How to live simply?


The definition of living a simple life can vary according to the perspective of every individual. We often hear words like minimalism, simple living etc. which advocates a light and burden-free life.

A simple life brings more meaning and value toward the gift of life. It creates more space and freedom to engage in things that matter to you the most.

Let us discuss how to live a simple life.

What is a simple life?

Simple life means having simplicity in different aspects of your life. This includes material possessions, spending habits, having a balanced diet, etc. It is about clearly identifying what makes your life happy and prioritizing them.

Most of us are in the game of pursuing happiness through material stuff that only gives us temporary satisfaction. If you choose to have a simple life, you will value quality over quantity which adds meaning to your life.

What are the aspects of a simple life?

·        Slow down:

In the business world, there is a high demand for multi-tasking. That means working back and forth from one task to another task. Despite these ideologies, the mind can only focus on one task at a time. In fact, multitasking is distracting and affects your productivity.

Paying attention to one task at a time improves your focus. It slows you down and allows you to finish a task satisfactorily.

·        Owning affordable stuff:

People often think success and value are determined by money and how we spend it. When we become adults and after going through a good number of years in striving to achieve a materially rich life, we realize that being happy has nothing to do with material possessions.

Of course, material belongings make our lives easy and comfortable. There is nothing wrong with having them. However, if you become a slave of your cravings, you will be going after better, newer, superior things all the time.

Some people buy or invest in things that they really cannot afford. This can create an indebted life filled with stress. Otherwise, they have to work with no personal life to be able to get whatever they want.

Thus, it is always good to own things that keep you debt-free.

·        Decluttering regularly:

Decluttering is a part of a simple life. It means keeping items that matter to you. If you do not use an item for more than 3 months, you can probably perfectly do away with it.

The best place to start decluttering is your wardrobe which might have unnecessary clothes that you do not wear.

Take your time to hold each item and ask yourself, “do I need this item? or can I do away with this item?” If you find the item doesn’t bring much value to your life, do not be reluctant to get rid of it asap. The benefit of decluttering is having more space for things that you really need and creating a breathable living space.

For more details, read Decluttering: the way to a simple living

·        Having a simple and healthy diet

Food takes priority in our life. Most of us spend a lot on food items and we really need to think about our food habits from a young age.

Having a list of groceries that you need is a good idea to avoid buying unhealthy food items. Always go for fresh produce in rainbow colors.

For more details, read What is mindful eating meditation? Food for thought

·        Watch over your spending habits:

Your hard-earned money needs to be spent with caution while saving them for any unexpected circumstances. Certain addictions such as drinking alcohol, association with bad friends, and gambling can bring a lot of bad consequences that affect your financial stability.

Accordingly, carefully setting up a family budget and balancing your income and expenditure is wise especially during this pandemic.

For more details, read Mindful ways to save your pennies

·        Associating with like-minded people:        

Even if you are doing well in life, bad company can distort your life completely. Carefully selecting friends who are on the same page can make your life less competitive and less stressful.

Here, you need to evaluate the type of friendship that you have with a person. If someone encourages you for drinking, gossiping, or doing illegal things, etc. be skillful to identify it as a toxic relationship. It would be better to live by yourself rather than having bad company that ruins your life.

·        Having quality time to enjoy life:

Life is so precious and we need to manage time carefully. Some people live very busy lives that don’t have time for themselves or their loved ones.

Pandemic was the best example that taught us a lesson. Life is too short and we need to enjoy little moments with our dear ones. There might not be a second time to enjoy the same.

Even during the downtime, some people would like to spend time with digital media. This minimizes the time that we could spend with real people around us. We are always curious to know things that happen around the world. Unfortunately, this cuts off your time with family and friends.

·        Taking care of the environment:

Someone who lives a simple lifestyle naturally becomes a caregiver to the environment. This includes using environmentally healthy products, minimizing carbon footprint as well as help save the environment in different ways.

Final Thoughts

Live is beautiful when we can find happiness in simple things. It is not about having everything, but how to live with fewer things and be happy about it. The lesser you have, the happier you would be. 

Photo by Kam Idris on Unsplash

Sara

Rathsara (Sara) is an attorney-at-law who holds a Diploma in Buddhist Studies in ITBMU. She has engaged in community service in Sri Lanka and the United States helping many individuals. She is interested in reading, writing, and researching areas related to mindfulness. Inspired by spiritually developed individuals around the globe, Rathsara is keen to learn and practice mind-developing techniques. In the meantime, she would like to share her experience and knowledge for the well-being of others.

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