This article was originally published in The Simplifier #4.3.

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Returning to Home Base

by Shawn Tuttle

For over five years now, I’ve been on a dedicated simplifying journey. Along the way, there have been tons of questions about what it really means to simplify. Just getting rid of stuff isn’t enough. Reducing your number of responsibilities isn’t enough. Working less isn’t enough. Spending more time with family isn’t enough. Taking more time for self isn’t enough. Et cetera.

The answer teased me mercilessly—close enough to feel, yet always out of reach. Until recently. To sum it up in two words: home base. It’s an awesome concept for the simplifying journey. Here’s a slice of my story that I hope will make your journey a little easier. No worksheets, checklists, or "how to"s in this article; just sit back, relax and enjoy the discovery.

It began almost 15 years ago. I’d been living with my boyfriend for a while, and I kept having this thought that I wanted a room of my own, that I needed my own space. My boyfriend didn’t understand what I was asking for. Did I want to be able to shut the door and lock him out? Was I trying to get away from him? Not exactly… Well then what did I mean? I couldn’t articulate the feeling behind the thought, and so I let it go.

The relationship didn’t last, but the desire for my own space did. It took years for me to understand what that yearning was really for…

It’s like creating a dream room at home. The furniture is luscious. The lighting perfect. The colors delicious. The ambience rich. It’s a room in which you feel safe, undisturbed, and relaxed. This room feels like you, comfortable and content.

What I didn’t understand back then with the beau was that this space wasn’t a physical room in the house. It’s internal. Some call it sacred space. I’ve come to call it home base. It’s where I go for guidance in challenging situations, to refuel, lick wounds, regroup the troops…It’s an awful lot like a home base in the Army or Marines, except the commanding officer is you (and there’s hopefully a lot less shouting).

Home base is the place inside of you where you will always get just what you need–even if you don’t consciously know what that is. Since we tend to be very "do" and "go" oriented, what we usually need is a reprieve from our hectic life, and this is what we get when we sink into the home base space.

However, I’ve recently had an unfamiliar situation with my own home base experience that caused me to reconsider what the purpose of it is.

The last several years have been an active exploration of my own simplification practice–what to get rid of, what to keep, and how to manage it. Schedule, stuff, responsibilities, relationships—everything. I pared down so much that I realized lately I was at risk of actually feeling bored–a completely preposterous possibility! Considering how much there is to do in the world, how many interesting things there are to learn and explore, I’ve never understood how anyone could ever be bored. Could one actually simplify too much?!?

Simplifying is a process, and for most of us with too much of everything, it’s likely to be a long process. Just as one big rain won’t fill up a depleted reservoir, one day of rest cannot possibly give relief for years of hectic living. Even though I had been clearing out everything from my life that didn’t support me, I still needed time to really rest and rejuvenate.

What I discovered was that what I had mistaken for boredom was really surplus energy. I wasn’t bored, I was ready to do more. When I dove into my home base space, my spirit was saying, "OK, kiddo! Enough R&R, let’s go make some waves!" My reservoir is now finally refilled and the power station is ready for full speed ahead.

Being completely dedicated to a sustainable lifestyle in a way that I wasn’t before, my first response was a little hesitant: "OK, but not in a way that leads to wearing myself out again." There are a lot of options between 10 m.p.h. and 90 m.p.h., ya know? While I’ve been taking the key steps to prevent burn-out like setting up systems and delegating, growing a business is a new challenge for me. I’m forced to answer the question: "How can I grow and expand my business in a way that honors my values of a simplified life?"

A "simplified life" doesn’t mean no structure, it means just the right amount at the right time. Planning will keep me pointed in the right direction, home base will keep my values in the forefront. So while it’s still a place of peace and relaxation, home base is also a place of creativity, intuition, and richness.

Hugging close to this sweet place invites a richness of experience that weaves throughout all else. This richness is actually the unspoken sentiment that has provided the motivation to continue on this life journey to simplify!

The challenge thus becomes remaining in (or in touch with) home base while picking up the pace and taking on new challenges. Up until recently, reconnecting with home base was a once-a-day activity, during my meditation. I’m now learning how to bring home base from meditation into the rest of the day by taking time out whenever I observe stress starting to take over. I figure with practice, home base will be the default internal experience that provides the culture of all my activities—sweet!

Exploring the beauty and richness of your home base is a yummy experience. If that’s not enough, know that it’ll give you a break from craziness, motivation for simplifying, and guidance when needed. It’s all yours, there whenever you want, and still there even if it’s been years since you’ve made an appearance. The light is always on, your favorite chair always ready. Comfort is yours for the enjoying. Welcome home.

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Shawn Tuttle is founder of Project Simplify.