing young woman, capable of all that life throws at you. No one has perfection, no one ever will. It's messy, chaotic, exhausting and you get through each day by focusing on one thing....the moments you have with your little ones. That is perfection and simplicity all in one. Outside of that it is merely an illusion, a man made delusion that is impossible to live up to and actually destructive to think as mothers and working professionals we can uphold some facade of "perfecting it all". Let it be messy because one of these days you're going to turn around and your little ones will have grown up. You'll have clean carpet and only wish you could have every single stain back.
ReplyDeleteChristine Johns
It's something I've struggled with for a long time, that cleaning/organizing-type stuff. Some women it's just comes to so naturally. I have gotten better the longer I've been a mom. I think you'd be surprised how much personal revelation you can get on this topic. It might not be a specific program to follow or something, but more a peaceful feeling that tunes you in to what life is about. Good luck, I'll pray for you. Motherhood is the most challenging thing I've ever done.
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