I grew up in the 1970s in a relatively low-income family. I had very few toys and very little attention from my parents. I spent hours watching rows of ants marching in the front yard of our apartment building or dancing in the living room, making up imaginary stories. There were a few choices for meals and a few options for spending time. Life was simple.

I am not advocating for poverty and a lack of options. I am very grateful that I ended up living in abundance. I am happy that my son has many more options than I had. He got to see the vast world and do many things I could never dream of when I was his age.

But let’s admit it. Life today is intensely overwhelming. I am constantly struggling to fit it all in – motherhood, marriage, business, writing, social media, volunteering, friends, yoga, meditation, preparing food, finances, and the list goes on and on. I know that most chances are that you are overwhelmed by the many aspirations and tasks you took on yourself. Are you not?

We can never do things right when we act from our overwhelmed place. It is like trying to thrive inside a hurricane. Something keeps stirring inside us every moment, and we have no peace to be fully creative. More importantly, we don’t truly enjoy our lives because we are constantly stressed.

This need for multitasking in an over-stimulating world that advances at the speed of light is very characteristic of the age of Aquarius. But then comes Taurus and says…wait a second! Can you please stop and take a deep breath?

(Deep breath)

This week, I talked about my struggle and was advised to learn time management. I did not want to offend anyone, but I am very good at time management. I know to put my devices on focus mode and concentrate on my tasks. I allow myself limited screen time. My schedule is highly efficient and well organized. My husband and I have a very steady routine for who spends time with our son, when we eat meals, and when we go to sleep. These routines and structures, which directly relate to the sign of Taurus, help us bring some simplicity and relief to our lives, but evidently, they are not enough.

Taurus calls for simplicity. I recently started asking myself – how can we simplify our lives? I found that I was not the only one to ask that. Google led me to many articles and books about the topic. We can summarize all their advice in a few words – organization, less stuff, less physical and mental clutter. Organize your closet, kitchen, meal plan, paperwork, finances, thoughts, and self-care routine. As much as these are valuable and important advice, the truth is that even though I am very structured and organized, life is still overwhelming.

Simplifying life would be different for each person. I found that the essential things I need to simplify are my ambitions and my expectations of myself and life. What if I only wanted to live a happy, meaningful, sustainable life? To have great relationships, be healthy, creative, and financially independent? What if I put my desire to have many Instagram followers aside? Or if I did not push myself to publish my book in a year? Just writing this, I already feel a massive sense of relief.

I still want to be successful, but I can change the definition of success. I have excellent relationships with my son, husband, friends, teachers, colleagues, and the people in my community. In my job, I touch people’s lives and help them love themselves and live the lives they truly want. Isn’t that a huge success?

Taurus wisdom is about downscaling, not out of compromise but out of seeing the magic and beauty of what we already have and what we have already achieved. It is not only about having less but also about wanting less.

How can you simplify your life? Would changing your aspirations like I did bring more joy and ease into your life? I’d love to hear what you think would work for you and others.

Have a wonderful week, and happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers in the audience. 

With love,

Yael