One of the reasons to have a simpler life, is so you can experience life instead of constantly living in your head worrying about the future, trying to control life by controlling your schedule, and using what little energy you have with passive activities.

What if you spent more time on your actual experiences – what you hear, see, feel, taste, smell. Immersing yourself in nature or a conversation. Being present as your play with your kids.

Which means less time in your mind labeling things as good or bad, like or dislike, pleasant or unpleasant. Less time evaluating and assessing.

You’d have to put away your devices for a little while as well. Spending time with your technology is spending time in your head. You aren’t experiencing things. You are consuming them. You are scrolling and getting positive or negative twinges. You are judging everything you come across. You lose the outside world and sometimes can’t even hear someone talking to you, being so absorbed with what you are reading, watching, and thinking.

As a society, we are spending more and more time in that state. What if we danced more? Sat on our front porch more? Had deep conversations more often? Created instead of consumed?

Some ways to get out of your head and off the devices:

• Games that aren’t online
• Crafts
• Being present with people
• Moving the body
• Cooking
• Getting into nature
• Travel even in your hometown
• Volunteer
• Have a good meal you savor
• Find a hobby that isn’t on the computer
• Play or dance to music
• Walk somewhere new and look around. turning off the podcast
• Photograph, draw or paint things and people so you are really looking at them
• Garden
• Play with kids or a pet
• Organize and declutter
• Take breaks outside
• Work on a project
• Get a massage or other body work
• Practice a skill
• Go on an artist date
• Do some home care lovingly
• Picnic
• Get into or sit next to a body of water

The important part is to keep bringing your mind to what you are doing and experiencing, instead of thinking about it or something else. Live life instead of only thinking about it.

Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?

Mary Oliver

What is your plan? How do you want to experience life?

Photo by Brea Dargis

E-courses on simplicity, retreats, health and procrastination.