The full title of the book is
“How to simplify your life. Seven practical steps to letting go of your burdens and living a happier life”
It was written by Tiki Kustenmacher and Lothar J. Seiwert. Tiki is a Lutheran minister and also a cartoonist and author. Dr Seiwert is a leading life coach and author. They both live in Germany.
The aim of the book is to show you the art of mastering life so that your life will have “meaning”. It does this with a practical (almost scientific) approach rather than your typical nebulous “spiritual” approach on how to be happy.
As the book states “nobody can give you the meaning of life from outside; it is within you”. The authors argue that we have made life too complicated – we don’t see how simple Life actually is. The book is like a missing detailed instruction manual for life (almost to the point of being motherhood at times). It covers nearly every aspect of life from relationships to clutter, with loads of practical tips, from how to arrange your clothing in cupboards to how to determine you strengths and weaknesses using ennegrams.
The authors approach the way of simplification (and a happy life) as a pyramid consisting of seven steps that symbolize the various areas of our lives. Starting from our outer physical world (our clutter and our things) and ending with ourselves (our dreams and goals). It’s a comprehensive approach and draws research from hundreds of expert authors on each of these areas.
- Step 1: Your Things
- Step 2: Your Finances
- Step 3: Your Time
- Step 4: Your Health
- Step 5: Your Relationships
- Step 6: Your Life Partnership
- Step 7: Yourself
Get Rid Of Clutter
I loved the way the authors showed that your home is a mirror of your soul i.e. your house is a three-dimensional representation of your life. Keeping your house free from clutter is important as there is basically correspondence between our inner and outer worlds:
- The Cellar: Past and Unconscious
- The Attic: Ideas and Future
- Storerooms: Your Personal Freedom
- The Entrance Area: Your Relationship with Other People
- Doors: Your Openness
- The Living Room: Your Heart
- The Kitchen: Your Stomach
- The Floor: Your Finances
- Wardrobes: Your Body
- The Bathroom: Your Inner Center
- The Bedroom: Your Intimacy
- The Garage: Your Mobility
- Portable Junk: Your Burden
The book was heavy going at times, especially around “Step 1 Your things” and “Step 2 Your finances” because there were just too many practical tips. It took me over 2 weeks to finally finish the book. I enjoyed the ennegrams section the most where you identify your strengths & weaknesses as a person. All in all it will be a book I will refer to a lot as it is so practical.
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