What does it mean to live the simple life? A life uncluttered by most of the things people fills their lives with, and left with space for what really matters. A life that isn’t constant busy-ness and rushing, but contemplation and creation, connection with people I love and time for nature and activity.
That doesn’t mean I have zero clutter and zero complications: I’m a part of the world, not a secluded monk. I have possessions, electronics, distractions, and occasional busy-ness. I just have reduced it to make space.
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Today I’ve been reflecting on this simple life, and thought I’d share some of those reflections. Some things I’ve learned about living the simple life:
Decluttering your home and work space can lead to a less cluttered mind. These visual distractions pull on us in more ways than we realise.
A quiet unrushed morning is a thing to treasure. I wake early so that I have some quiet time to read, write, and meditate.
You can’t have a simple life if you’re unwilling to let go of what you’re used to.
Letting go can be difficult, but is easier if you do a one-month challenge. Let go of something for a month and see whether you like it or not.
Shopping isn’t therapy. It’s a waste of time and money.
If you’re filling your life with distractions, it’s probably because you’re afraid of what life would be like without constant Internet, social media, news, TV, games and snacks. Simple, whole, healthy food is not only much healthier than junk food: it’s a pleasure.
You have to make time for what’s important: time with your children, time with your spouse, time for creating, and time for exercise. Push everything else aside to make time. Overcommitting is the biggest sin against simple living most people make.
I have certain activities I do almost every day, though not on a schedule: writing, reading, eating healthy meals, doing a workout
It’s easy to fill up our lives because there are so many things that sound amazing. We hear about what others are doing and instantly want to add that to our lives. But it’s harder to remember that by adding so many things to our lives, we are subtracting space. And that space is important.
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By saying no to things that sound really cool, I’m saying yes to what’s truly important to me. Distractions are both more tempting and more destructive than we realise.
It’s tempting to fill in every little minute of the day with productivity or distractions. Leave some emptiness.
We put too much emphasis on excitement. It’s temporary, and not important.
We overemphasise productivity. Focus, priorities and effectiveness are more important. So is a nice walk with a loved one.
If you can’t learn to sit in a quiet room alone with no distractions, you won’t be able to simplify. Buying things doesn’t solve our problems. Neither does food.
It’s not how few things we own that matters. It’s whether we make those things count.
When you travel lightly, you’re freer, less burdened, less tired. This applies to life, not just travel. Your attention is your most valuable possession. Give it as a gift to the people you love most, not a bunch of clowns on the Internet. Give it to the work that matters most, not distractions. Sometimes distractions are nice.
Submitted by Dharam Sewraj
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