Simplicity.  Ahem, the word itself makes me want to declutter.

Anyone who has ever helped my husband and I move can testify to the fact that I NEED to declutter.

Luckily, every time we move (which is more often than the average Joe), we do declutter.  Somehow, clutter accumulates FAST with kids.  I blame the kids…always the kids!  I am searching for simplicity.

What does it mean to live a simple life?

I’m trying to figure that out!

I had a (not so) random ad pop up on my facebook feed that advertised for an on line subscription titled Finding Simplicity: 21 Days to a Balanced Catholic Life.  This exercise, produced by the Catholic Company, specifically GoodCatholic.com, is based on the Rules of St. Benedict.

Usually, I scroll right past pop up ads and keep moving.

This time, it caught my attention.  I have craved a simpler life for years.  I truly desire that, but life happens, and my life is anything but simple.  We are an active and busy family.  My husband travels for work, and my kids go in  every direction and NEVER at the same time.  I feel like most days I wake up just to get started on my “to do” list and run around like a mad woman until it is time to go to bed.

Daily prayer is crammed in there (usually in the car line at my daughter’s school), exercise is non-existent, and groceries, laundry and housekeeping seem to overtake my days…everyday.

Back to simplicity.  I want it.  I crave it.  I NEED it.  I am currently on day seven, and I’m absolutely loving it.  It has spoken to my soul and made me take a good look at my life, my routines, my priorities, and my habits.  In the introduction, I learned that living a simple life does not mean a boring, dull or ugly life.  Whew :).

Speaking honestly here, I was actually sort of worried about this!

To the contrary, it is cutting through the extra noise to truly live your best life.  Thus far, we have covered discipline, Liturgical living (I have more to say on this), prayer, obedience, stability and pitfalls to avoid.  In the first seven days, I have purposed to wake up when my alarm actually goes off and a little earlier than usual to have a scheduled prayer time before the business of the day.  I used to do this, but then I got tired….really really tired.

I have been amazed at how settled and balanced I feel with plenty of prayer time before the day even gets started.  I continue to remind myself of the order of my priorities-God, husband, children/family, work, commitments etc. I am working on obedience and stability.

I am genuinely excited about the rest of this series.

I highly encourage you to check out the Catholic Company and look at their different online series.  Some days the pop up ads are a bit head scratching (insert AARP ads), but today, I am particularly thankful for Facebook algorithms that plopped this sponsored advertisement in my feed!

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This is not a paid advertisement!  Ha!  One of our values at Bellator Society is to SHARE the true, good, and beautiful wherever we find it!  We want to encourage you, too, to be a cheerleader. . .a spot light. . .a herald and warrior for the things that brighten your day!