Does anyone else feel like simplicity is kinda frowned upon? I remember buying a pair of shoes and showing it to my friend's mom whom was curious as to what I had bought. After showing her. she shrugged her shoulders and said, "huh, simple..." then proceeded to watching television as an expression of strong disinterest. This might be a simple example, but I feel that perhaps she is not the only one to completely disregard something that looks simple. Society and the media often portray flashiness and luxury as things to be admired and sought out. I mean, I've never heard of a rapper talking about wearing simple clothes, living in a tiny home, and driving a Smart car. Simple things are often overlooked and I feel it is completely unfair. Having a simple lifestyle does not mean it is any less admirable than living a life full of flash. As a matter of fact, it is a lot more peaceful to live simply.

Photo by Annie Spratt on

Straightforwardness in Simplicity

Simplicity is straightforward, vulnerable, and out in the open. There is nothing to hide. There are no secrets. What you see is what you get. Okay, I can see where things can get dull here. There is no deeper thought about it or mysterious factor lingering around what is going on when things are straightforward, but straightforwardness is more necessary today than it ever has been. The reality is that there are too many options for everything and simple things have been made complex for the sake of convenience. We stress too much over what clothes to wear for the day and overthink about what shoes would match those clothes. Have you seen the ingredients label in the foods you eat? There are probably a hundred ingredients in a bag of your favorite snack, most of which you can't even pronounce. Some of these ingredients can be very harmful for the body in the long run if consumed consistently. Mark Zuckerberg, creator of Facebook, has a closet full of the same style of grey t-shirts. He wears the same style t-shirt pretty much all of the time. When asked why he decides to wear this everyday he replied, "I really want to clear my life to make it so that I have to make as few decisions as possible about anything except how to best serve this community" according to independent.co.uk. Being simple can minimize unnecessary stress and increase productivity, according to Mark.

"Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated." - ConfuciusPhoto by Annie Spratt on

Freedom in Simplicity

A few years ago I came across the term "minimalism". By definition, a minimalist is an individual who lives only with what he or she needs. After watching documentaries and reading a few books on the topic, I've adopted the lifestyle. I saw how decluttering my life and ridding myself of things that aren't important to me filled me up with joy and stripped me of a lot of stress. My clothing options are few and easy to pick out. If the time comes for me to move it is very easy to pack up and go. It is a lot easier to keep things clean and neat when I don't have a lot. When I travel, I only take a 40L backpack filled with clothes for a week no matter how much time I'm on the road for. Traveling light allows me a lot of flexibility and keeps me readily available for the next adventure. Material things usually require maintenance, but since I don't have many things, I get to focus on what really makes me happy which are experiences and relationships. I've realized that the best things in life are not things and that having too much can hold me back from a life of freedom.

"The things you own end up owning you."- Chuck Palahniuk, Fight ClubPhoto by David Travis on

Mindfulness in Simplicity

Surely, we've all had too much on our plate at times. We've had to juggle multiple tasks at once. We start to feel pressure from our bosses, our colleagues, our families, our friends, and perhaps even ourselves. You start to work on a task at home, but in the middle of it you start thinking about that project you need to finish at work. When you get to work and start working on that project you start thinking about how you haven't hung out with your friends in a while. When you're hanging out with your friends you start to think about that weird noise your car has been making for the past few days. Anxiety and stress start to creep up when we're not mindful and we start to lose our belief in our ability to complete tasks. Our self esteem might plummet and an array of mental distress takes over. The mind starts to wander when it is not present. The wandering mind is complex, but a focused mind is simple. Mindfulness is quite simple. When you are at work, BE at work. When you are with your friends, BE with your friends. When you are at home, BE at home. Yes, it is important to be mindful of what is next, but many times it is unnecessary to stress over the future in the present moment. Focus on what is in front of you at this very moment. Let tomorrow take care of itself. Plan for tomorrow, but leave room for contingencies and let go of what you cannot control. Keep. It. Simple. Stupid.

"We buy things we don't need with money we don't have to impress people we don't like."- Chuck Palahniuk, Fight ClubPhoto by Obi Onyeador on

There's Nothing Wrong with Flashiness or Luxury

Look, I am by no means against having some luxury. We all have things that we like that make us feel good and getting compliments on what you're wearing or what car you drive can feel pretty nice. I am not bashing a lavish lifestyle. If it is that important to you and you have the money to get whatever it is that catches your eye, then buy it. If you have a super type A personality and you feel the need to accomplish a whole lot during the day, then go right ahead. If it honestly makes you feel more fulfilled, just do it. What I am trying to say is that we should be constantly asking ourselves, "Is this (insert item, lifestyle choice, person, etc.) really important or useful in my life? Is it serving a higher cause? Is it making me feel any better?".

Here's Sadhguru, a yogi mystic from India, on how and why a simple life is important. Please watch! he can explain this concept a lot better than I can. Enjoy! How To Simplify & Declutter Your Life