“When we know how to be content, we never want for anything”
– Lao Tzu
Whilst there have been, and continue to be, many challenges for us to work through, the last few months have also presented us with some positives. For many of us, there has been an opportunity to reconnect with a simpler existence.
Commutes have mostly disappeared.
Less traffic on the road.
Collectively, we are spending more time in nature. Noticing the small things that pass us by normally.
Nature itself, seems to be thriving this year, with less human traffic and pollutants.
Gardens are being tended. Plants and flowers planted.
Neighbours are getting to know each other, on a deeper level.
People are looking out for each other. Running errands, checking in on each other.
The rush and busyness has reduced. The constant calls of ‘urgent’, have had the volume turned down.
Families are spending more time together. Home-schooling, learning, playing, camping in gardens.
We have revisited hobbies, and passion projects, that don’t always get attention. We’ve also found brand new hobbies, to get excited about.
We’ve signed up for online courses, set up home gyms and yoga studios.
We’ve reconnected with the power of small pleasures. Time for coffee, reading a book, a long walk, trying to identify the wildlife in our garden.
How much of this will we hold onto if, and when, life returns to some semblance of what we are used to?
Can we retain this mindset and focus, in a world that forever pushes us toward more and thrusts us into distraction after distraction?
I believe we can. In fact, I know we can. But we have to want to.
The Whys of a Simplicity Culture
Because we’ve tried living the other way.
We’ve tried pursuing more and adding.
We’ve done the comparing, and never feeling like we have enough, or are good enough, or ready enough.
We’ve lived being busy but feeling that nothing gets done.
And all of it has left us hollow. More of the same will not make us feel any better. We need something deeper, something more meaningful.
We need new ways of gauging success. We need to define our own metrics for what that success looks like.
We need to see the value in enough, embracing quality over quantity.
We need to stay connected to how much the natural world gives us (mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally), and do our part to care for it.
We need to stay connected to community. Supporting and lifting others up, rather than holding onto comparisons or jealousy.
A simplicity focused culture can serve us all. We can push hard for a better way, staying connected to what matters most and letting the rest go.