Living Simply Makes Life Better in these 5 Areas
Living Simply Makes Life Better, More Focused and Clear
The beginning of simplicity is change. It’s a process of choosing what does or does not matter to you. Simplicity means choosing what is most important and making sure those things receive our best efforts. It also means choosing to let go of things that we thought mattered but we can actually live without or with less.
The heart of simplicity is to do more with less. To only own or commit to a few things but doing them better.
There are multiple benefits to this approach, including: more focus, learning values, preserving energy, creating more space and deeper relationships.
Ultimately, these choices lead to more happiness.
More Focus
Choosing to live simply means that you do more with less. You increase your focus to incorporate what you believe is important.
By saying no to distractions, you allow yourself to say yes to what really matters, and commit your full attention. This ensures that what matters gets done. By choosing a few tasks or relationships that deserve full focus, you have time and space to go more in depth whith each goal or building each friendship.
You Learn Your Values
What is most important to you? How do you make decisions from day to day? Simplicity allows us to switch from the mindset of making snap decisions that might bring less than stellar consequences.
As we practice simplicity, we begin to learn our values in life. We learn what is most important and what matters when making decisions. It allows us to move from an always on and needing to make quick decisions mind to a mind that sees all possible options and decides based on values.
For example, if one of your values is thriftiness, simplicity will allow you the time to choose the best option but also one that is within the budget. It will help you to save money on things for the long haul.
It Preserves Energy
The culture that we live in today requires more than it’s possible to give at times. It requires more emotional and physical energy. Everything screams at us that it is important.
Simple living allows us to take down time when we need it, identify top priorities for the day (instead of jamming our schedule) and gives us some room back for thinking and self care. Being free comes through decisions and using rules like the power of one. When we don’t need to expend so much energy, we don’t face burn out quite as often. Fewer commitments leads to more rest.
It Allows for More Space
It allows for more space in two crucial ways.
When you simplify your surroundings, it will allow you more breathing room in your home and life. It allows for more light, less time cleaning and putting away, and more time to put back into what matters for you.
When you simplify your schedule and begin to say no to things that are not in line with what you want, you have more space to pursue what matters.
Instead of having to do something that is not necessary or a priority, you have time to practice a hobby, see your friend’s play/child’s sporting event, or even just take the night off. That space is created by choosing to live simply and narrowing down things we once thought were priorities and things that had to be done.
Deepens Relationships
When you have more time and focus to be with those that you love, you find yourself automatically closer to them. You have the time to invest in them: listening, advising, laughing and enjoying their presence.
You also have the ability to let them be themselves. As you become more engrained in simplicity, you begin to experience less stress. You begin to become a little more laid back and that involves itself in your relationships by letting others be more of themselves as well.
One massive advantage is that you find yourself quicker to forgive any preceived misunderstandings or problems. You realize how important those around you are and that relationships are truly one of the most important areas of life.
You begin to forgive quicker so that you are able to spend more time with them. If the relationship is important, it will become a part of your new life.
Finally, when practicing simple living, you have more time to commit to developing new friendships and increase your ability to give back and meet needs.
Conclusion
Simplicity gives better focus, helps you to conserve energy and leads to better relationships. It’s also more frugal and time conserving.
Choosing simplicity affects our lives in every aspect: emotional, physcial (both health and having more space), relational, and mentally. It won’t all happen at once, and sometimes can be a process to focus on each area one at a time.
Using the concept of tiny goals, begin to incorporate the things that matter and let go of those that don’t matter that much into your life. Going slowly may slow down progress initially, but it makes the change sustainable.
