Ah! It’s so hard to keep up with everything going on in the world right now. Everyday someone asks me “hey did you hear about this?” or “did you see that?”. It’s exhausting! Not to mention everything else that we need to plan, do, exceed. How do we remain sane I wonder. Well in my little nook of the universe, I have a couple things that I do to cope with this crazy world. Here’s how I live a simple life in this wild modern world.
Eat little and live long
My mother always said this when we were growing up, but it was mostly because things were tight and everything had to stretch and work 10 times over. Be as it may, this has stuck with me throughout my adult years and I apply it to my everyday life. Always remember to never over indulge. Yes, treat yourself nice, buy nice things, and take that dream vacation. Why not? You deserve it! But as they say (well my mother really, Lol) too much of one thing can never be good. This applies to food, spending, working, playing, you name it. Everything in moderation.
Appreciate and be grateful for what you have.
Sometimes I get frustrated when I think I’ve been stuck in one place for too long or when I feel as though I should be further along. But then when I look back, I would have given almost anything to have what I have now. I don’t only mean physical things, I mean the core group of friends, the committed and loyal life partner, the job that challenges my brain.
Not only the good things. Like everyone else, there are challenges. The house I so desperately want to buy but the savings are taking it’s good old time, the family I wish I had better relationships with, the job I want to perfect but everyday there is something I discover that I didn’t know before. These are all things that show that life is going somewhere. That there is progress and something to look forward to. I wish for an easier life all the time, but on reflection, it can always be so so so much worse. Here’s a great book that gives more insight.
What other people are doing is none of your business
Really. It isn’t. We get so caught up in what others have to say, what they’re doing, their success, etc etc etc, that we fervently attach ourselves and many times feel thwarted in comparison. We question our goals, motives and capabilities. As they say, comparison is the thief of joy and I can attest to that 100%. I’ve found that once we focus on own journeys, and march to our own beats, we’d find more joy in our own pursuits.
Let go of attachment
I learned this while exploring the Buddhist tradition and applied it to my daily life as much as possible. This is a tough one as we’re human and we feel that need to belong and to be connected in one way or another. When we’re attached to things, people and ideas, we open ourselves up to misery and suffering. It sounds drastic I know but think about it. How do we feel when we’re attached to this one person or that one thing and then something goes awry? What about that idea, that goal you set (like me and the house) and it’s taking longer than expected to come to fruition? Or it’s not happening at all? That devastating, hopeless and frustrating feeling is what I consider misery and suffering.
As I said, this is a tough one and I struggle with it daily. When I encounter something that brings me joy, anger, sadness and so on, I touch it in passing and allow myself to express emotion. Whether it’s sadness, joy or anger. But the key is not to stay in that feeling. Touch on it and move on. I don’t hold on to that happiness or that sadness or that anger. Simply because I won’t be happy forever, nor sad or angry. It comes and goes and that’s just how life is.
De-clutter your home and surroundings
I think this is the easiest one. It’s a clear gateway to a simple life. Start little by little (it may take a long time) and soon enough, your space will be free of junk and excess. Donate or have a garage sale. You’d be surprised at how many people love a good sale (I think I can speak for everyone here. Lol).
Finally, go outside, get some fresh air, and enjoy the finer, smaller things in life.
Find a friend, turn off the phone and just have a good chat. Catch up on life and get to actually know people in the real world again. You won’t regret it, I promise!
What about you? How do you manage a simple life in this crazy modern world? Or do you like the fast life?
Thanks for stopping by!
PS ~ 4 Teas That’ll Keep You Happy, Calm and Healthy and Wedding talk: What Would You Change About Yours?
