Simplify | Facing Overload
Posted on February 22, 2016 by America's Keswick in Freedom Fighters

Last week I shared a list of 20 ways to simplify your life from the pen of seminar speaker, Dr. Steve Stephens.
You may wonder why in the need to simplify. I would like to suggest that most people are facing overload in every area of their lives. Some of us are on a treadmill and we are going through life “existing” and not really enjoying life.
We are so busy and overloaded that we are missing the opportunities to smell the rose, enjoy a sunset, to enjoy our kids and grandkids, and so many other blessings that are right under our noses.
We keep adding stuff to our lives, and in order to pay for more stuff, we have to work more hours, start a second job, max out our credit cards to pay for what we really can’t afford, and then go to the doctors to get a prescription because we are anxious and can’t sleep because we are worried about how to pay for the stuff we have purchased.
I want to step back and talk about a couple items from Doc Stephens list. If you missed it, go back and read my blog post from last week.
Here are some things for you to consider:
1. Do only one thing at a time. – I used to pride myself on being a multi-tasker and thinking how good I was because I could do more than one thing at a time. That is just plain stupid! You can’t multi-task and really be engaged in what you are need to do. To be fully engaged, we need to focus on one thing at a time. You will find yourself making less mistakes, being more thorough and thinking more carefully.
2. Say no at least once a day. If you are on overload, my guess is like me, you haven’t learned that “no” is an acceptable word in your vocabulary. I have done a horrible job saying “no.” I have lived under the bondage of being a people pleaser, needing to make everyone happy. And guess what – everyone still isn’t happy, and neither am I. “No” is a good word. It is the word that can stop the freight train from running off the rails of our lives.
3. Get rid of clutter. What does your top bureau drawer look like? The draws of your desk? Your car? Your brief case? Some of you know exactly what I am talking about. Our life is one big mess of clutter.
This is one of the best ways to start learning to simplify. At this age of my life I am forcing myself to start the process of decluttering and it is painful. Being a musician, I have hundreds of choral collections that have saved for “someday.” Really? It’s all good stuff. Some of these pieces I haven’t seen in years. So I finally took the step of throwing away 100 choral books. Painful. And the ones I am keeping, my Administrative Assistant is scanning. It was hard, but freeing.
I am working through file drawers. Hey I have some great stuff I have saved over the years. But guess what – I also haven’t looked for it in years. My old boss, Neil Fichthorn, used to back up a box and take it with him on his stay-vacations and sort through it – getting rid of the unnecessary clutter. Not a bad idea.
I will share a couple of more ideas with you next week. Not a spiritual Freedom Fighter? It sure is. Could it be that the clutter in my life is what the writer of Hebrews was referring to in Hebrews 12:1? Maybe clutter is part of the hindrance that weighs us down. Think about it.
Written by Dr. Bill Welte is President/CEO of America’s Keswick: He has been married to his child sweetheart for 40+ years, and has three married kids, one that is engaged, and 10 amazing grand kids. He loves music and is an avid reader.
The Daily Bible Reading: Psalm 53; Proverbs 22
Click Here to Download our 2016 Daily Bible Reading Plan
Daily Quote: As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler; solitude will not be solitude, poverty will not be poverty, nor weakness weakness. ~Henry David Thoreau
This Week’s Verse to Memorize: It is better to trust in the Lord; Than to put confidence in man. ~Psalm 118:8 (NKJV)