Over the last eight months, I’ve started to question some of the stuff in my life. Not stuff as in people or priorities, but stuff as in belongings, material possessions, and things that take up space. For years, I’ve had a quiet suspicion that all this stuff might be coming at a cost. Late last year, I had a series of small “a-ha” moments strung together, prompting me to begin to simplify my life. I realized that all this stuff leaves less room for the people, priorities, and experiences I truly love.
I’ve slowly started down a path of greater simplicity, and while it often takes an enormous amount of effort to challenge my stuff-loving, complicated self, it’s becoming more familiar and comfortable, as I begin to see the benefits of simplifying.
If you too have quiet suspicions that you could simplify your life, read on for some inspiration. Your a-ha moment might just be around the corner.
1. “Simple living doesn’t solve all my problems, it just removes distractions.” Melissa Camara Wilkins
2. “Instead of working so hard to make ends meet, work on having fewer ends.” Courtney Carver
3. “I make myself rich by making my wants few.” Henry David Thoreau
4. “Make room for things that matter by removing everything that doesn’t.” Brian Gardner
5. “The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.” Hans Hoffmann
6. “Clutter smothers. Simplicity breathes.” Terry Guillemets
7. “Owning less is great. Wanting less is better.” Joshua Becker
8. “Forget sale price. Everything is 100% off when you don’t buy it.” Joshua Fields Millburn
9. “Simplicity boils down to two steps: Identify the essential. Eliminate the rest.” Leo Babauta
Do you feel compelled to simplify your life? What could you do today to take a small step in that direction?
PS: If you’re ready to simplify your life, here are two of my favorite places of inspiration and guidance: No Sidebar and Becoming Minimalist.
