6 Steps to Start Living a Simpler and Happier Life

The simpler life requires you to figure out precisely what your idea of heaven is and then design your life as close to it as possible while you're still on this planet. 

As a single parent you need to do this. 

Begin with these 6 Steps to Start Living a Simpler and Happier Life.

 1. Relax your standards.

     If you are struggling to meet self-imposed standards   because you find the effort  satisfying, then, by all means   struggle on. But if meeting your standards leave you with too little energy to enjoy other things, it's time to relax them.

      2. Take Time to Figure What You Find Most Satisfying

     Set aside the time to think about what it is that gives you the most pleasure and satisfaction, and start doing it.

      3. Create Time for the Things You Care About.

     The purpose of taking the time to think about what it is you care about is to make time for those things in your life.

      4. Learn to Enjoy What’s in Front of You.

      Try to see everything that’s beautiful in front of you and live in that moment. There's a skill involved in looking at what’s in front you and finding a gift in it.To some extent I’m talking    about a half full rather than a half  empty approach to life.This type of vision really cuts away all kinds of clutter.

       5. Learn to be Flexible.

      Many of us develop patterns of behavior – habits – that takes on a life of their own. In fact, there is a real value in change, that is, in shaking things up every now and then and surprising everyone, including yourself.

      6.  Prioritize

     The entire notion of prioritizing how you spend your time implies that you actually  have some control over your life. It is that kind of taking control and experiencing satisfaction    that I am trying to foster.

Clearly we all have things we must do that we wish we didn't have to do. But as I said earlier, you will be surprised to discover just how much choice you have about where your energies go.

Remember you really do have the capacity to make choices. And that’s the key to a simpler life.

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What Single Parents Need to Know to Live Longer and Enjoy Life

As a single parent who needs to care for yourself and your children, eating more fruits and vegetables every day as part of a healthy eating plan may lower your chances of getting cancer, heart disease and stroke and other chronic diseases. 

Today, more than 90 percent of all Americans do not eat the daily recommended amount of fruits and vegetables. 

Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
The answer is simple... just eat more fruits and vegetables for the benefit of getting more fiber in your system. as well as the other benefits. Focus on how to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your daily eating plan.

To get more fiber in your diet, the following food items are examples of good sources of dietary fiber -- beans, blueberries, grapes, apples. most raw vegetables, whole grain cereals, sweet potatoes, and whole grain breads. Current recommendations for healthy adults are to get 20 to 30 grams of fiber a day through dietary food sources. 

However, Americans on average only get about 10 to 13 grams a day.  Some of the many health benefits to eating enough fiber, include lowering blood cholesterol levels and assisting with digestive disorders. If you want to increase fiber, do so gradually by 16 adding small amounts to your daily diet.

Reduce Saturated Fats in Your Diet
Why is it important to reduce the saturated fat in the diet? It helps prevent many chronic diseases such as heart disease and stroke. It helps prevent clogging of the arteries. It helps with weight control and management. It helps lower blood cholesterol levels. 

The American Heart Association and other nutrition guidelines encourage all Americans to reduce their overall intake of saturated fat in their diets. On average, Americans consume 45 percent to 50 percent of their total daily calories from saturated fat sources. 

Saturated fat is found in animal products such as meat, high-fat dairy products and also in some processed foods. You should limit your intake of saturated fats to 10 percent or less of your daily fat calories. 

Healthier fat sources include monosaturated or polyunsaturated sources of fat such as olive oil, canola oil and nuts.

Trans fats are Unhealthy
Trans fats are considered unhealthy fat sources. The following tips will lower your intake of trans fats. Choose liquid vegetable oils. Reduce eating commercially prepared baked goods and snack foods.

Avoid deep-fried foods eaten away from home. Limit eating fast foods. And, read the food labels. According the Institute of Medicine, there are no safe levels of trans fats. Try to replace saturated and trans fats with vegetable oils and other non-saturated fat sources.


Do you have some healthy eating tips you would like to add? Leave your thoughts below.

3 Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Life as a Single Parent

As a single parent, you are the most important individual in your children's lives. 

Keep yourself in good physical condition. 

If you have young children, you realize how important it is to keep yourself in good shape to deal with the needs of your active offspring. 

If getting a membership at the local health club or YMCA is out of the budget, then find a way to at least get an exercise bike and work out at ten minutes a day and eat a balanced diet.

Now, here are 3 ways to get the most out of your life as your children become grownups:

1. Visualize and pursue a rewarding future that you can realize once you have an empty nest.

Do not allow yourself to be in position of acceding to your grown children's demands because you have an unfulfilled life. Grown children generally have no qualms about asking you to babysit your grandchildren or becoming an unpaid chauffeur.

However, if you have pursued a new direction prior to having an empty nest, then you can easily let your grown children know that on certain dates and times they can come by with the children for a visit, to have dinner, or to enjoy a pleasant conversation. 

But, they will know that at an agreed upon time they will be expected to go home. With this understanding, your grown children will have increased respect for you.

2. Develop and keep quality friends and relationships. 

Good friends and quality relationships are good for your mental health. However, it is essential to make the distinction between friends and acquaintances. 

A friend is someone who cares about your well-being and loves you unconditionally. And furthermore, a friend is supportive of your goals when your goals are in your best interest and will let you know when they are detrimental to your best interest.

Acquaintances often do not have your best interest at heart. Moreover acquaintances are likely to waste your time with idle and useless conversation and get you involved in wasteful activities. 

As a final point, acquaintances often want to use you to meet their own needs whereas in a friendship you and your friend are mutually supportive.

3. Consider your interest and skills and build on them.

Life is worthwhile when you continue to grow throughout your time on this earth. Think about the interests you had when you were in your teenage years that have remained in the back of your mind and never pursued. 

Perhaps you want to own your own business, go back to school to get your degree, become a nurse, social worker, or teacher, or even become a singer or motivational speaker if you have the talent.

The point is to consider your interest and your skills. If you have one or more interests and some skills which match those interests, then build on those interests and skills and let them take you to some new self-fulfilling goals.

When your children are young your most important obligations are to make sure that their needs are met and that they learn the self-reliant skills sufficient enough to become responsible and productive adults. 

While you are providing the required love and discipline for your children, you should have fun with them. 

When they become adults, your role as a parent changes. You become more of an advisor and a confidant. 

Make sure that they understand your new role and boundaries and begin to use the 3 Ways to Get More Out of Life.