A while ago, I read a post on a blog (now offline) Work at Home Balance entitled: “Simplifying Your Life: When Less is More”. This part was my favorite:
“Make time for simplicity. Even if we can’t completely simplify our lives, we can definitely make time to connect with ourselves in quiet, simple ways. Things like meditation, prayer, quiet reading time, or even sitting in a park for a few minutes can refresh us and make us feel more relaxed. The important thing to remember is: chaos outside encourages chaos within; and peacefulness within will promote peacefulness in our surroundings. Spending time honoring our connection with our inner selves is a far more powerful solution than anything we do externally.
In the end, living a simpler life is really a choice we make moment to moment. Simplicity is a state of mind. It’s about learning how to let “stuff” enhance our lives, without relying on it for our happiness. Rather than seeking fulfillment from the latest greatest gadgets, we simply need to turn within and notice that it’s already there, waiting for us.”
Simplicity in a different light.
Before reading this, I had never thought about simplicity as a state of mind. It’s true that outside things affect what is going on inside of us, and vice versa. Think about it – where is the most relaxing place you have ever been? What did it look like? Personally, I feel that the beach (preferably a quiet one), Japanese hot spring resort and a convent are the most relaxing places I have ever been. None of these places normally have a lot of things laying around (driftwood doesn’t count). For the most part, they are monochromatic (very soothing) and quiet. Taking time to be in the moment in these places also increases their beauty and calm.
Imagine how much more we could appreciate our environment and people we love around us if we just took time out of our everyday life to “make time for simplicity”?
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photo credit: jenny downing
This post was originally posted in June 2006.
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