Embracing Simplicity to Create A Happy Life

In today’s world, many folks choose to have busy, complicated lives because they mistakenly believe that will make them happy.  But then they find out that all that complication doesn’t lead to happiness.  Instead, it leads to their having noisy, unhappy lives.  They don’t realize that simplicity is the key to creating a happy life.

One reason some folks eschew simplicity is that they equate a simple lifestyle with poverty.  They think that if they have a house full of stuff, that means they’re rich!  However, the reality is that our financial wealth or poverty is not based on the number of our belongings.  Rather, it’s based on the size of our bank accounts.

Others don’t like the simple life because they’re uncomfortable with being still.  In order to feel comfortable, they need life to be busy. Even chaotic.  They don’t have the ability to sit still and simply enjoy nature, read a book or think.  That’s because they’re uncomfortable with themselves.  So, they need a complicated life in order to distract themselves from their own thoughts.

Some folks forgo having a simple life because they think that having a complicated life makes them more interesting.  So, their lives are chaotic.  They change jobs like they change outfits.  They regularly move to different places, never staying long enough to establish meaningful, long-term connections.  I’ll concede that their lives may very well be interesting.  But frankly, their lives are no more interesting than anyone else’s.

The reality is that complication, lots of stuff and busyness aren’t going to make you happy.  They’ll just make you overwhelmed and stressed out.  Rather, the key to happiness is simplicity.

Below are ways to create a simple life.  Consider following these approaches, and see how a life of simplicity truly can make you happier!

Simplify Your Schedule

One of the best ways to become more happy and relaxed in life is to have a simple schedule.  Unfortunately, some folks struggle with that.  Some folks have a neurotic need to constantly have things to do.  In fact, over the years, I’ve known people who actually become agitated if they have a day when nothing is planned.  It’s odd!

Realize that isn’t a mentally healthy way to live.  We all need to have days when our schedule is blank.  We need days when we can simply sit, relax, read a book, or just enjoy nature.

Admittedly, it takes emotional maturity to be able to enjoy that kind of down time.  As we know, children, who are not yet emotionally mature, struggle with down time. They’ll lament, “Mom, I’m bored!”  But if you’re an adult, and you’re still lamenting that you’re “bored,” you have some growing up to do!

In fact, as adults, our lives should become increasingly simple with each passing year.  As we grow in maturity, we need less entertainment.  That’s because mature minds naturally crave silence, contemplation and reflection.   

The challenge is that to have a simple schedule, you have to make it your top priority.  Otherwise, other folks will hijack your time and fill your schedule with their activities and needs.  And then you won’t have any of that much needed down time. 

For instance, I spent many years of my life having my time hijacked. I did activities that I had no interest in doing just to keep other people happy.  Or, folks often would ask me to do tasks that they very well could do themselves.  It wasn’t until mid-life that I put an end to that nonsense and took back my time. 

My recommendation: Don’t make my mistake!  Cherish your free hours. And keep your free time as “free” as possible.

So, if you want to simplify your life, start by simplifying your schedule.  Stop the insanity of constantly running from one activity to the next.  Instead, make it your priority to have time that is activity-free and obligation-free. 

Declutter Your Space

Over the years, I’ve known messy people.  And what I know about messy people is this: Their personal space is a reflection of their state of mind.  Messy people have messy minds. 

So, if you want to have peaceful mind, you need to start by getting rid of your mess.  You need to give yourself a peaceful place in which to exist and think.  And that means getting rid of your clutter.

Realize that when it comes to our belongings, less is more.  If you declutter your personal space, what you’ll find is that the fewer things you have, the more peaceful and beautiful your home will be. 

The question then is this: How does one declutter one’s home?   Well, the key is to have the “right” things in the “right” places in your home. 

But what does that mean in practical terms?

Well, having the “right” things means that you only have things in your home that you either love or that are functional.  Everything else is by definition clutter. And clutter either needs to be discarded, or if salvageable, given away.   

Putting your things in the “right” place means either displaying your belongings on shelves or organizing them neatly in closets and drawers.  As an example, I love books.  Of course, I’ve always had my books arranged on shelves.  But this year, I took my book organizing to another level, and I created a personal library in my home. 

Within my personal library, my books are organized on shelves by subject matter.  And interspersed on the shelves, I have photos, plants, or sentimental objects.  I’ve tried to make my personal library truly pleasing to the eye, and my hard work has paid off!  Every time I walk by my small library, I’m just thrilled.  Seeing my books organized in a beautiful way gives me such pleasure.

You can do the same with your belongings.  The key is to make your home not just a storage unit, but a place of beauty.  And that requires you to organize your belongings in a pleasing way, and to keep your home otherwise tidy.

The good news is that by having a home that is tidy, organized and decorated with things that you love, you create a space of serenity.  And that is a place in which you truly can be happy!

Limit Media Consumption

Another important way to simplify your life is to limit your media consumption.  And the best place to start is by reducing your consumption of the news. 

Unfortunately, the 24-hour news outlets would have us believe that we “need” to know what is going on every minute of the day.  But do we? I’d argue that we just don’t need to know about every current event the moment that it happens.  In fact, that isn’t even healthy.  With all due respect to Elon Musk, CNN and Fox News, we just don’t need immediate news coverage.  Because the reality is that 99.99% of the news has absolutely nothing to do with us. 

The only thing that constant news consumption accomplishes is to make us feel stressed out.  So, if you want to be happier, reduce your news consumption.

For example, this is how I currently get my news: I listen to one 10-minute news podcast from NPR every morning.  They report on the top 3 new stories of the day.  And that is all.  That one short podcast allows me to have a rough idea of what is going on in the world, which is all I need to know to be a functioning member of society.

I’m simply not interested in listening for hours to the news and hearing people wax on with their opinions about what they think is right or wrong, or what they believe is fair or unfair.  Why would I care about their opinions?  I have my own solid set of ethics and values.  And if I want to think more deeply about morality, I’m certainly not going to listen to a newscaster. I’ll read a book by a philosopher or a theologian. 

In addition to limiting your consumption of the news, there is tremendous value in reducing your overall screen time.  If you are seeking to be happy, your time is much better spent sitting quietly, contemplating and just enjoying nature.  In fact, the more time you spend in silence and contemplation, the more content you will be.

Unfortunately, television and YouTube are things that divert us away from what our brains really need – peace and quiet.  I’ll admit that the television and YouTube are good for entertainment.  So, they have their place.  But each day, your brain needs a break just to enjoy silence.

So, reduce the amount of time that you listen to the news.  Skip watching the latest hit TV show.  Forgo TikTok and YouTube videos.  Instead, make having a peaceful mind your top priority.  Give yourself the blessing of less screen time, and see how much happier you can be!

If you are seeking to be happier, start by simplifying your life.  Consider incorporating the practices above into your daily routine.  If you simplify your existence, I can assure you that you will be blessed with greater happiness and contentment. (To read about the three foundations for a good life, click here.)