What is simple living?
To put it simply (pun intended), simple living is a way of a life in which an individual focuses on the essentials. This can be in the form of having less possessions, reducing the dependence on technology, spending less money, reducing consumption and waste, etc. It is just as much a mindset change and intentional way of living than it is on the act of living off less.
Is this just minimalism then?
Well, not exactly. Minimalism focuses primarily on decluttering and having less things, while simple living puts additional emphasis on reducing consumption, spending, and environmental impact. Although there are similarities and certain overlaps, such as having less possessions, there are certainly distinct differences.
An example I like to use is imagine a really modern glass-all-around house, you open the beautiful large double panel wooden door, greeted by a calm breeze coming from the cool concrete flooring. As you step inside you have a simple-yet-sophisticated modular sofa piece, a really nicely modern coffee table, tall designer plants in the corners, a very spacious and tidy modern kitchen. While what I described here is indeed minimalism, it is not necessarily simple living as all the things including the house itself probably costs a lot of money, and says nothing about the environmental impact, or the owner's day to day consumption and waste.
What are the benefits of simple living?
Simple living is at its essence a change in mindset and the way we chose to live. So when we realize that we don't need many of the things we have, or chase after many of the things we want, focusing in on the basics to life, we will then see how freeing life can be. Here are some of the benefits of simple living to highlight:
- Environmentally by reducing consumption and waste
- Financially by saving money and spending wisely or invest it
- Physical Health by eating less processed, prepared food
- Mental Health by being content, and living in the moment
Some examples:
- when something breaks, instead of replacing it, we try to fix it to reduce waste, save money, and learn a few things along the way to broaden our skills.
- switching to a plant-focused diet, reducing the amount of meat and introducing more vegetables to our meals, not only is better for the planet but it is also better for our health due to the fibre and micronutrients. Not to mention the money you save for doing so, meat does get expensive these days!
- instead of buying new clothes every season to keep up with fashion, we can find creative ways to wear what we have, so that it gives us a fresh look. Or if you really have to, simply by extending the timeframe to buy new clothes by a few months can have a big impact on waste reduction, and saves you money too!
We live in a world of materialism and are surround by so much noise. Think about the media and how it tries to persuade us into buying whatever products they are selling us, making us believe it's something that we need. Do you really need that? And often times, we (consciously or not) compare our lives with those around us, or even strangers we see on social media showing off their glamorous lives and possessions. But why? We then get super caught up into trying to chase this lifestyle and an insatiable desire for more, at the cost of mental health, physical health, time, relationships etc. Is it worth it? Only you can answer that.
No matter where you are on your journey in life, whatever you are going through, simple living can help you live a more present, content, and freeing life. The best part about it is that it is not all or nothing! Take the elements you like, leave whatever you don't it's all up to you, you just have to start. Every tiny little thing can add up to have a big impact. So I want to challenge you to start making these conscious decisions toward simple living, and see how the benefits can change your life, for the better.