KISS – keep it simple sweetie. This was what one of my first writing professors wrote on my critique of Mark Twain’s book, “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn“. He told me that I should write in a way that I would want to read and it would be one of my key virtues as a writer. This advice served me well in my writing from that point forward. However, it wasn’t just my writing that I needed to simplify. I didn’t realize it at the time, and I am still working through the implementation of it, but there are virtues of living simply.
Have you ever been so overwhelmed by your life that you wish you could just chuck it all and just live simpler? If you have ever had this thought, then it is likely you could benefit greatly from considering simplifying even one or two areas of your life.
What’s fortunate is there are so many ways you can uplevel your life to make it simpler for you and your family. Often, simplifying your life will help you to enjoy more of what life has to offer because you don’t have to dig through the clutter of the unnecessary. Living simply presents many positive possibilities. Consider if you find any of these possibilities desirable.
Virtues: How living simply may benefit you
You may save money.
Therefore, when you restructure your life to live more simply, it usually involves spending less money. Is saving money one of the virtues you want in your life? The impact of saving money is beneficial if you have children who may be going to college or if you might want to have money for your own retirement. Consider how you could save money. Could you work out at home instead of paying for a gym membership? Could you downsize to a smaller home? What can you restructure in your life to help you save money?
You may spend more quality time at home.
As a result, when you make an effort to simplify, you clear away clutter. Eliminate activities from your schedule that don’t benefit you. Your spare time increases when you live a simpler life. Could you cancel that networking group membership you have that you hate to attend anyway? What activities could you eliminate that take you out of your home?
The things you truly enjoy will be at your fingertips.
Meanwhile, there are certain items you love and others you can clearly do without. Get rid of the items you no longer have a use for. Often I will walk through the house and ask if I love the item or not. I am often surprised that there are things in my house that I literally stop seeing, they are more like furniture and have no purpose and provide me no joy. Can you remove anything from your life that you don’t love? For example, maybe you love your iPad, books, and drawing utensils, but you no longer love your fishing poles, the trampoline, and a closet full of outdated files. What can you throw away or donate?
Living simply gives you quick and easy access to the things you love without having the clutter and mental baggage around you of the things that no longer benefit you. Plus, it will leave more space for the items and activities that bring you pleasure.
Your environment will be more comfortable.
As a result, as you adopt a simpler lifestyle, you will find yourself rearranging your home exactly the way you have always wanted. You will focus on comfort. A cute reading lamp, a cushion you love on the couch, and a long afternoon to spend in your beloved home may be exactly what you seek to feel the belonging and comfort you have been missing.
You may experience more serenity in your life.
After all, when you have fewer personal belongings, there is less to worry about, clean, and take care of. Tranquility is the end result. Even if you don’t all of a sudden feel all zen, you do have less things to clean and dust. Your children might appreciate it too.
Your children may grow up to be less focused on material goods.
That is to say when you live minimally or a bit more simply and raise your children in the same way, they may learn about living a simpler lifestyle. You may be able to introduce them to an easier, less frivolous way to live, grow, and prosper. Also, if you don’t have to buy them as much you save more money. There is also a positive impact on the environment.
It can become less important to follow the crowd or keep up with the neighbors.
In other words, as you disconnect from needing to have things and having to be like everyone. As a result, you may eventually arrive at what is actually the main important elements of life for you and your family.
Your health will likely improve.
If you simplify by buying more produce and fewer processed foods, your family’s health may improve. More fruits and vegetables and fewer canned and boxed items will reduce unwanted sodium and chemicals. Heck, maybe you save money on all the medications that you won’t have to take because you didn’t eat all the junk. Who knows.
Your life may revolve around your priorities and your virtues.
What is important to you? When you simplify, you may surround yourself with things that matter to you. You may even participate in more activities that have meaning to you.
Virtues: Countless Benefits
The virtues of living simply are countless. Depending on how you decide to simplify, you’ll begin to experience more joy and serenity. The values of simplification seem endless, the real trick is figuring out how to start and what to start with.
Cutting out the extra junk in your life may pave the way for you to live the way you intended.
Do you want to discover the deeper meaning and purpose of a life lived simply? You may need to master self-discipline to start getting rid of all your unloved things. If you would like some support in finding ways to declutter your head and your home, book a complimentary discovery session here —> https://calendly.com/jackieschwabe/discovery
Coach Jackie Out.