What does simple living mean to you?

[Thevail]

Is it more about living a less materialistic lifestyle?

Or about creating a less cluttered/stressed spiritual place to exist?

Or about using less natural resources overall?

Or about using them more wisely?

[Must-Stash]

For me it's the persuit of inner peace and serenity. It's about letting go of baggage and working toward righting wrongs, making a positive difference wherever I can and going to bed at night with as few regrets as possible.

[forHISglory]

Yes, yes, yes, yes!

Your question and Peanut's earlier question are vital to ponder. Every once in a while I have to just sit back and think on this. Otherwise the world moves too fast and I get out of whack.

Today Hubby and I had a spontaneous lunch and then a refreshing nap and then a walk in the woods with a camera to capture the dogwood and wood pansies and violets. Then we visited with a neighbor. After that we came inside and had some blueberries.

It was a simple afternoon, filled with wonders. I cherish these simple pleasures.

[IndigoMom]

To me, it's the attraction of spending less time getting stuff and more time doing it.

[FrugalMomof3]

To me it means living within our means and cherishing life as it is and not wanting more. Simply also means to me, living life day by day being happy with what you have and not worrying about the not so simple things (having that mercedes or needing to compete with the Jones').

[suki]

The answer to this question has been a lifelong journey for me. (long answer follows)

When I was only 3 years old, my parents decided they'd had enough of the rat race. They'd lived frugally, invested well and at the age of 30, were ready to drop out of urban society. In 1972, they left Houston, TX and moved to my grandfather's farm near our family's original homestead. There they intended to live off the land and forget the pollution, hustle/bustle and crime they experienced in the city. In a lot of ways, it was a great childhood experience... clean air, fresh water, bathing in creeks, hauling hay, fishing and eating watermelon by the rivers.

However, at a very young age I was aware that our life was not so simple. We did not take vacations... farm animals could not be left unattended and no one could fill the shoes to feed 60 cattle, 6 swine, 20 chickens, 10 goats, 5 rabbits and miscellaneous pets for any period of time. Work occurred every day, rain or shine, sickness or health. I was taught a great work ethic which has served me well. Growing food for a young family of five meant long, hot days in the large garden. Long, boring, hot days processing food and canning. Though the conversations had while snapping green beans were often memorable.

I had little exposure to culture and vividly remember my first trips to Memphis and Little Rock. My diaries hearkened back to Laura Ingalls or something from The Walton's. I longed to learn more about the world, but information was not as accessible.

In my teens, I decided that embracing modern conveniences actually meant more simple life. Take-out food, delivery, corner grocery stores... movies, museums, appreciation of modern culture... Having these available meant having more time to enjoy the finer things. Though these things cost more and it was easy to become tied to the material values.

Today I live a life in which I strive for balance. I am not a slave to material possessions, yet I do appreciate and will enjoy those which truly make my life easier. I will grow food and enjoy my local bounty... but, I'll also pick up sushi for a treat. Balance.

[TigerGirl1226]

To me living simple is living smarter. Just live by a "think before you jump" philosophy. Find more than one use for items so you don't needs 10 things with one use instead maybe 3 items with multiple uses. Appreciate what you have. Over the top is just that...over the top!! I find pleasure in a clean counter, uncluttered spaces and quality.

With all that being said for me living simple is something I constantly work at. I have to stop myself when I could buy tons of stuff really cheaply. I also have to balance my want for stuff with my new found need for simple...ya know, lol.

[onencgirl]

To me it's being in a less cluttered environment.

Going to bed at night and sleeping well because noone is waiting with their hand out.

Recycling and doing me little bit to help.

[Shelli_wnj]

I love the responses! I am trying to start in on a simple life. My take on it is less media, less materialism and more time together.

[spyzvixxen]

For me, it's keeping the clutter to a minimum. Life and my general mood are so much simpler without a bunch of "stuff" to see, care for & worry about.

[Edna_E]

To me it is a combination of time and stuff - not getting too caught up in societies goals rather than my own with regard to time and not collecting too much stuff to take care of.

[Debbie-cat]

To me it is being debt free, taking care of my family and the earth and having the opportunity to enjoy every single second of life!

[Thevail]

(Oh wow! this turned out to be long)

Simple living, for me, was about finding my happiness...

The things that really make me happy.
The home environment that really makes me happy.
The relationships and traditions/rituals in my life that make me happy.
Being the ME that makes ME happy to be ME. (if that made any sense at all.)

It sounded so simple when I started, but it's been a life-time process, and I'm a lot closer to "simply happy", but not through learning yet.

First I had to spend nearly a decade finding out what didn't make me happy, and who I was not.

I am not a high-powered executive type..tried it..made me and a lot of other innocent, hardworking people miserable. I learned that I can "do" the authority thing, but not without becoming a very nasty person.

I am not ever going to bike across the country for charity no matter how worthy the cause.. I am way too lazy. And I'll never actually train for a 10k run either...I'd rather be shoe shopping or reading an Agatha Christie novel. I'm much happier writing blog entries and donating money to causes I approve of.

I am not sweet, or motherly, or particularly feminine, and I don't actually care that I'm not those things. I am also a lousy dancer as it turns out, but I will never stop dancing because it makes me happy. ( I hereby apologize to anyone who has to watch me, but HEY..it'll make your dancing look amazing!)

I HATE beer..I know, positively un-American isn't it..but there you go.

Then I had to spend the next decade starting to figure out who I am..

I may still write a book, I've got the linguistic skills..but I've yet to see if I have the perserverance or the patience. That'll be a project for after the kid moves out.

I am the sort of person who does things right the first time, not because I'm efficient, but because I am far too lazy to do anything unpleasant twice. And if things get too awful..I have an amazing ability to "not see" the mess or situation I don't want to deal with.

I am a quick study on most topics!

I have a formal library (even if it's very small), I even ocassionally drink tea in it and stare happily at the leather bound editions on the gleaming cherry shelving!

I am a coffee fiend..my brain cannot function without it.

I am a GREAT mother...not sweet, but sarcastic and funny and heartfelt. And I cook well, and make chicken soup whenever she's sick, so it works out. Fortunately she's sweet enough for both of us.

I am sexy...a full, lusciously rounded, ripe armful of sexy! I am confident in myself and secure in my relationship both with DH and with myself naked.. no 16 year old can touch that!

And living simply means, making careful decisions on what I do and don't need... to be happy. It's much easier now that I know me better, and I know what really makes me happy. Because it turns out, it isn't most of those things that every magazine ad, and TV program, and abnormally skinny woman with BIG teeth in an infomercial keeps telling me that it is.

Maybe all those things make them happy..I doubt it.
Because honestly, you can't buy social acceptance with the right deoderant, or the right handbag, or toothpaste, or golf clubs.

You can't find love by buying the right cookware, or shopping at the right store, or eating the right yoghurt.
At least I can't.

So the simplicity gets kind of easy when you realize that the best sales pitch they have for 95% of all that stuff is..it'll fix whatever is wrong in your life..instantly!

Suddenly just breathing in, facing the problem square on, and fixing it yourself becomes the sane and SIMPLE way to deal with it. At least it is for me...now!