Do you ever feel overwhelmed by your surroundings? Do you have too many demands on your time and attention, too much clutter in your home or workspace, and too many distractions that keep you feeling scattered? In a world filled with noisy traffic, demanding voices and endless electronic beeps, it’s easy to lose touch with our quiet inner voice. When we are cut off from this inner voice, everything around us seems harsh and intense. We feel irritable, fatigued, and just plain stressed.

If your life seems to be coated in layers of chaos, simplicity might seem like an impossible dream. You might wonder how to overcome the demands and pressures that constrict your life and step into a gentler way of living. A good first step is to embrace simplicity in smaller doses. Rather than trying to overhaul everything in your life, start by making time to foster deeper inner peace. Shut off the television and phone and spend time reading quietly. Meditate and rest more often. Before long you should be feeling much more refreshed and positive, and ready to remove activities and situations that threaten your newfound inner peace.

Start by gradually stepping away from difficult people, frustrating situations and inner chaos. Avoid controversy and conflict and do what you can to embrace a quieter state of being. Clear your surroundings of clutter and confusion, and be willing to let go of what no longer serves you. Don’t worry about the situations and people you can’t control; focus more on what happens within you. Though you can change much about your surroundings, embracing simplicity is more about changing the way you interact with the people and circumstances you encounter in each moment. As you change the way you think and act, you will inspire more positive behavior from others, and more positive outcomes in every area of your life.