The ONLY Way to Live Simply
Simplicity of life has become a passionate quest for me. I want to live simply, consciously and happily. I have been spending zillions of hours reading insights on “X things to do to live simply” but I am soon coming to terms with the fact that an unfussy life is most often NOT a simple affair.
I must admit though, that much of this information is valuable; the tight bits of what to do and what not to do in almost all areas of life. You know what I am talking about; information on how to handle the phone, the bills; how to declutter you home and all the hundred and one ways to doing this and that.
There is so much good information out there and the danger is that if you are to practice all, your life may end up being a complex sum of minimalist practices. Don’t you think, it is kind of counter intuitive that you have to read an article about a 1001 things to do to live simply?
Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not any simpler ~ Albert Einstein
However simple your life can get through minimalist practice, you sooner or later hit a dead end wall where life cannot get any simpler by all practical means and in all convenience.
There remains ONLY one way to simplify your life in this crazy world; a way that when mastered will help you keep your sanity.
The ONLY way to simplify your life is to FOCUS ONLY AT WHAT YOU ARE DOING RIGHT NOW; BE PRESENT. By all means possible, learn that art.
It is something that is still a struggle for me but I have seen that the better I get at it, the “simpler” my life gets. The important thing to know is that THIS IS more of an attitude than a mechanical fixture of mind. Learn the art of shutting out everything else and FOCUS on the matter at hand.
How you learn the art, is outside the scope of this article and I will not be tempted to give you 4 steps to achieving that. All I can say to you is JUST DO IT!
See that?
It is called Focus. After you have carried out all the standard minimalist rituals and practices (don’t worry, I also practice them), seeing only the one important thing (if only for a moment) remains the ONLY way to simplify your life.
It is not always an “all or nothing” approach; as I said earlier, it goes beyond the mechanical fixture of your mind; it is an attitude of heart towards life.
Living and Growing Consciously ~ Life, Passion, Simplicity.
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PS. I would LOVE to hear from YOU. Kindly share your thoughts in the comments page which you can open by clicking the “comments” link in the top right corner of this post. Thank you.
Christopher, you have made some excellent points.
I agree that the only way to live is to simplify – and also that we can all get so hung up on minimalist living that we spend all our time reading and applying how to do so!
And perhaps as you say, the only way forward it just focus on one thing at a time – and let simplicity evolve from that.
This is my first visit to your blog and well worth it:-)
Arvind,
Welcome and thanks for your wonderful post and for the great work you are doing at the “Make It Happen” Blog.
I love the part where you say, “let simplicity evolve from that”. That communicates to me that it is a journey and we should be open to everything that helps us along the way.
Thank you.
Chris,
I know that in my own life, that living a simpler life does keep my focus on the present moment more. This allows me a space to create from my higher self, and this space is very powerful. Just like the power expressed in this post. This is my first time on your blog. This is quality material!
Baker,
Welcome and thanks for your thoughts and your kind words. Your experience has been my experience in recent times. As i have simplified my life and focused my energies on living daily in the moment i have gained more power even on what is to come, a sense of calm and peace and appreciation for what is in my life now. Things that would have easily caused me to worry have just been non issues and my outward circumstances have eventuality taken the form of my inner reality.
Thanks for your comment, you have added value to this post and this blog.