Be simple,
there are not that many things we really need for healthy and happy life
Know the limits,
learn to limit yourself otherwise the Nature may limit you
Enjoy
every piece of bread you eat, every moment you live
Be grateful
to your parents, your teachers and all people who help you on your life path
Follow the rules
(traffic, ethic, corporate etc) and you achieve more and harm less
Don’t compare
each individual is special with own Prakriti, own karma, own life mission. When you wish for some attribute of other’s you can easily miss your own
A simple life has a different meaning and a different value for every person. For me, it means eliminating all but the essential, eschewing chaos for peace, and spending your time doing what’s important to you. It means getting rid of many of the things you do so you can spend time with people you love and do the things you love. It means getting rid of the clutter so you are left with only that which gives you value.
However, getting to simplicity isn’t always a simple process. It’s a journey, not a destination, and it can often be a journey of two steps forward, and one backward.
The Short List
There are really only two steps to simplifying:
- Identify what’s most important to you.
- Eliminate everything else.
The Long List
There can be no step-by-step guide to simplifying your life, but here is an incomplete list of ideas that should help anyone trying to find the simple life. Not every tip will work for you — choose the ones that appeal and apply to your life. Choose one at a time, and focus on that. When you’re done with that, focus on the next thing.
- Make a list of your top 4-5 important things. What’s most important to you? What do you value most? Simplifying starts with these priorities, as you are trying to make room in your life so you have more time for these things.
- Evaluate your commitments. Look at everything you’ve got going on in your life. Think about which of these really gives you value, which ones you love doing, and drop those that aren’t in line with your most important things.
- Evaluate your time. How do you spend your day? Make a list, and evaluate whether it is in line with your priorities. If not, eliminate the things that aren’t, and focus on what’s important. Redesign your day.
- Simplify work tasks. Focus on the essential tasks and eliminate the rest.
- Simplify home tasks. Focus on the most important, and try to find ways to eliminate the other tasks (automate, eliminate, delegate, or hire help).
- Learn to say no. This is one of the key habits for those trying to simplify their lives. If you can’t say no, you will take on too much.
- Limit your communications. Put a limit on email, phone and messages — only at certain times of the day, for a certain number of minutes. Set a schedule and stick to it.
- Limit your media consumption. TV, radio, internet and magazines can come to dominate our lives. Don’t let it.
- Purge your stuff. Devote a weekend to purging the stuff you don’t want. Start with the big items, then edit your rooms, closets and drawers one at a time.
- Simplify your wardrobe. Get rid of anything you don’t actually wear and focus on simple styles that match each other.
- Create a simplicity statement. What do you want your simple life to look like? Write it out.
- Limit your buying habits. Buying less means less stuff, less spending and less freneticism.
- Free up time and do what you love. Cut back on time wasters and spend the extra time on your 4-5 important things.
- Spend time with people you love — and time alone. Quiet time is calming, and necessary for finding out what’s important to you.
- Eat slowly. Slow down to improve digestion and enjoy life more.
- Drive slowly. It is safer, better on your fuel bill, and can be incredibly peaceful.
- Be present. Living here and now, in the moment, keeps you aware of life, of what is going on around you and within you.
- Establish routines. Create simple morning and evening routines and simple systems for paperwork and house work.
- Learn to live frugally. Buying less, wanting less, and leaving less of a footprint on the earth is directly related to simplicity.
- Learn what “enough” is. Figure out how much is enough, and stop when you get there.
- Eat healthy and exercise. Being unhealthy is complicated; eating healthy and exercising simplify life greatly over the long term and burn off stress.
- Find inner simplicity. Time spent praying, meditating, journaling or in nature creates a peaceful simplicity rather than chaotic confusion.
- Learn to decompress from stress and develop equanimity, so that little things don’t send you into anger or stress.
- Single-task. Do one task at a time, slowly, with ease, paying full attention to what you’re doing.
- Leave space around things in your day so you go through your day much more relaxed.
- Always ask: will this simplify my life? If the answer is no, reconsider.