Destination: Simple – Rituals and Rhythms for a Simpler Daily Life is a little power-punch brought to us by Brooke McAlary from Slow Your Home. This book, like Brooke’s wonderful blog, is all about simplifying life so we have more time to do what we love and enjoy. While it’s a short book, Destination: Simple is filled with wisdom that is super easy to implement and will make a positive difference to your life. I’ve highlighted just three things that spoke to me, but I’ll be keeping this gem handy for regular re-reads (a.k.a. reminders to keep it simple!)

As Brooke notes, rituals have weight, significance and we approach them with a measure of importance.  Therefore if you reframe your daily chores as rituals they become important and encourage you to give them attention accordingly. Some might argue it’s semantics, but for me the word ‘ritual’ has much better associations than chores, housework, duties. Blergh. Create instead daily rituals (like making the bed) during which you focus only on what you are doing right then. Sounds simple, but it can be very calming to turn your attention wholly to such tasks as you move through your day.

Brooke suggests that each day you note down 5 things for which you are grateful, which will help you to “actively stop taking these everyday blessings for granted”. I’m starting with three, which I will share here each week – right now for example I’m grateful for my cat purring happily on my lap while I write. This also ties to another important idea: there are those (like me!) who believe that what you focus on is what you bring into your life. So if you spend a few minutes each day thinking about the blessings you have in your life, it can only bring on more of that good stuff!

Routine is boring, routine is drudgery. Instead, think of it as the rhythm of your day. Now, “it speaks of order and understanding and flexibility and movement and fluidity.” The rhythm of your day will keep you on track but it also allows you to move and change as needed.

Brooke acknowledges this is a borrowed term that she applies to her life. It’s a fantastic idea because it allows you to attend differently to your priorities depending on what’s happening in your life right now. Rather than trying (and let’s be honest, failing) to balance everything equally all the time. Brooke describes it as “a positive flow forward” instead than being overwhelmed by the torrent of life around us. You take control. She also talks about tilting in times of stress in a particular area – if something’s feeling a little bit out of control just tilt toward it (give it some extra attention) for a little while until things ease up. Perfect.

Destination: Simple truly is a terrific introduction to bringing some simplicity into your life. Each idea is straightforward to implement and requires only a small investment from you to set up lasting changes. And once you bring simplicity into your life, you will open the way for abundant wellbeing.