Welcome to our series sharing Unique Holidays: August 2022: Week One National Simplify your Life Week. I don’t know about you but I’m all for simplifying not only my life but Charlie and David’s as well. Would you like to join me and we can work together to do this.
National Simplify your Life Week
National Simplify Your Life Week is observed yearly during the first week of August. This year it takes place from August 1st to 7th. Though National Simplify you Life Week origins are unknown, it is clear that the week is for decluttering and simplifying one’s life, which involves getting rid of physical and psychological clutter that may hinder one from living a peaceful and stress-free life.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE WEEK
National Simplify Your Life Week has an unclear history. However, its purpose is obvious. Encourage people to rid their lives of physical and psychological clutter. This week is for simple living and eliminating things that cause stress or unnecessary chaos. It not only focuses on physical aspects but also pushes people to remove mental and emotional blockages. These could be toxic relationships, negative thoughts, or unhealthy work environments.
Unlike what the term connotes in modern parlance, ‘stress’ was originally a physics term. In physics, stress refers to the strain on a physical object from a force exerted on it. For instance, when a piece of plastic undergoes stress, it bends and breaks. Hans Selye borrowed this term and began using it in the 20th Century concerning humans after completing medical training at the University of Montreal.
Hans Selye observed that patients in the hospital, despite having different illnesses, all had one thing in common. They all looked sick. Thus, Hans Selye surmised that they were under physical stress. Hans Selye proposed a theory that stress was a non-specific strain on the body caused by an irregularity in normal body functions, leading to the release of the stress hormone. Several researchers had a problem with the word ‘non-specific,’ arguing that psychological factors could also cause stress.
Later, researchers conducted experiments and discovered common elements that generally caused stress. Whatever the specific stressors may be. These elements were ‘novelty,’ ‘unpredictability,’ ‘threat to the ego,’ and ‘sense of control,’ forming the acronym ‘N.U.T.S.’ Selye also propounded the “General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)” with three stages: alarm reaction, resistance, and exhaustion. To date, this is one of the most popular stress theories.
NATIONAL SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE WEEK ACTIVITIES
- Simplify your life by doing something you love. Watching a movie, attending an event, or simply lie down thinking about nothing. Take time out for yourself.
- Go ahead and declutter parts of your home or office and experience the coolness of a clean space. A clean space equals a clear mind.
- In these modern times, most people tend to be on their phones almost 24/7. Disconnect from Social Media and connect with real people. Enjoy nature or do things the old-fashioned way. Set apart a few hours daily to take a break from your gadgets and live simply.
5 IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT HANS SELYE
- Hans Selye was born on January 26, 1907, in Vienna, Austria-Hungary.
- Hans Selye graduated as a doctor of medicine and chemistry from the University of Prague in 1929.
- Hans Selye pioneered work on stress at Johns Hopkins University, McGill University, and the Universite de Montreal.
- Hans Selye was nominated seventeen times for the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine but never won.
- Hans Selye died on October 16th, 1982, in Quebec, Canada.
WHY PEOPLE LOVE NATIONAL SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE WEEK
- National Simplify Your Life Week allows you to retreat from the bustle of our daily lives. A simple week of rest promotes relaxation and tranquility.
- Decluttering our lives of toxic and unnecessary things promotes efficiency. When we get rid of unwanted elements, we can focus on things that matter.
- Stress impacts our health negatively. It is necessary to maintain a positive balance to live healthy, comfortable lives.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
