My Simple Living Manifesto

What would it take to simplify our lives? This is a question I’ve been contemplating in the midst of ever-increasing demands on my time, money, and energy. My mind is forever preoccupied with my to-do list: chores, errands, appointments, calls to make, emails to answer, pictures to post. Not to mention the demands of 21st century parenting: Are the children vaccinated? How much screen time are they getting? Do they play outside every day? They must be supervised at all times. Their cups have to be BPA-free! Don’t let the Epi-Pens expire! And make sure the birthday cake is gluten-free!!!

This mama needs a break.

So I’m taking one. And I’m asking myself these questions: What are the components of a simple life? How can I re-order my days to make room for more joy and less stress? What practical changes can I make to reduce anxiety and increase contentment? This is my simple living manifesto. It’s a list of reminders to myself, but maybe you could use some of the same reminders, so here we go…

Own less.

Reduce clutter. Own fewer possessions. Maintain a simple wardrobe.

We can also reduce the clutter on our calendars by limiting commitments. This doesn’t mean we should only do things that sound like great fun. It’s worth sacrificing some of our time to serve others and build relationships. That being said, it’s OK to protect our time by saying no to over-commitment.

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Live within your means.

Resist consumerism. Avoid debt.

In his book, The Total Money Makeover, Dave Ramsey says, “We buy things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t like.” Why do we do this? In a word: advertising. Developing an awareness of advertising and how it affects us can help us make better choices when we’re shopping.

Appreciate nature.

Spend time outdoors. Marvel at God’s creation. Grow plants and flowers.

Experiencing nature can improve our health. Studies have shown that simply looking at trees can reduce blood pressure and stress hormones. Exercise outside whenever possible. Eat the foods that God made for us: fruits, vegetables, grains, meat, dairy, and of course, chocolate.

Seek wisdom.

Read. Contemplate. Pray.

We encourage our children to be lifelong learners. We should do the same! For me, this includes anything from reading the Bible to enjoying my favorite podcasts. We also need time to digest what we’ve learned and consider how we might apply it to our lives. Prayer can help us do that.

Rest.

Be still. Practice solitude. Sleep.

In our culture, we tend to be impressed by busy people who survive on very little sleep. We assume that the busiest people are also the most productive and successful, but that isn’t necessarily true. Brendan Burchard, performance coach and author of High Performance Habits, says that “lack of 7-8 hours of sleep is one of the worst things you can do for your mood, health, brain, and relationships.”

Also, reduce the noise that comes with living in the information age. Turn off the TV, put down the iPad, and silence the phone periodically.

Cultivate gratitude and contentment.

Count your blessings. Practice gratitude (in a journal or in prayer).

Years ago, I heard a sermon on contentment where the pastor challenged us to make a list of what is “enough.” He talked about how we often say, “If I could just get [fill in the blank], I would be happy.” Then we attain that thing (job, income, house, etc.), and something else fills in the blank. No matter what we get, we always want more. He suggested writing a list of what is “enough” and sticking to it.

Define success in terms of love and relationships rather than money and power.

This is difficult in American culture, where we put so much emphasis on being wealthy, attractive, and influential. We tend to measure our worth by dollars in the bank or followers on social media. Here’s where I want to dare to be different, but my pride gets in the way. I have to constantly remind myself that success isn’t about money and influence; it’s about being true to my calling and living with purpose every day. This summer, I read Erin Loechner’s book, Chasing Slow. She articulates this concept beautifully:

Perhaps we will be chastised, misunderstood. We might appear incompetent or lazy. We might be labeled meek.

Poor, lowly, plain.

But perhaps we will not.

Perhaps the meek are the blessed.

Perhaps cubicles are the true sanctuary, crouched down right there between the power cords and pencil cups. Not the corner office or the mahogany desk, not the pulpit or the stage. With or without the tie clip.

Not the front and center but the sidelines and the back rooms – the unseen, the unheard, the quiet hands that have already learned what the rest of us seek to know.

That there are blessings – peace, abundance, humility – in racing toward a different finish line.

The simple life is counter-intuitive. We want everything to be bigger, faster, better, more. But what we often need – for body, mind, and soul – is less.  A slower pace.  A chance to find a better life in the little things. That is simple living, and to me, it’s worth pursuing.

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