This month’s theme is around taking care of ourselves - particularly if we are the carer for someone living with dementia. But whether or not we have the additional responsibility of caring for another, we all have a responsibility to the best of our ability to take care of ourselves.
One way to approach this is to adopt the KISS principle, Keep It Simple, Sweetheart.
Take a look at your regular life and see if there is anything you can easily add, remove or change to make your day to day routines a bit easier.
Decluttering to downsize
In my own case, I’ve recently been challenged on how well I take care of myself.
Having decided to downsize and move to a different location in Melbourne, I’ve been getting my home ready for sale.
One aspect of this has been a conscious decision to declutter the look of the place.
Another equally important aspect has been to focus on the person I intend to be in the different location. To support this aspect of my life I need to let go of stuff that strangely has morphed from being a central preoccupation to, let’s face it, excess baggage.
While thinking about what this shedding of the old involves, I came across some inspiring thoughts on Simplicity.
It struck me that perhaps I too was looking for simplicity; and whether dealing with dementia or not, we could all benefit from a degree of simplicity in our lives.
In my own quest for greater simplicity, I have been throwing out a lot of ‘paperwork’ - some pieces like reports and articles written by myself and others gathered in the name of research.
As I contemplate consigning papers to the recycle bin, I remind myself that this is a gesture towards simplicity that will benefit me both now and into the future.
A Japanese parable
I’m reminded of the Japanese parable of continuing to pour tea into an already overflowing cup. The cup has a limited capacity and so any overflow falls to the ground and is wasted. Even the anticipated refreshing drink cannot be enjoyed until the pouring stops.
In like manner, as our lives progress and change, we may need to change our behaviour. We may need to empty a cup before it can be refilled.
Simplicity - a complicated process
Achieving simplicity sounds like it should be relatively straight forward but really it is quite a complicated process.
From the infinite number of possibilities available to us in the moment, we need to select what is most important - again, in the moment.
Then we need to recognise that we can only lead one life at a time.
This means saying no to the rest and this is not always either obvious or easy to do.
And this in turn means that if we are to achieve a degree of simplicity in our lives, we need constantly to be reflecting on what is most important to us and then choosing to move in that direction.
It’s a lifelong practice.
What to do next
Reflect on what you most need or want at this stage of your life. Remember, life is a marathon with different stages. Your specific wants and needs will vary depending on what stage of your marathon you are at.
What could you say no to that would simplify this stage of your marathon? Go for something small and easy. Remember the KISS principle.
Experiment with saying no until you find something that fits your life and situation.
Share your thoughts on this with your fellow marathon runners. Add your comments below.