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 minimalism 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, the words used to describe the ideas often have no direct translation into English.

The Danish word enkeldt means beautiful through simplicity; having a single, lovely, plain candle is better than drowning in the ornate.

Within 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 in a more lucid outlook on what needs to be accomplished on the road ahead.

Relationships can improve. When we let go of our preoccupations, we have more time to focus on significant relationships we may have neglected. In addition, simply switching off the multiple devices we use daily can free up space for 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, our reactions to life may change with an understanding of the internal rather than the external. Choosing to be non-reactive rather than over-reactive may result.

Our attention to simplifying life can also benefit our environment. For example, by buying from brands that support recycling, upcycling, and using 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.

To benefit from and live a simpler life, we do not need to follow monastic ways or stringent rules. Choosing quality over quantity can be experienced in all sectors of life.

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

The older I have grown, the more I understand that less is more. I need less stuff because I cherish more 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