To live simply means different things to different people, myself included. For example, I am not willing to forgo everyday conveniences like electricity, television, the internet or a few decent items of clothing — but some are. But I am willing to give up expensive sports cars, a mortgage I cannot afford just to try to impress people, extravagant vacations to far away lands, and going out to dinner every night of the week. Why am I willing to give those things up? So I don’t have to work 60 hours a week at a job I don’t like just to be able to try to pay for them all! There was a time back in the day when I feel as though I sold my soul for money. Sure, I didn’t make a deal with the actual Devil, but I might as well have – I hated my job, I hated the travel I had to do for it, and I was becoming increasingly lethargic and unhealthy because of it. But hey, the money was good – and that was all that mattered, right? Until one day I said enough is enough, and walked away without a safety net. Something in me keyed me into the fact that no matter how much money I made or how much harder I worked, this lifestyle was not going to make me happy and I had to get out asap. So I did, and that was the beginning of trying to live a more simple life.
Ever since that day, I have worked to get away from the consumer-based lifestyle I had been trying to keep up with. I stopped going shopping all the time just because I was bored. I made due with what I had, for the most part, instead of buying a new “this” or “that”. I like living where there is no traffic, no keeping up with the Joneses, no “holier than thou” attitudes…just people living their lives as they wish, with no one getting in their business (or caring).
So for me, simple living is living the way you want to live without having to compromise who you are or who you want to be. By owning my own freelance business, I make my own hours and (usually) earn enough income to live comfortably. Am I going to get rich doing this? Nope, probably not. Do I feel the need to get rich anymore? Nope. I am doing things my way, at my new speed, and that is what we were after. That’s my definition of simple living. What’s yours?
Look forward to seeing more posts, I enjoy your other sites and will be following this one too!!!!
Thanks Stacey, will do my best to not let you down 🙂
Love the new blog, David! Subbed and added to my blogroll. happy blogging!
Thanks Emily!
Thank you for this – I feel like I just took a long, deep breath
And it feels good
Looking forward to more
In Peace
Cyndi
Interesting post! I think it’s good to sit back and consider what you could and couldn’t live without every now and then. Helps put life into perspective and forces you to consider what is important to you.
Personally, I don’t think I could go without travel. I love the excitement of visiting somewhere new and seeing how other people live. I also couldn’t give up broadband access!
I could give up television, as I could still watch the shows I like on my computer (cheating a little I guess :P). I could give up using a car too, but that’s only because I still live in a big city with good public transport.
I am happy you found peace with your current life, David 🙂
I don’t know whether it’s just me or if perhaps everybody
else encountering issues with your site. It appears like some of the written text within your posts are running off the screen.
Can somebody else please provide feedback and let me know if this is happening to them
as well? This might be a issue with my internet browser because I’ve had this happen before. Thanks
Excellent!! Congratulations. I believe you have achieved something very difficult to do in practice. I am also trying and sometimes failing to live simply. (I still have urges to splurge on gadgets from my savings).