Change the Story of Your Life

From onsimplicity.net a great article:

Want to Change the Story of Your Life? Change the Story of Your Minutes

“I’ve been trying to simplify my life and focus more on everyday pleasures. I’ve cut down on a bunch of stuff, but my life is as crazy as ever. What’s the problem?”
I don’t know the intimate details of anyone’s schedule but my own, but I’ve got an almost surefire way to figure out why this person’s life is still miles from simple. But first, some background.  How many times have said, “I totally love doing Activity X. I’m so into it!” Maybe it’s at a cocktail party, chat in the break room, or even in your own head. You might say it’s your passion. Unfortunately, you never get to do it. Life always manages to get in the way. You may say you love that activity and be completely sincere, but your actions tell the real story.
The stuff we spend our minutes on? That’s our real priority.

The Story Behind Our Actions

Our actions tell the real story of our lives and our passions.  In my case, I say that I love to sew, and I do, but I complete about three projects a year. The rest of the time, I’m blogging, I’m gardening, I’m listening to Def Leppard. Those are the real passions in my life. That doesn’t mean I can’t sew, but it does mean that I can’t sit around blaming other people for eating into my prized sewing time.
So back to the question that started this all. What’s the problem? Why is life still so crazy? Day to day life will tell the story. Perhaps there are too many commitments clogging up the schedule and eating up your down time. Maybe you’re getting sucked into your friends’ drama on a regular basis, making you feel stressed and unable to get away. Who knows—maybe too much time spent at work or on the Internet is taking away the time that could be used for the bedrock components of a simple life.

Get Back to the Life You Love, One Minute at a Time

Whatever story the schedule tells, your minutes rarely lie. Whenever your goals and your image of your life don’t seem to line up quite right, it’s time to go back to basics.  Take a closer look at where your minutes are spent and rearrange as needed.  No guilt, no regret: just smile and remember that you’ve got the power to create your life as you see fit, one minute—and one action—at a time.