The next few weeks will see us embracing Simple Living. I am amazed at how close we are to this definition of living simply.
"Simple living refers to practices that promote simplicity in one's lifestyle. Common practices of simple living include reducing the number of possessions one owns, depending less on technology and services, and spending less money. In addition to such external changes, simple living also reflects a person's mindset and values."
The past few years both Harvey and I have been reducing our possessions, and trying to spend less money on items that really are not that important to us. We are frugal so we can take the occasional long journey. However, now that we are getting up in age or journeys will likely be a great deal shorter.
We are enjoying more of what we already have rather than always looking for something new and exciting. Taking things a little bit slower, finding joy in a beautiful sunrise or sunset, the flowers and veggies growing in our yard, planting fruit to harvest sometime in the future and just taking deep breaths. Not so much the deep breaths right now as we are getting smoke from the fires in North Dakota and Wyoming.
I am enjoying getting projects completed, and going through my stashes of craft supplies, yarn and fabric. Things are being completed if a bit slower than I had hoped. Then again I am enjoying the creating process a bit more.
Now the depending less on technology and services is really something that is difficult to do in this day and age. If I depended less I would not be able to do online banking (saves lots of time), or watch YouTube or documentaries on the television (antennas do not work here any longer). Being able to depend on our accountant come tax time saves Harvey lots of angst. He hated doing our tax returns once they became a bit complicated. Some technology is wonderful though there are drawbacks if you get too attached. Also technology is great in the health field. What would we do without x-rays, MRI scans, CAT scans, and laboratory tests. Pretty sure that the depending less, does not include those.
Simple living is wonderful as it makes a person slow down.
Everybody have a wonderful evening.
God bless.
Keeping things simple works for me but always with an eye to keep up with technology. That doesn't mean having to embrace everything but just enough so that we haven't crippled ourselves and can't keep up. I know so many in my age group that can't understand any technology due to fear. I wouldn't want to live that way.
ReplyDeleteI love that paragraph and it does state it well. I think I am really close - I just need to downsize more. I hardly spend money anymore. I do love my blogging and keeping in touch with distant friends and relatives on FB - I do not bank online - so that is OK. I could do with less things being automated in life.
ReplyDeleteYou have really done so well and should be very proud of your lovely life.
I agree that tech is something we all have to use, although we do try not to over-use it. My refusal to pay extra in order to have a cell phone with all the bells and whistles certainly makes my life a lot simpler and saves $$ too. Having said that, I'm very afraid that landlines will be phased out and we will be forced to use cell phones. It bothers me when companies insist that you need to use their QR code in order to access any information and, at this point, I simply don't give them any business because of it. I will find alternatives as long as I can.
ReplyDeleteI have a very basic mobile phone too. I don't want to spend half my life aimlessly scrolling Facebook or posting photos of what I had for lunch etc. Landlines are being phased out here and we recently replaced ours with a simple mobile phone that anyone in the household can use. It's on a different network from my phone and my husband's phone, so that we have more chance of getting a signal with a choice of 3 networks if there is ever a big outage. We've tried to keep things as simple as possible, but even simple seems complicated these days!
DeleteSums up our life as well, I do believe a clear space gives you a clear mind.
ReplyDeleteSuch a wonderful, blessed life, Jackie. It’s a life worth striving for and you and Harvey are such great examples for us to learn from, so thank you for that and sharing your story.
ReplyDeleteBelinda
The technical and services are a challenge to avoid. We do utilize them a fair bit. Trying to use cash more is my newest thing, rather than using a card. It isn't feasible for big expenditures.
ReplyDeleteTechnology definitely has made our lives easier on some ways. To the point where it is difficult to live without.
ReplyDeleteYou are a terific example of someone who exemplifies living a simple life in so many ways.
I do agree that living a simple life is wonderful and makes you slow down. There are some new technologies that I have very little interest in i.e. AI and try to avoid using at all costs due to the amount of energy and water they use, but I can't stop that particular snowball from getting bigger, as it rolls down the mountain of modernity.
ReplyDeleteDear Jackie, an uncluttered space/room/home/apartment makes for a simple and enjoyable life! Thank you so much for sharing.
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