I was in the car recently, looking out the window and I spotted some sparrows playing and soaring in the wind. They looked so incredibly free, so unhindered. Amidst my family moving, and just the craziness of life in general, I was jealous. I wanted my life to look like that, but how?

So I decided to do some research, research that I found so interesting, I had to share it.

But first let me define what I mean by "unhindered." The word “hinder” is a verb meaning “to limit the ability of someone to do something, or to limit the development of something” in another definition, it was defined, “to put at an disadvantage.”

Who wants to be limited? Disadvantaged? I certainly don’t. This kick-started my research, and as I looked for an answer, I found an overall collective agreement that when it comes to living an unhindered life, less is more.

I now share with you three simple insights, backed by recent research, into living an hindered life.

How to live an unhindered life? Choose the essentials.

In March, "The New York Times" published an article called "The Secrets to a Happy Life," From a Harvard Study. The study, followed 724 men throughout their lives, beginning in 1938 (that’s a 78 year study!). About 60 of the original 724 are alive today, most in their mid-90’s, all 60 still participating in the study.

At the outset of the research, the men were interviewed and given medical exams. From there, they have been contacted every two years to answer questions about their lives, have brain scans, and blood tests.

The study revealed a very telling truth about life, one that the study’s director, Robert Waldinger, even shared on a TED talk. He said this:

“People who are more socially connected to family, to friends, to community, are happier, physically healthier, and they live longer than people who are less well connected. People who are more isolated are less happy and have shorter lives.”

Choose the essentials. Less isolation means that you’ll be more physically and mentally healthy and happy, and you might even live longer.

How to live an unhindered life? Declutter.

Using MRIs and other diagnostic tools, research shows that clutter affects your brain’s ability to concentrate and process information. Physical clutter overloads your senses, makes you feel stressed, and impairs your ability to think creatively. But clutter doesn’t just happen physically, it happens mentally as well.

You have probably heard it said that no two objects can occupy the same space at the same time.

This past January, Online business and career coach Farnoosh Brock wrote blog post "The Single Principle You Need to Clean Out the Mind Clutter for Good. "
In it, she asked the question, “Why can’t we apply the same physics principle to our thoughts?”

“What would we do if we knew for a certain fact that a positive thought and a negative thought cannot occupy the same space in our mind at the same time? That they cannot co-exist at all?

We would have to start choosing our thoughts like we choose our clothes for the day.”

Now imagine all the stuff that fills up your mind: thoughts, worries, anxieties, fears, memories, desires, questions. Ask yourself, Am I going to use the worries, the anxieties, the fears and the negative thoughts? Or Am I going to use the memories, the desires and the positive thoughts?

It’s hard to not choose the worries, anxieties and negative thoughts. That’s okay. Just consciously apply the rule: No two things can occupy the same space in your mind at the same time. Choose either a negative thought or a positive thought for this day or this hour or this very minute. Discard the other.

Declutter. Because less clutter means more focus, more relaxation and less stress, and more better moods and moments of high self-esteem.

How to live an unhindered life? Let Go.
In life we attach ourselves to a lot of things: to people, opinions, money, and time. Especially as adults, we attach ourselves to expectations and obligations and this leaves us with busy lives. We fall into this mindset that everything we do must have a purpose. If there is no purpose, why make time for it in our busy schedules?

Well it’s time to let go of these attachments, and to essentially let go

. What I mean is, have some fun: dance, laugh, play

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There is an organization called theNational Institute for Play in which studies have shown that a life lived without play is at increased risk for stress-related diseases, mental health issues, addiction and interpersonal violence.

Notice that it says “a life lived without play” not “a childhood without play”, as in there needs to be play throughout one’s life.

Psychiatrist Dr. Stuart Brown, author of the book Play, conducted 6,000 plus "play histories" of people from all walks of life. In his book, Brown explains why play is critical to our intelligence, creative potential, ability to problem solve, social skills, adaptability and more. He shares that particularly in challenging times, play is the direct means through which we prepare for the unexpected, explore and discover new solutions, and remain optimistic. He uses neuroscience, psychology, social science, biology and inspiring real-life stories to demonstrate that play could very well be the most important work we ever do.

Play is important, it has more value than we think to give it.

Let go of those expectations and obligations you tie yourself to, less attachments means more time for play

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So what does it mean to live an unhindered life? To not be limited? To not be put at a disadvantage?

It means choosing the essentials. Choosing family, friends, and community above and before other priorities.

It means we have to declutter. To remember the principle that no two objects can occupy one space, and that mentally, we either choose positive thoughts, or negative thoughts.

It means we let go of our busy schedules, so that we can let go and Play. Because play is a life-long need.

Because less is more: More mental and physical health, more happiness, more creativity, more fun, more freedom.

Want to live an unhindered life? Remember this:less is more.