live a simpler life

they say less is more. i think i want that. i want to spend less money. i want to have less clutter. i want to watch less tv. i want to have less worries.
it seems like i am a compulsive “saver.” i am constantly seeing my bedroom and thinking that it is just too full. my desk is bursting with odds and ends and old notes and paper. i just don’t want to throw it away. and i always think i’ll feel so much better when i just get rid of things, but when i do i find myself for days afterward worrying that i’ll need it soon. and the odd thing is that i hate for my room to be messy. you’d think i would have no problem clearing out what is essentially trash. it isn’t even that these things hold sentimental value. i try to make sure that everything has a place and if it doesn’t get rid of it. it sounds great in theory, but practice is always where i fall short.
i am certainly trying hard to simplify and to downsize. i think my head will be clearer and my life happier once i have succeeded. i have only been using 43things for a few days, but i really want to start crossing things off.

I recently visited ecuador and was amazed how happy everyone there was!! The entire country was full of people living well below the poverty level, yet the were content with their lives. I’ve come to the realization that the less you have materially, the less you have to worry about lossing. A simple life frees us from the worries an craziness of modern life. why would anyone want anything more than that?

As I grow older (I just turned 27), I feel that I am less interested in being different, radical, righteous and taking on challenges. I am now more interested in simplicity, my own small circle of family and friends, and things that make me happy. I no longer want to expend energy on trying to convince others for what’s just and right, but more keen on getting the most out of the simple things in life: food, friends, enjoying nature, creating art, and minimizing waste.

Living a simpler life is not just a matter of reducing your material belongings, but also simplifying your relationships and connections to the world around you. Simplifying in a good way. Easing the tensions. Insisting on honesty.