If you are faced with the dilemma between having to choose between too many things and find yourself at odds with the message of more…
Then the concept of simple living may be everything your heart desires.
It’s a struggle to find meaning in a world filled with unnecessary noise, pointing you in the direction of constant buying and consuming.
You see it on television, online, among your family and friends- the need to have more.
When acquiring material things that don’t really bring any value to our life becomes our topmost priority, we end up yearning for more and never being satisfied with what we have.
Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.
Confucius
What is Simple Living?
Simple living revolves around the principles of minimalism, getting rid of everything that you do not need, and finding time for the most important tasks in life.
The clutter in our life usually eats up most of our time and we fail to find the value of the most useful things.
As a result, we spend time taking care of things more than people and always complain of having less time for activities that really matter.
Having said that, getting to this level of simplicity isn’t always that simple.
We might get successful in de-cluttering our home but does it assure that we would not feel the need for those things again? Let’s discover more below…
How To Live a Simple Life
Living a simple life consists of only two steps: find out what’s important to you including things, tasks, and people; and, get rid of everything else.
You must have heard the phrase that it’s the simple things in life that make us truly happy. Think of all the things that make you happy.
The list would sound something like this;
- Spending quality time with loved ones
- Having a cup of tea alone in front of the window
- A short meditation session when you return home after a long day
- Lying down and thinking about the memorable moments from the past
- Going for a walk with a friend
- Taking care of your pet or your garden
How many of the above-mentioned things cost money? Probably none.
Remember, material things only define what you have instead of defining who you are. Living simply involves creating space between things and finding joy in simple tasks.
Is Living a Simple Life Better?
A simple life is definitely better for those who believe in this concept and who are actually successful in bringing peace to their life by eliminating things they don’t need.
Extravagance is often seen as a sign of dissatisfaction.
Not only does it make you financially unstable but it also causes stress and makes your health suffer as a result.
A meaningful life is one that consists of only the important things.
Here are some of the benefits of living simply:
Financial Independence
We often feel pressured to buy things we don’t really need simply because society expects us to. This leaves us with little or no savings at all.
What’s worse, the pressure of buying certain things pushes us to live a life on credit.
This type of financial instability is uncalled for and unnecessary and can be avoided very well by building a budget and sticking to it.
The peace of mind that comes with financial independence is something that contributes to a happy, successful life.
Emotional Stability
When your mind is free from all the worries and stress of managing a complicated life, you can be more in control of your decisions.
You can consider your principles of living a happy life ahead of everything else.
You can even say no with confidence and without feeling any guilt when you can’t do something for someone.
This kind of emotional stability also allows you to be more at peace with your new philosophy towards life and to accept simple living with open arms.
Healthier Living
When you’re not feeling stressed, your health improves eventually.
You can spend more time taking care of your body by eliminating fast
These meals may take longer to prepare but once you’re done, you will feel accomplished and be able to enjoy it tremendously.
Environmental Friendly
Simple living helps to protect the environment by having decreased waste with a more sustainable lifestyle.
Less Stress
Living a stress-free life leads to fewer problems later on in life.
Your blood pressure stays in check and you can stay away from problems like depression and anxiety.
Simplicity also promotes better sleep that consequently makes you more productive because you are more active and energetic after a good night’s sleep.
Meaningful Relationships
People who have too much clutter in their life often mess up with their relationships.
They don’t have time to think about a particular relationship and end up losing that person because of their negligence.
When your life is simpler, you can focus on the person you love, spend more time with them, and get to know them better.
As a result, your relationships become more meaningful, more fulfilling and deeper.
More Creativity
Less clutter and more time allow you to be more creative in life.
You can think of many creative ways to make your life more fulfilling and rewarding.
Problem Solving
Simplifying life helps to concentrate better on the problem at hand and solve it more diligently.
The same goes for when a person is faced with a challenging situation.
Instead of feeling overwhelmed and helpless, they can try different approaches to cope and come up with a viable solution.
More Purpose
The key to happiness is to give meaning and purpose to our life.
When we live a complicated life with no balance or harmony, the spiritual journey seems impossible.
To grow spiritually, one needs to take their focus off material possessions. Inner peace does not come with possessing worldly things.
It is a realization that we must not fall prey to expectations others have from us; instead, concentrate on what we want and how we want to achieve it.
The Simple Living Concept
The concept of simple living as a life hack is gaining in popularity among people of all ages mainly because it makes life easier and problem-solving more realistic.
It also brings many other benefits like improving your finances, strengthening your health, making you emotionally more stable, and finding more meaning in your relationships.
Simple living also helps to protect the environment by having decreased waste with a more sustainable lifestyle.
Having more free time on your hands allows you to enjoy simple activities that you long for and that make you content with your life.
Living simply allows you to cope in a better way with the challenges of life especially health issues.
When there is less burden on your shoulders, you can concentrate more on finding a solution to your problems and get rid of stress.
How will you find the balance in living with more simplicity? What are the best ways to live simple? Share in the comments below!
I loved how well written this was. I think you nailed it on the head how living simple isn’t all that simple. I try to wake up in the morning before my toddler runs amuck, because enjoying a cup of coffee without the worry of it getting cold is worth it.
Thank you! Yes, I have been doing 5 am mornings lately to try to get more things accomplished. Having a relaxing cup of coffee can get you through the day!
I could certainly use these tips in my daily life. Thanks for sharing! 😉
Great to hear! Thanks for stopping by!
I love the benefits you listed for living simply…My husband and I made small and big changes to live more simply a couple of years ago and I can say that all the benefits you listed are true. We feel more content overall for owning less and we have more room for bigger and better things!
I have not applied minimalist living principles yet but the urge to do so is increasing daily. I agree that we accumulate too much stuff that bogs us down and prevents us from enjoying life. Great post.
Thank you for stopping by!
One of the things I found very therapeutic during this quarantine has been decluttering. Having less stuff instantly cleared my mind and allowed me to be more calm and productive.
I really enjoyed your article, it’s well-written and very informative 🙂
Thank you Serena! Yes, decluttering is a life changer and I’m glad you benefited from it!