As a self-confessed hippy mom, I’m all about the simpler lifestyle. Fancy joining me? If so, this post is for you. There are several steps to take if you want to enjoy a more relaxing life, unburdened of chaos and stress. You’ll be able to spend more time with your family and loved ones, do the things you want to do, and start a journey towards a peaceful existence. Ready to begin?
A list
Your first step is to make a list of everything that is important to you. Think hard about this, and get to the core of what you want out of your life. Of course, everyone has to earn a living – but I don’t think anyone on their deathbed ever wished they had spent more hours at work. Money is important, too – but how much do you really need? For most people, a good life boils down to a few simple things – the love of a family, better experiences, and more time to do the things you want. The rest? It’s unimportant.
No debt
If you’re struggling with your finances, address your problems as soon as you can. They won’t just go away, and until you get the help you need, you will be a captive and unable to break free. There are plenty of counseling services out there that can help – so find a reputable organization and let them help you.
A minimal lifestyle
How much clutter is in your home? I’m not just talking about the mess – I’m talking about all those things you might hoard away from your past. And, all the ‘stuff’ you buy, for no other reason than you are bored, or feel like you need it in your life. The truth is, you don’t. So, get rid of any non-essential possessions. You will be cleansing yourself, simplifying your life, and concentrating on the future, rather than dwelling in the past.
Ability to travel
It’s a big old world out there, and it’s all there for you and your family to see. Give yourself time to see more of it, and you and your kids will create some wonderful memories. Be ready to go in an instant, too. Don’t rely on hotels and resorts, either – get a bunkhouse RV or a family tent so you can go where you want when you want. Freedom is just around the corner, all you have to do is grab it.
Health
Make sure you and your family eat healthy food and get enough exercise. It will simplify your life, extend it, and help you enjoy it a lot more. Grow your own vegetables in your garden. Make simpler meals that give you more time to spend with your loved ones. Take up physical activities as a family, go for walks on the beach, and investigate your local landscape. Keep your mind active, too. Encourage reading, and turn off the TV and do something less boring instead.
OK, so there you have it! Five simple ways of creating a simpler lifestyle for you and your family. Any more ideas? I’d love to hear them, so feel free to share!
I am controlled by clutter I admit it. My husband and I have a love of live auctions. estate sales etc. Over the years we have furnished our home, but so much has accumulated. I think some of the reason is we have doubles of junk…. we both grew up not having much, and know if we keep things we can repair older things.
For example, my husband loves a game windows7 wont play, he needed to rebuild an XP computer. He spends hours playing on snowy days on days when he doesnt feel well. He need a power thingy and something else and had a tote of junk in the garage, most would consider it junk, but now he has a machine to play his game.
I need to purge some of this stuff, but I am always afraid we will need it. I think it comes from the generation I come from.
We limit watching TV to Fridays only. We’ve found we have more time to do other stuff. It’s winter here now so we take the kids to the basement where we have a trampoline.
I have finally paid off all my debt and it gives me such a piece of mind!
we are on the verge of retirement,,or my husband is anyway,,ive been disabled for a while now,,he is scared to retire,,because of not being able to have medicare until he is 65..so from 62 to 65 he will only have his VA,,we are debt free and have some money put aside,,not much but about 100,000 in our IRAs,,i think we will be fine but he wont believe we wont struggle,,how do you know how much you need to retire? I have a small house in TN where I’m from and we have a small house in VT where he is from,,i want to spend winters in the south and summers up north,,both houses are debt free,,when I go south I don’t have cable just a dvd player,,where do I go to get this figured out