Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.

~ Steve Jobs

 

The benefits of simplicity are woven within the elements of many religious and cultural teachings. Living simply dates back to monastic orders and is currently practiced with the modern-day Amish.

Many of us were indoctrinated with slogans of bigger better more, keeping up with the Jones’, needing the latest new and improved; so, simplicity goes against what we have been conditioned to strive towards. Yet, the idea of simplicity is not new.

The emergence of minimalism in the 1950s caused many to scratch their heads as they contemplated a single circle on a canvas or an arrangement of cubes as an installation at a gallery. While extreme minimalist may not be your vision of beauty, let’s explore how simplicity in life has its benefits.

Culturally the concept crosses the globe and can be seen in the fabric of various societies. However, often the words to describe the ideas have no direct translations to English.

The Danish word, enkeldt, means beautiful through simplicity; better to have a single, lovely, plain candle than drown in the ornate.

And within the Japanese culture, shibumi is, in essence, the ability to achieve the maximum effect with the minimum means: effortless beauty. 

The Swedes have a proverb that sums up their less is more foundation. Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less, breathe more; talk less; say more; love more, and all good things will be yours.

Simplicity is a choice. It only takes a mindset adjustment and desire to see what exists at the core of who we are.

Enriching Our Lives Through Simplicity

Simplicity allows us to learn more about ourselves. Lessening our calendars filled with things to do, restraining habitual shopping, or limiting our obsession with social media, frees up time for inner reflection. Although self-study may not always be easy, it ultimately is very fulfilling. Culminating with a desire for fewer things as we experience the bounty of less.

It can increase our ability to focus. Without the diversions, our minds can quiet, allowing us to delve deeper into what we have. Clarity can result, aiding us with a more lucid outlook on what needs to be accomplished on the road ahead.

Relationships can improve. When we let go of the preoccupations in our lives, it provides added time to place our attention on those meaningful relationships we may have neglected. In addition, simply switching off the multiple devices we use daily, can free up room to dedicate to meaningful conversations and activities with family and friends.

Our finances can increase; instead of spending it on non-essentials, frivolous purchases, or shopping to pass the time, we can build up savings or contribute to a portfolio. When we let go of consuming, we find joy in what we have, often realizing that we do not need more.

Our health may improve. With less stress, blood pressure may drop, migraines may cease, and more awareness can be centered on fitness and self-care. In addition, with an understanding of the internal rather than the external, our reactions to life may change. Choosing to be non-reactive rather than over-reactive may result.

Our attention to simplifying life can benefit our environment as well. For example, by buying from brands that support recycling, upcycling, and using those products that offer bulk rather than single-use items, we can help the planet. While it is nearly impossible to live without waste, we can do our part to curb it.

We do not need to live in the monastic ways, nor the stringent rules of the Amish, to benefit from and live a simpler life. Choosing quality over quantity can be experienced in all sectors of our lives.

It is okay not to upgrade your phone, purchase second-hand items, or live in a simple, well-loved home. Living a simple life and living a fuller life go hand in hand,

The older I have grown, the more I understand the concept of less is more. I need less stuff because I cherish more of those intangible things that cannot be purchased.

Simplicity can enrich our lives in unseen ways, and one day we will realize that a simple mindset adjustment was all it took to live the abundant life we always dreamt of. Strive to be more, not to have more, to give more rather than consume more, and to use less to live more.

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”

— Leonardo da Vinci