Living A Simple Life in A Modern World
My journey with simple living began twenty-five years ago — I hit reset and began to move forward with small daily wins.
Over time, I started to find peace on a hectic day, replace chaos with calm in our home, and move toward a Simple Life.
When you start to appreciate the small, mundane, ordinary moments in your life it will put you in a better space.
Romanticize Ordinary Moments
So today I’ll share how I romanticize ordinary moments to create a simple life in a modern world.
Some small tips that I practice and that lead to incredible changes in simplifying life to grow in awareness of how magical your life already is.
Romanticizing your life is about just feeling the joy in simplicity.
Fall in Love with Everyday
Eat breakfast by candlelight.
Romanticizing ordinary moments helps you tap into the little things that make you and your life unique rather than just always comparing to or keeping up with other people.
The conscious practice of seeing the beauty in simple, ordinary parts of my day leaves me feeling content with what I have rather than always working for and wanting more.
Life is Busy
Life is busy, and I just don’t have the energy to write in a gratitude journal or do elaborate self-care practice, but I can wake up with the intention to romanticize and enjoy little random things that make my life right now.
The things that you can do immediately can entirely change your day, getting dressed, and doing your hair, is beautiful and therapeutic.
When you start to turn up your senses to the world around you, you might notice that the housekeeping experience can be cozy and wonderful.
Dinner today is a great time to get out the nice dishes, or the bowls you really love, or pick a bouquet of flowers, just because.
The more you start to be present in the now, the more this will come naturally, and you’ll start to see beautiful little things endlessly throughout your day.
Invite Handcraft Back into Your Life
For me doing kraft is a way to decompress. To feel like a kid again.
Try adding elements to your day that bring back that childlike wonder and excitement.
Just the other day I found a branch on the side of the road and decided to do a Christmas decor out of it. I put on Christmas music and the whole process was so much fun.
Creating these little experiences for myself has been so good for my mental health. The process of decluttering and stepping away from the hustle of the mainstream.
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Declutter
When you declutter and organize, your physical possessions begin to serve you instead of overpowering you. And this is such a wonderful feeling that you’re likely to continue and fine-tune the rest of your life.
It’s addicting to experience that post-declutter feeling of weightlessness and renewed space.
Clearing out your wardrobe can easily lead to a digital declutter or a re-examination of a tight schedule. You’ll be asking yourself: what else can I clean up and streamline?
TIP: Start small and keep your expectations realistic.
RELATED: 30-Day Minimalism Challenge
30-Day Minimalism Challenge to kick start the new year.
Have you ever heard of the “fresh start effect”?
Find Joy In A Few Simple Things
Don’t take your time for granted. Respect every moment that you have.
What are the activities that make you the happiest? When do you feel most fulfilled?
While not all of us can leave our current situation to pursue what we truly want, we can, in some small way, give ourselves what we dearly desire.
For me, those include reading/learning, walking and doing other active things, eating simple food, meditating, and spending quality time with people I care about.
Most of that doesn’t cost anything or require any possessions (especially if you use the library for books!).
When I remember, I can let go of everything else my mind has fixated on and find the simple joy of doing simple activities.
Live In Accordance with Your Means
I don’t spend what I don’t have on things I don’t want. At least I try very hard. Stop owning or buying things you don’t really need.
I consciously work to change the mindset that’s telling me happiness lies in the next online shopping order.
Showing gratitude for what we already have is the foundation of simple living. When we slow down and start noticing what we have, appreciating our life for what it is right now, we begin realizing just how little we really need for a happy life.
TIP: Educate yourself about marketing and advertising strategies. When you’re aware of the various ploys that PR people use to ensnare you into more buying, you’ll be far more likely to spot and dismiss them the next time around.
Single Task
I started to appreciate single-tasking only in my 50th. I just don’t enjoy listening to podcasts while walking anymore.
Give your full attention to the present moment or task at hand, rather than always thinking about what is next. For me as HSP (Highly Sensitive Person) it’s almost impossible to do but if I remember I try really hard.
TIP: Keeping a notebook with a to-do list for your work and your personal life does wonder to save your brain the worry of having to remember everything. Don’t inflict on yourself a packed schedule.
Become Aware of What’s Most Important to You
Knowing what you value will help you decide what you want to keep in your life and what you can let go of.
If you are searching for happiness, one of the best things you can do is simplify your life, let go of unnecessary things, and focus on the things that bring you happiness.
“Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less” – by Greg McKeown – Essential read for anyone who feels overloaded and overworked.
- Do you know the parts of your life that you will not abandon no matter what happens?
- How connected are you to yourself?
Get clear about what you want and say no to more things. We are rarely very clear on what we want. When we see someone post a photo of something cool, we might suddenly get fixed on doing that too, and suddenly the course of our lives veers off in a new direction.
Practice JOMO (noun) Joy of Missing Out
JOMO: Feeling content with staying in and disconnecting as a form of self-care.
Same thing if we read about something cool or watch a video of a new destination or hobby. When someone invites us to a party, we instantly want to say yes, because our minds love saying yes to everything, to all the shiny new toys. What if we became crystal clear on what we wanted in life? If we knew what we wanted to create, and how we wanted to live … we could say yes to these things, and no to everything else. Saying no to more things would simplify our lives.
TIP: Make peace with the fact that other people’s expectations of you have nothing to do with you.
- You don’t need to manage what other people think of you.
- You don’t even need to explain yourself.
- You cannot get another person to love you.
- You cannot help, save, or rescue another.
Don’t Expect Miracles
Keeping your life simple will be a constant learning experience. You’ll relapse and you’ll make mistakes.
I do.
But what matters most is intention and persistence.
One thing that is important to remember is that in the quest for a simpler life, try not to compare yourself with others on similar journeys. We are all unique and our families have different needs and values, so slowing down or simplifying will look different to everyone. Let simplifying your life be exactly what it needs to be for you and your family.
Of course, these are not the only tips you’ll need for living a simple life. But the best ones are the ones you discover yourself.
Try these and see what happens — I think you’ll find out something beautiful about yourself, and about life.
It’s not impossible to live a simple life in today’s world, but it takes more effort than it did in the past. To simplify your life, you need to be intentional about it.
Simple Life Quotes
Thanks for reading this article – I hope you found it helpful. As always, I’d love to hear from you! Have a fabulous week and take care! Irina Nikitina – Founder of Modern Fifty TV
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