Photo courtesy of alicepopkorn The Many Paths to Simplicity
“As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler; solitude will not be solitude, poverty will not be poverty, nor weakness weakness.” - Henry David Thoreau
In the comments of yesterday’s post on simplicity hacks, a few readers seemed to think I was prescribing a path to leading a simple life. That wasn’t my intent, and in fact, I think such a prescription is impossible.
There isn’t one way to simplicity — there are as many ways as there are people who seek a simple life.
What I was trying to do in that post was to provide a few tools for overcoming common obstacles along the way … tools you could use or disregard, depending on your personality and situation.
Today I’d like to explore what it means to lead a simple life, and how you can get there — or more accurately, the many paths to getting to the many destinations.
What is the Simple Life?
There is no single definition of simplicity. My vision of a simple life will be different than yours, or anyone else’s — and none of us is wrong.
I’ve read about someone living in a log cabin in Alaska, with no electricity or running water or television or Internet. They chop wood from the forest outside to burn for heat and cooking. They use water from a nearby stream for drinking and bathing. They walk or bike to town to go to the library or to use the Internet. That’s a pretty simple life by most definitions — but when I talk about leading a simple life, I don’t mean you need to live in a log cabin in the woods — I certainly don’t.
I’ve also seen photos of pretty expensive houses, decorated in a very minimalist fashion, spartan in their simplicity, but also decorated with expensive furniture. These houses are gorgeous, and their minimalist interiors are extremely attractive … but it takes a lot of money to get to that point. This is one kind of simplicity, but it’s not for everyone.
I’ve also read about people who live extremely frugally, rarely buying new items, making things last as long as possible, re-using plastic bags and bottles, growing food in a garden, buying things second-hand in thrift shops when necessary. This kind of frugality is one kind of simplicity, and to some extent I use many of these ideas myself. But it’s not the kind of simplicity for everyone.
So what’s my idea of a simple life? Again, this isn’t what you need to shoot for, and it’s not even what you need to agree with. We can each have our own vision. My idea is that I make room in my life for the essentials — the things I love to do and the people I love to be with. I remove the non-essentials as much as possible, and leave a life that isn’t overwhelmed with tasks and projects and errands, but has space … space for what I want to do, and space between things. So that I can live a peaceful life, move slowly, work happily, and spend time with the people I care most about.
This might mean that I live frugally (so that I can work less, or save for what’s important), or it might mean that I sometimes splurge, because life is too short not to enjoy things while you can. I find ways to enjoy myself without spending money, but at the same time I am not afraid to treat myself and my family now and then.
What’s your idea of a simple life? It’s almost certainly different than mine. And that’s good — we don’t want cookie-cutter approaches here. We want something that makes sense to each individual person, that fits their personalities and dreams and life situations.
Think about what your idea of a simple life is, so that you can find your path to get there.
The Many Paths to Simplicity
So with each person pursuing a different destination to a simpler life, how can we find the paths to those destinations? There isn’t one answer.
We must each find our own path, obviously, but we can still learn from others. I’ve learned from many people along the way, and in fact I still learn from all of you each day. I think I learn more from the comments of my posts than you learn from the posts themselves, but that’s what makes this conversation a wonderful thing.
My best overall advice is to think about where you want to go, and then figure out a path to get there. And then take the first step. Once you’ve done that, you can worry about the next step. You will probably take a different path than the one you first envisioned, and in fact you may get to a different destination than you first imagined. Just take it one step at a time, and see where you get.
That said, I’d like to offer some ideas that may help you find your path. These are not to be adopted wholesale, and in fact some of them contradict each other. That’s because they represent different paths — and again, there is no one right path. Take inspiration from them, try some out if you like, but don’t take this list as a prescription to anything.
- Take it slowly. There is no need to rush to a simpler life. Take deep breaths, and take things one step at a time. Baby steps. Enjoy the process.
- Do a major rehaul. Sometimes it can be revitalizing to do a rehaul of your entire life. Wipe the slate clean and start from scratch. Now, that might mean moving to a new house and only bringing the possessions that mean the most to you. Or it might mean getting a new job that you love and setting your own schedule around the things you love doing. Or it might mean doing a major cleansing of your house, getting rid of most of your junk. It could mean just dropping all commitments except the things you love most.
- Remember what’s important. Why are you trying to simplify? Is it to make room for the things you love? Then be sure to identify those things, and keep those things in mind during this process. Is it simply to reduce your stress and live a more peaceful life? Then remember that on your path to simplicity.
- Adopt changes gradually. As one commenter pointed out, and as I have said in the past, if you adopt one small change at a time, you can make major changes over the long-term without the changes seeming very big at all. Make one small change, and soon that becomes the norm for you. Then make another, and that becomes the norm. Each step seems small, but they can add up to really big progress over months and years.
- Try different types of simplicity. You don’t have to pick one way. You can try frugality, then minimalism, then cabin-in-the-woods simplicity, then chuck all your responsibilities and hang out on a beach all day. See what works for you.
- Join a community. There are online communities and maybe even groups within your neighborhood that are going for a common goal. That might be frugality, or decluttering, or living with a minimal impact on the environment.
- Take assessment. I’m a big fan of stepping back and taking a look at my life in general, reflecting on what I want my life to be like, on what kind of progress I’ve made, on what needs to be done. It’s good to do this at the beginning of your path to simplicity, and every now and then along the way.
What’s your path to simplicity? What have you learned along the way? Share in the comments!
“The simplest things are often the truest.” - Richard Bach
- Spewed into the world on 8 September 2008 in Simplicity |
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Brilliant comments (48)
David Finch Says:
September 8th, 2008, 20:57 pm
Simplicity for me personally, is removing the clutter that distracts me from living life with purpose and passion.
~liz Says:
September 8th, 2008, 21:09 pm
Funny you should ask. My annual “word” for the year has been “Simplify” and it keeps rolling over into the next year because I am just not there yet. Simplifying I have found is not as simple nor easy as one might think. I have found that it is like an onion and you acquire it one layer at a time. For me I have been trying to get rid of my excess stuff around my house. I’m not a pack rat by any stretch in fact I’d like to think I live pretty simply. But it seems like its taken me forever to make a dent in my stchuff. This year I can say I think I have gotten the living room close to where I want it and I was fortunate to get to do my bedroom just recently. I still have a long way to go but I really really want my living space to be tastefully simple. My motto living a less is more type of lifestyle. I hate excess. I hate frewfrew ornate over the top design (think Donald Trump) I’ve often said even if I had a lot of money I wouldn’t have a gilded house or life. I like clean lines, classic design and neutral colors. Asian elements of zenesk type feel. Anyway my path to living simply is to start with my surroundings and expand from there. I’ve learned its not simple living simple.
Aaron Says:
September 8th, 2008, 21:10 pm
Simplicity for me is freedom.
Vered - MomGrind Says:
September 8th, 2008, 21:11 pm
I’m with David: simplicity to me is getting rid of physical clutter (STUFF) and of emotional clutter (toxic friends, duties and responsibilities that are not really important and do not leave time for the important stuff).
Certainly the idea is to filter out the distractions and focus on the important stuff: spending time with my loved ones and doing what I love to do.
Shanel Yang Says:
September 8th, 2008, 21:13 pm
Getting rid of $50,000 of debt in one year was the biggest part of simplifying my life, which I wrote about at http://shanelyang.com/2008/04/23/how-i-paid-off-50000-of-debt-in-one-year/
It helped me separate the wheat from the chaff of my existence. What I was left with was the clear understanding that I am not my stuff, or expensive experiences — but what I can offer people that might them in their lives. Getting rid of all that material and experiential clutter finally helped me see my purpose in life. So, I started my blog to fulfill it! ; )
Caroline painting Says:
September 8th, 2008, 21:36 pm
For me simplifying is a constant fight to keep distractions and half-completed projects out of my life. I’m very curious by nature and so I amass books and ideas and projects. Not necessarily a bad thing but it does mean my list of ’stuff I’m working on’ is way too long. And then there are all the things I say yes to because I feel I should.
You wrote a post about focusing on the four or five things that are most important to us and that is what I have to repeatedly do. I find I cannot enjoy playtime with my kids when I am fretting about my growing ‘to do’ list.
My inspirational quote in this:
“Be steady and well-ordered in your life so that you may be fierce and original in your work.” - Flaubert.
If I cannot shake off the ’should do’ items then when will I paint? And what would I paint?
Carole Fogarty Says:
September 8th, 2008, 21:41 pm
For me simplicity is all about feeling lighter. If something I have in my life invites heavy thoughts and drains my energy then it doesn’t bring lightness nor simplicity into my life.
Trimming away the excess (clutter and stuff you never use) always make you feel lighter. You have and keep exactly what you need and nothing more.
At the beginning of the year I pretended I was about to move overseas as a motivation for inviting more simplicity into my world. It was a huge success and unclutterer published my article on it.
I dare you to act as if you moving overseas!!! and watch how much simplier your life becomes.
Peace, love and chocolate
Carole
I
Spark Victory Says:
September 8th, 2008, 21:42 pm
To me, simplicity is doing what is the most important and not letting distractions get in the way.
JapanDave Says:
September 8th, 2008, 21:45 pm
Leo, when you wrote about many differeny paths and ways to a destination at the start, you reminded me oF a favorite Bilbo poem:
The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow if I can
Pursuing it with eager feet
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet
And whither then? I cannot say.
You can never be sure where any path will actually take you.
Btw, the log cabin sounds nice to me. I would sure hate to lose my iphone (what I’m typing this on) tho.
"Motivate Thyself" Says:
September 8th, 2008, 21:46 pm
To me, simplicity is living a life with direct access to the most important things, without the lesser objects getting in the way.
Mike Sax Says:
September 8th, 2008, 21:48 pm
Leo, I appreciate your posts, but they are way too long. If you want simplicity, write only what matters. Remember when Mark Twain apologized for writing a long letter because he didn’t have time to write a short one?
Corey - Simple Marriage Project Says:
September 8th, 2008, 21:53 pm
To me, simple mainly applies to marriage. Focus on the main aspects of marriage and life and the small stuff is put in better perspective. It doesn’t make it go away, just like de-cluttering doesn’t make all of life’s clutter disappear forever. But it does allow more room and time to do what you enjoy with the person you love.
Ryan @ Smarter Wealth Says:
September 8th, 2008, 22:35 pm
I always love your ideas on simplicity. In a world that i hectic and chaotic simplicity is incredible to have.
Fit Bottomed GIrl Says:
September 8th, 2008, 22:44 pm
My path is just making sure that almost every action I take or thing I bring into my home is absolutely needed. If I don’t need it or it won’t enrich my life (and if I don’t have a moral obligation to do something, obviously), I really think about whether or not it’s worth my time.
Shilpan | successsoul.com Says:
September 8th, 2008, 23:18 pm
Simplicity to me is to live life with simple means more for my inner pleasure than to please others.
Ryan @ Smarter Wealth Says:
September 8th, 2008, 23:20 pm
Hey Leo,
Just checking out my stats and your blog has sent about 130 visitors to my entrepreneurs blog just by me commenting! So I want to thank all of the ZenHabits readers that checked out my blog.
You’re a legend Leo. Thanks for allowing comments…that is simplicity
Eugene (Editor, Varsity Blah) Says:
September 9th, 2008, 0:20 am
I’ve found that the best way to manage my time (and my stress) has been to focus on things that really matter. It’s about knowing what I absolutely have to do and what can either be postponed, delegated, or done away with altogether. It’s about knowing what to take seriously and what to let slide. It’s about taking care of the big things so the little ones take care of themselves and the really little ones don’t bother me at all.
(From Work in Progress)
Success Professor Says:
September 9th, 2008, 0:28 am
For me simplicity is developing systems and structure that takes away the stress from my mind, and helps (forces) me to do the things that are really important in life!
One way I try to do this is with my weekly planning system: http://successprofessor.ca/2008/07/29/six-steps-to-plan-your-week-for-success/
I’m also taking slow steps to progress in other areas, such as eliminating more and more paper, keeping fewer physical files, and selling more things that I don’t need.
Leo, I really like how you share that simplicity is different for everyone. For me, the idea of a cottage in the woods where I had no electricity and had to do everything myself would NOT be simple, but extremely complex.
Liara Covert Says:
September 9th, 2008, 0:40 am
This post really drives the point home that simplicty is a subjective thing. For me, it is an invitation to review what is necessary and unnecessary in my life, and to motivate myself to make meaningful life changes.
nirvana diva Says:
September 9th, 2008, 1:17 am
i like the ghandi quote”live simply so that others can simply live”. it defines our responsibility to the planet, to others and our own health & welfare. i started my blog this year because i realized how much LESS i wanted out of life and i needed an accountable pathway.Clearing out emotional “junk” was the only way to begin, and by embarking on this journey as a student of life, and not a prisoner of my past,the rest of it became so much clearer.
Kim Wood Says:
September 9th, 2008, 3:03 am
I think of simplicity as a habit - to refocus daily on the few things that really make a difference in my life.
I love Carole’s ‘act as if you are moving overseas’ idea - I’m going to give that one a go!
Anders Says:
September 9th, 2008, 3:26 am
Thank you for an inspiring blog!
In my experience, it’s not often simplifying the outer world really does help much. The outer is a reflection of the inner life.
I do two things that work on occasion:
1. View my life through death, meaning what is important to you will become clear if you view yourself at your deathbed. Morbid? It’s so easy to kid yourself.
2. Do a 3 day retreat in nature. Or longer if possible.
The really essential stuff comes to the fore when you live off the land and not your fridge. Sit and relate to your existence here on earth alone in nature for 3 days and nights.
Then things will become clear, and the fake falls away. Simple equals what is most dear.
After that, what can be dropped is very clear.
Anders
Mark Says:
September 9th, 2008, 4:58 am
For me simplicity is living without social pressure. Living the way I want it and not the way society wants it. Living frugally, living without a cluttered house, driving an old car and doing things i like best (spending time with my girl and spending time in nature and travel).
I don’t care wheter the neighbours have bigger cars than me, i don’t care wheter al my colleagues have more expensive cellphone’s than me. All i care about is not spending money on unnecessary stuff and doing the things i like.
And what i also think is important: when you don’t buy all the stuff you don’t need you also help saving the planet (a little bit ;) ). Consumerism and materialism is killing nature in my opinion. Enough is enough. Be happy with what you have and go with the things that REALLY matter in live.
Merijn Says:
September 9th, 2008, 5:28 am
Agreeing with Mike Sax, your posts are rather longl
Simplicity: putting just 3 items on a list, even if it is a list about simplicity. If you have 42 tips on simplicity, you may post 14 small lists in as many days; your list yesterday was a bit daunting.
Myrko Says:
September 9th, 2008, 6:41 am
I have to say that I liked this post a lot. Yesterdays post was more about the tools, as you pointed out, and this has it’s place of course. As always it is only really helpful if you have a reference point or a idea what you are aiming for for the tools, it makes more sense then.
I really liked: “My idea is that I make room in my life for the essentials — the things I love to do and the people I love to be with. I remove the non-essentials as much as possible” :)
That’s basically what I was thinking about yesterday.
Eugene (Editor, Varsity Blah) Says:
September 9th, 2008, 6:42 am
My approach is about living in the moment. This does not mean being irresponsible or going from one whim to the next. It simply means taking your life one day at a time, dealing with whatever comes your way, and adjusting wherever necessary. We’re born to live.
So make the choice to stop being tied down by a disappointing past or fixated on an increasingly uncertain future. Your life may very well pass you by! Instead, choose to focus on being engaged and happy in the here and now. It’s all we have.
emdoozie Says:
September 9th, 2008, 6:43 am
My life is so driven by ambition and my need to live my “ideal” life that I have had to experiment with different projects and tasks to afford me that life. This includes business ventures one after the other while working a full time job (which I hope will go away soon). Along with that there’s searching for that “thing” that you really want to do for a living and make your passion in life. That process has been hard for me as well, as I know what I want and now I am trying to figure out how can I enjoy and love what I must do to get it. I believe “You are what you want”
My simple life is working on ONE career which I love that affords me the opportunity to live my dreams as well as have full control of my time with friends and family. Tall order, but I am willing to experiment and try things out until I find my “sweet spot” in life. I want to “doozieUp” my life
-doozieUp
http://doozieUp.com
Merijn Says:
September 9th, 2008, 7:09 am
@emdoozie: being driven by ambition can lead to living in the future. What happens is that one may tend to forget to enjoy the current moment, because in the (near or far) future life is “perfect”.
In Buddhism for instance, one tries to be fully aware of the now; trying not to be distracted by the thought that all was better in the past, trying not to be anxious about the uncertainties of the future.
Andrew Says:
September 9th, 2008, 7:20 am
I think that something which is far too often overlooked is simplicity of the mind. This isn’t being “simple”, or dumb, but rather only dwelling on thoughts that either bring enjoyment to you, or thoughts which you can take action on immediately. All of these other, extraneous thoughts, like worrying about the TPS report while lying in bed at 2 AM, are counterproductive - they make us more and more worried, they do not help us grow and they usually don’t help the project anyway.
Doggie Sensei Says:
September 9th, 2008, 7:37 am
I seek consistency. To me, maintaining the same schedule of family, exercise with the dog, work and friends is really the key simplifying your life. There are many distractions that erode your focus. Many of those are the pursuit of ephemeral goals that once achieved still do not fulfill.
DanGTD Says:
September 9th, 2008, 7:57 am
As Einstein said,
“Keep things as simple as possible, but no simpler.” :)
Nick Says:
September 9th, 2008, 8:49 am
Great post - good idea to try different ways of simplifying especially as some ways may not work / discourage you from trying.
I agree that a long list may be overwhelming but in some ways it is easier (to find for reference) rather than 14 separate posts - you would have to wade through them all!
Jeanie Marshall Says:
September 9th, 2008, 8:52 am
I love the Albert Einstein quote that DanGTD mentioned. Here’s another one by Einstein:
“Three Rules of Work: Out of clutter find simplicity; From discord find harmony; In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”
This captures what I mean by a path to a more simple life: to make each situation more simple. It may be just a little less complicated or a little more clear or slightly more streamlined.
gwinne Says:
September 9th, 2008, 10:04 am
I find that simplicity is actually often at odds with frugality. Running around to second hand stores and bargain hunting, making food that’s more easily purchased (i.e. canned tomatoes), checking Freecycle compulsively…well, all that takes a lot of time and energy. For me, frugality is the result of living a simple life, not an end in itself.
tigerbee Says:
September 9th, 2008, 12:43 pm
Simplicity for me is pushing all distractions from my mind, being in the moment and appreciating each moment as it comes. Not having lots of plans but always with the plan to enjoy the moment, whatever it brings.
becoming minimalist Says:
September 9th, 2008, 13:08 pm
for us, simplicity has been a spiritual journey as well. trying to live free from the constraints of the material to focus on the invisible.
FrugalNYC Says:
September 9th, 2008, 16:32 pm
@Mike Sax and @Merijn
Perhaps you’ll enjoy my blog http://frugalnyc.blogspot.com. Very short posts, its a work in progress. Not a writer like Leo though. I’m a newbie.
@Leo
Enjoyed this post. I’m in the decluttering phase. A bit of a pack rat and working to simplify and declutter. I find that having a system in place and thinking things through before actually taking action helps me to declutter. Once there is focus I can do things in a faster and more productive way.
Sandy Says:
September 9th, 2008, 16:54 pm
Leo, I love your website. You have excellent insight into living a simpler life and choosing to focus on what’s most important to each of us. I’ve been working to simplify both my house and my life for the last year or so, and it’s extremely freeing. I also love your focus in this post; each of us must discover our own paths to living a simple life and no one path is right for everyone. Thanks, Leo!
Sara at On Simplicity Says:
September 9th, 2008, 17:26 pm
I love your point here. The whole survivalist cabin image can scare some folks off, when maybe all they need to be happier is to cut a few commitments and donate a couple of boxes to Goodwill.
There’s no “winner” in simplicity, and I’d concur that the path a person takes to simplicity isn’t better or worse than others. Racing to the bottom isn’t any better than racing to the top.
Iris M. Gross Says:
September 9th, 2008, 22:41 pm
Nice to read a post that’s written by you for a change, Leo. An intelligent one, as usual.
I’ve seen people who five years ago said they were decluttering, and five years later they’re still not finished yet. It’s like they’ve joined some sort of club for people who want others to be impressed with them just because they threw away stuff, so they never really finish the job! I’m not in that crowd. My simplicity is privately done, and I’d like to think I made good choices. Minimalism is not my style, because I don’t believe in totally throwing away my past. My brand of simplicity says keeping paper products under control is 3/4 of the battle. Only own books I truly love or have been given by people I truly love or that give me an image of myself that I truly love. Buy nice stuff cheaply. Eat foods in as natural a state as possible. Leave space for self away from the TV set. Dress simply not sloppily. Only have things I can easily move by myself. And don’t leave too much for the next of kin to have to dispose of.
Gayle Luster Says:
September 10th, 2008, 0:23 am
We were in Australia a few years ago over our Thanksgiving holiday. During our visit, there was a simple and peaceful protest going on outside a shopping mall on a Sunday. It was “buy nothing day”. The protesters were suggesting that people take this one day off from consumerism and buy nothing. Sounds like a simple concept, but I’ve found it isn’t. That means no Starbucks, no gasoline, no burgers, no groceries, no Dr. Pepper, no dog food, not even a stick of gum. What I’ve been left with is the awareness of how much clutter I bring into my life one bag at a time. And that’s from an egocentric perspective, when I think of the impact of consumerism on the planet… well that’s not even simple.
Thanks for writing.
Ruby Says:
September 10th, 2008, 9:54 am
Iris M. Gross: You’ve hit on what is a very important part of simplicity for me: mortality. I have seen a number of friends suffer through the deaths of loved ones, and then continue to suffer through all the sorting out and tidying up of the deceased’s lives, in some cases years of stressful, tedious, unpaid work on legal and practical matters. I sometimes ask myself, if I died tomorrow (and hey, we all could, right?) how much of their own precious lives will other people have to spending cleaning up after me? I guess it’s related to the Zen aphorism: ‘Leave no trace’. I have learned a lot about simplifying through watching my friends sift through all that pointless debris.
Art Nelson Says:
September 10th, 2008, 20:42 pm
Steve Wozniak’s 4 Fs are a pretty good start for the good life: Friends, Family, Fun and Food. I can think of a 5th that many people neglect.
I’m pragmatic so I like tips that are concrete. I saw an Oprah once about the sports crisis in this country. It seems that couples are splitting up and going all over the country, often bankrupting themselves financially, so their kids can play sports. Many of these people end up in divorce. Yes, you have to actually spend time together or what’s the point or your ‘relationship.’ As I watched how these activities like football, soccer, ballet led to overscheduled kids and harried parents, I vowed to take a different approach.
The ‘expert’ on Oprah had an easy solution. Each kid gets to do one sport. Family eats dinner together, not treating the family home as a depot, preserving an important tradition of familial bonding.
I liked this tip very much. It’s pragmatic for the many families out there who have let their family schedules run amok.
I’d also like to see people who get up at 5am sleep in a bit. If you have a life where an alarm clock isn’t waking you up, you have won, my friend.
Ellen Moore Says:
September 11th, 2008, 10:42 am
Love your blog and your paths to simplicity. These are words to live by!
When Henry David Thoreau said, “Simplify, simplify, simplify,” his friend Emerson chided him by telling him that one simplicity would have been enough.
Here’s to living in divine order.
Dave Trager Says:
September 11th, 2008, 20:48 pm
Love it. Richard Bach is one of my favorite authors- I love that you quoted him because I feel he demonstrates such a simple and profound life. Thanks for this.
Andrew Malek Says:
September 16th, 2008, 8:15 am
For me I noticed that cutting out TV was the biggest influence on my internal balance. I just use the internet or buy dvds to watch things i am interested in, the difference is staggering.
I would say it has been at least 7 years since I watched TV.
I would recommend for everyone to have at least one creative outlet, for me its music and poetry. It doesn’t matter to me what the outcome is, its the process of creating something that summarises my feelings and I can look back at it, it generates a sort of peace that seems to convince my subconscious that I dont need to think about this thing or that thing, so my mind rests.
Mitul69 Says:
September 29th, 2008, 12:10 pm
You cannot define simplicity without also defining all that is NOT simplicity.
You can make some soap, get water from the well, chop some firewood, light the fire, heat the water and wash your clothes - or, you can put them in the washing machine and press Start. Which is simpler?
You have eluded to this in your post, but Simplicity is matter of personal context.
I find that my life is simpler the less clutter I hold in my mind and so I work at these:
- I live to my own expectations, not others’
- I value other people’s opinions but do not react to them
- I give 100% to all that I do
- I carefully prune the inputs that I have to reduce toxicity
- I make time for myself, my family and my friends
- I give myself the 4 energy sources I need to live (food, sleep, meditation and Yoga)
- I have faith in the divine.
But all of this is balanced with the needs of daily life.
Is my life simple? I think so :-)
Great post, thank you.
Bryan Says:
October 1st, 2008, 7:00 am
Simplicity, to me, is clarity. With a fast paced job, three kids, and pursuing my own personal goals as a writer and blogger, Life can turn into a tornado REAL quick. Living simply allows me to see through the whirlwind while its happening whether it be a very flexible and simple daily schedule or a list of my MIT’s.
And I just want to add that what I like the most about this blog is what this post encapsulates, which is openness to ideas.
“there are as many ways as there are people who seek a simple life.” = Perfect
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