Striving for Simplicity
Over the last year or so, there's been one main idea that I keep coming back to. It's the idea that living a simple life will lead to a better, more saturated and enjoyable life.
By simple, I mean streamlining our possessions and our priorities in a way that aligns with how we ultimately want to live our lives. And letting everything else go. I feel that with less stuff (whether is be material things or mental clutter), we are able to navigate through life with so much more clarity and freedom.
This doesn't come easy, especially living in a country that strives on marketing, selling, buying and consuming. We are surrounded by options, which can often lead to getting more than we really need. Seems that we always want the newest, biggest and shiniest things out there. And we are willing to work insane hours at our job in order to gain the paycheck to pay for these things. If this is all we are living for, if it's our main focus day in and day out, I just don't know if it's worth it. It becomes overwhelming and unfulfilling.
From my experience, the more stuff I have, the more options I'm given and the more information I take in, the less effective I become. I waste time, become detached from myself and even a bit numb. And more times than not, the things I consume just end up sitting somewhere and taking up space. The same goes for past guilt and frustrations that I hold inside. I get so wrapped up in wishing I could change something (or someone) that I lose site of what's happening now and moving forward.
But, when we are able to shed all the clutter from our lives and dig through the piles of unnecessary garbage, we can breathe again and feel refreshed. We can start living more and experiencing more. Our life becomes saturated with the good stuff, rather than the clutter. And we can more effectively live a life of purpose, rather than possessions.
So in striving for simplicity, I've learned that I have to make decisions about where to spend my time and my money. If I don't truly need something, then I shouldn't buy it. Or if someone in my life is steering me away from my goals or bringing me down, then I don't need to spend my time with them. As I come across material stuff that I no longer use, I need to donate or throw it away. By doing so, the things that are important to me are able to shine and I am able to enjoy them more.
Are there areas of your life that could use some simplifying? Or are you striving to live a more saturated and enjoyable life? If so, I'd love to hear more! Tell me about it here or leave a comment below!