Although this photo has next to nothing to do with what I am going to write about today I wanted to show you, in case you missed it here, that it’s cold today in central Florida!!! The water is frozen in the birdbath and the ground was quite crunchy from frost as I made my way to fill the bird feeder this morning. Just so you know, it’s not always sunshine and balmy breezes here in the Sunshine State.

Now back to our regular scheduled program.

If there could be two words that have clung to me as the new year began, they would have to be simplicity and focus. This morning, as I thought about the activities that I have been involved with the past few days, I started to understand how intricately woven together these two words are. At least for me.

To simplify your life, it is crucial that you understand what gives you a sense of significance. Once you determine that, all the rest is just clutter.

What instills in me a sense of significance?

• My husband and daughter
• My photographs
• My writing

Simplifying my life has been a three year journey thus far. Letting go is a difficult task. Yet, as I made the decision to continue to strive to keep with the basics, I discovered validation in this process in the most unlikely of places.

My friend Janna from Bread Crumbs and Purposeful Partnerships recently wrote some very thought provoking posts. In her Tips for the Race, Janna asks:

What is the one thing that if accomplished this year would make the biggest positive impact on your life?

For me, the one thing that would make the biggest positive impact on my life would be achieving the ability to stay focused on those areas that provide me with the greatest sense of significance.

What are the obstacles standing in your way of achieving this one thing?

Clutter. Not just physical clutter but mental clutter. By getting rid of all the clutter, I can focus more readily on those areas of importance.

What three small steps can you take starting immediately to eliminate the obstacles in your way?

During the first few days of the new year I found myself engaging in the following activities:

1. Getting rid of everything that does not provide me with a sense of accomplishment and significance. For example. I have been busy painting our entry way and hallway. I got rid of the ‘stuff’ on the walls and will be replacing it with my photographs. My home should reflect the interests of my family and myself. Not the handiwork of people I don’t even know.
2. I spent a considerable amount of time deleting all my photos from my Flickr account. My intent for this site is to feature what I consider ‘the best of the best’. By creating a more simplified format, I am able to easily access the photos that I consider striking, and formulate how I want to use them in future projects. For example. I have in mind a calendar I want to market this coming fall. A local gallery has asked for samples of my work.
3. I made the decision to not pursue The Mood Disorder Network. Although I have a whole file full of possible articles and ‘topics of interest’ that I would like to cultivate into informative essays, I just can’t dedicate the time to this project. My intent with this decision is to take that file and the ‘topics of interests’ and weave them into ‘personalized’ essays. Then taking those essays and matching them with photographs.

Committing myself to simplicity and focus is not an easy task for me. When I spiral my creative energy snowballs and fast becomes out of control. I will not let the fear of getting side tracked hold me back. I will do as Janna suggested in her second thoughtful post of the new year:

I will give both my goals and my fears over to God in prayer. If my plans coincide with God’s plans for my life, I know that He will provide me with all that I need to achieve them.