“The hardest thing in the world is to simplify your life. It’s so easy to make it complex. The solution may be for a lot of the world’s problems is to turn around and take a forward step. We can’t just keep trying to make a flawed system work.”
—Yvon Chouinard (rock climbing legend and founder of Ventura-based Patagonia), in the Documentary road trip “180° South.”
Check out all of my posts labeled with the “Simplicity” tag: Simplicity.
When you start to live more simply and seek to embrace the principles that make a simpler lifestyle work, you may begin to notice that several puzzle pieces all fit together:
Reducing time spent on media (screens, video, facebook, etc.) means more time for things that matter! You get more time for your own mental processing which makes every aspect of your life better. A little awareness goes a long way!
You would have more time for “insourcing,” which would be one more opportunity to save money for now and the future. Check out this great blog from Mr. Money Mustache which illustrates the links between enjoying domestic tasks/home maintenance and having the time to do them, and also to saving a lot of money when living a simplicity lifestyle.
I noticed that the more I decluttered my house, the more mental “energy” I had for other things, like figuring out what my priorities were.
With a reduction of consumption and media, I freed up more time to make relationships work. To be specific, thus far I have had much more time for a long-distance friendship in which we talk on the phone every week. I also nurture many relationships with other parents in my community.
While you may opt or be required to make fewer purchases and own fewer things, you may end up with more satisfying experiences. Of course, it’s about what meaning you choose to assign. Simplicity living is certainly an opportunity for spiritual growth as well. “Get off the interstate, Ben Stone!” (from the movie Doc Hollywood)
Books that have helped me with Simpler living:
- Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne
- The 4-Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss. Read how I got started with choice-minimal lifestyle.