The Simple Life

Lately it seems more people are living the simple life in many ways. By simple I definitely don't mean easy; just slower paced and with fewer time-commitments, distractions, and luxuries.Whether due to finances, health concerns, or just a desire to be less stressed, the simplicity trend seems to be growing.

Over the past year or so, my husband and I have made some of these changes too, all for different reasons. The changes we've made may not work for everyone or be a better way for everyone to live, they're just changes we've made that work for us and have enhanced our lives. Here is our journey; maybe you can relate:

First was our diet. We wanted to eat more naturally, so we started eliminating processed foods and buying stuff straight from the farm or growing it ourselves. It's a simpler way of eating, but by no means is it a simpler way of preparation or clean up.

Next was a financial hurdle that made us cut some luxuries from our life: cable and Mother's Day Out. I love my HGTV and TLC as much as any other mom, but now I've gotten used to not having it. I've finally gotten around to the books I want to read, and my husband and I veg out with coffee and a game of Scrabble or popcorn and a movie. We honestly don't miss it, and gone are the days where I wasted an entire evening in front of the TV, later feeling bad that I didn't do anything I really wanted to do that night. (Side note: if you or your husband are way into sports, this may not work for you. :) )

And then there was Mother's Day Out. When I realized this had to be cut from our lives, I was very afraid. No time alone, without my kids? This was a luxury I was not looking forward to doing without. But here we are, 8 months later, and I don't think I'd put them back in MDO even if we could. I've learned how to run errands with them or save errands till the evening. I've enjoyed trading baby-stting with my neighbors. We've made something work that's actually ended up simplifying our lives. No more rushing to get the boys out the door for MDO; no more packing lunches, buying school supplies, attending midday performances, worrying how many days of class would be cancelled due to snow or sickness. I LOVE Mother's Day Out and it has many wonderful aspects, but not having it has simplified our life. Not made it easier, just simplified it.

Another way we've gotten back to the simple life is not overscheduling. Getting the kids somewhere on time stresses me out, especially when they don't want to go to wherever I'm wanting to take them. We're careful not to overschedule ourselves, not just with the kids during the daytime, but with our evenings as well since my husband works 6 days a week till 6:30. We say no to a lot of opportunities because we know it's also saying no to the stress that comes along with those opportunities. We're no longer too busy to enjoy moments together as a family. That's been priceless.

One final way our lives have become simpler is in our perspective on life. After cutting a few luxuries out of our lives, my husband and I realized we have a LOT of luxury in America. We've taken a little time to sit back and think, "Do we really need all this stuff and to spend so much time running after things that aren't important in the long run?"  Honestly, if all you had to worry about each day was feeding your family, would that make life simpler or more difficult? It sure seems simpler.

I remember being totally stressed out one day telling my husband, "Sometimes I just want to sell everything we have and move to a country where none of this matters. All this running around, worrying about debt, retirement, clothes, hair, schools, speech problems, or potty training gets me so worked up. Most people in the world don't worry about these things!" Of course, living in another country would come with its own set of very real challenges, so I'm not serious about moving; but Nick and I are definitely making it a point to examine what's really necessary. Is the issue at hand truly important? Or can we simplify our lives by eliminating whatever pressure is causing us to be worried? Most of the time we can simplify.

So if you find yourself in a difficult health or financial situation that forces you to get back to basics and eliminate some stuff from your life, you may just find that it's a better way for you after all. We're enjoying our journey toward a more simple life. Maybe you will too.