Your Guide To Living A Simple Life
In today’s world, most of our lives are filled with many things that take up most of our time. Living a simple life can be perceived as boring or uneventful for many people.
For the past 10 years, I have been trying to simplify my life to make time for things that add value and meaning to my life.
By living with purpose, letting go of what doesn’t serve me, and cultivating a mindset that less is more, I have made good progress in this journey.
I am not in any way trying to say that I do not own what is needed in today’s world to thrive and make progress but to say that everything I own serves a purpose.
Of course, I still have to clear clutter occasionally, sometimes buy things I thought I needed, and waste time on unimportant things.
But compared to before, it’s much less and has brought more clarity and purpose to my life.
Secrets To Living A Simple Life
1. Decluttering
Owning more may be seen as having a rich life. Having a big house, the nicest car, expensive gadgets, branded clothing, etc may all sound like it can make your life complete.
The truth is quite the opposite. Owning things can only make your life happier to a certain extent. Beyond that, it just becomes an added stress and takes up more of your time.
On the other hand, having just enough to live a happy and comfortable life can bring simplicity and calmness to your life.
Below are some things in your life to declutter and make space for.
- Declutter your paperwork
- Declutter your wardrobe
- Declutter your finances
- Declutter your home
2. Reducing Distractions
Nowadays, distractions are waiting for us around every corner. The news, other people’s lives on social media, your friends and family, social events, etc, are all potential distractions that can make your life more complex.
I am not saying that these aren’t important. But you should be selective with the news you consume, social media habits, who you spend time with, and where you go.
3. Routines
Routines are a great way to bring simplicity and awareness into your life. It brings structure and balance to your day.
Routines are also a great way to keep things simple, limit the time you waste on unimportant things, and simplify your life overall.
If you want to learn more about routines, below are some in-depth posts to help you.
- How to create a powerful morning routine
- Habit vs Routine: Understanding the difference
- How to Create A Daily Routine For Productivity
- A Simple and Mindful Evening Routine for Busy People
4. Eating Healthy
Food is fuel for the soul. However, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to make the right food choices. Mainly due to the growth of fast food and advertising.
We are bombarded with ads for things that look good but are bad for our health. While it’s okay to occasionally treat yourself to fast food and other things that bring joy, you should do your best to eat clean, simple, and healthy on most days.
5. Commit to Less
Another key to living a simple life is committing to less. In other words, committing only to things that bring meaning and value to your life.
There will be a lot of things that come up in our lives and we need to learn to say no to most of them. By saying no to most things, you say yes to things that truly matter and give you more time and space to live a simple life.
6. Only buy what is necessary
Today, we live in such a materialistic world. Our success and happiness are often measured in the things that we own rather than the quality of our lives.
It can become too tempting to buy many things because you can either afford to or due to social pressure to have what others have.
Make a conscious decision to only buy things that you need and add value to your life. Owning more things takes up more space physically and mentally, and can be a hurdle to living a simple life.
7. Mindset
Living a simple life can feel like living with fewer things and fewer experiences. But it is not equal to a life of scarcity. Always remember quality over quantity.
To be happy with living a simple life, you also need to believe that a simple life is the right lifestyle for you.
Being content with what you have rather than always wanting more is key to living a simple life.
8. Mindfulness
A simple life is incomplete without mindfulness. Mindfulness and simple living come hand in hand. Mindfulness is an important part of living a simple life.
Meditation and other mindful habits are great ways to bring mindfulness into your life. By being mindful of your habits, actions, what you consume, and how you spend your time, simple living becomes a way of life naturally.
Below are some resources you may find helpful to get started with mindfulness.
- What is Mindfulness Meditation?
- 10 Simple Mindfulness Exercises to Learn
- A Guide to Mindful Breathing
Some Hard Truths of Living A Simple Life
Living a simple life is one of the best things you can learn. However, like everything else, a simple life is not perfect either.
It’s important to understand what living a simple life is not as well.
1. It will not solve all your problems
A simple life can lower your stress and make things easier for you. But it will not solve all your problems.
No matter how much you simplify your life, life will throw challenges at you, and you will have hurdles to overcome.
2. It’s a lifetime commitment
Another hard truth about simple living is that there is no finish line. It’s not something you do once or a few times a year.
It’s more like a lifetime commitment. You need to live the lifestyle daily to your ability to feel the goodness it brings to your life.
3. You will fail
Sometimes, no matter how much you simplify your life things will not go your way. You will fail to keep things simple and even make things more complicated.
When this happens, take some time to review, improvise, and try another way to simplify things. Always remember, none of us are perfect and it’s okay to fail.
Why You Should Be Living A Simple Life
While a simple life may not be for everyone, I believe most of us do want simplicity in our lives in one way or another.
It reduces stress, contributes to your overall health and wellness, and gives you more time to do the things that make you happy.
Living a simple life is a possibility for all of us. It just takes willingness, the right mindset, some planning, and a daily commitment.
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