Elevate Your Life, Simplicity · September 9, 2024

Why a Simple Life Creates a Quality Life

As technology has proliferated over the past two or three decades it seems that life has only gotten more complicated and not more simple even though this was the original purpose of advancing technology. Being so connected with the world has inadvertently caused us to have too much of nearly everything.  There is too much comparison, too much to choose from on Netflix, too many online clothing stores, too many songs on Spotify, too many accounts on Instagram to follow, too many news outlets and stories to read, too many people giving advice on social media and the irony of the whole thing is that while there is too much, the quality of it all has rapidly diminished.

That is why I think so many of us crave a more simple life, because it can be more fulfilling than one that is full of the never-ending cycles of trends, news stories, low quality clothing, subpar food, etc. When one is consuming on that kind of level it is not surprising that they find life to be tedious, tiring and unfulfilling. The idea of “simple living” has been around for many decades, but nowadays it seems we often find ourselves in the trap of the non-stop too much-ness and we can feel the quality of our lives suffer from this modern day construct. However, there are some things that can be practiced to help us live a more simple, better quality life.

Less Choices = Better Choices

One does not need endless options to make a good choice, they only need less, but better options. This is why I love to shop at Trader Joe’s for example for my groceries nearly every week.  They do not have several isles of various foods, instead they have a few selections of a few types of quality foods. When shopping at Trader Joe’s there are not ten brands of chicken broth for example, you have just two, regular and less-sodium.  Their food quality is usually better than average too. Find a few stores and brands that are tried and true for you so that you do not need to endlessly search for things. You will know where the best quality is and therefore it will contribute to the overall quality of your life. Some of my favorite brands are Trader Joes (groceries & flowers), Caudalie and Avene (skincare) Merit and Ilia (cosmetics), and Banana Republic, J. Crew, Madewell, and Ralph Lauren (clothing).

Visit Physical Stores

While the advent of online shopping was meant to make our lives easier, I often find the opposite to be true. When I go online to find something that I am looking for that’s not brand specific like a black pencil skirt for example, I can easily come up against 10,000 search results.  Not to mention that I cannot tell what the quality and fit will be when ordering online as well.  While a store’s sizes in theory should fit, I can say from experience that I have tops from sizes extra small up to even a large. When I go to a physical store I can inspect the products I want to purchase, try them on, feel the material and also not end up in a state of analysis paralysis from too many options. This simplifies my search and also ensures the quality that I am looking for.

Enjoy Simple Pleasures

There is a reason why simple pleasures helps to create a simple life and that is because they provide moments of respite for us during our daily lives.  Time to indulge in a simple pleasure is necessary for us to maintain a good quality of life. They relax us, clear our minds, re-energize us and gives us something to do besides scrolling on the phones. While I love to sporadically visit social media, I try to stay off of it as much as possible as so many studies have confirmed that visiting social media too much causes the average person to have anxiety or depression after so long. Simple pleasures helps us to fill these open time slots for us in a quality way.  Some of my simple pleasures are an evening tea time and magazine, reading a book in my cozy corner chair, sipping a coffee while journaling first thing in the morning, putting together a jigsaw puzzle, coloring, and even blogging. All of these while simple, enhance the quality of my daily life and lends itself to more lifestyle simplicity.

Less Space = More Time

No matter how much income we may bring home, it is my goal to live in a smaller home whether renting or buying. Smaller homes are not only cozier, but they save so much time in maintenance and upkeep. There is less space to clean, less stuff that it needs to be filled with, less surfaces to keep clean and clutter free, and all of this equates to more time (to enjoy those simple pleasures). Some people may find that they need larger spaces if they have kids or pets and we should all honor what is right for us.  But when there is less space to fill in a house there is also more quality time to fill in your life.

Less, But Better

This can translate to anything in our lives and it is a pillar for my own personal lifestyle.  I do not have many things, but what I do have is of great quality.  This also relates to having less to care for and maintain as well. It’s not even about being a minimalist, it’s about having just enough for what you need.  For example, a small group of trusted friends, a quality weekly menu of healthy (and less processed) food, a few beauty and cosmetic products, enough clothes for variety and lifestyle, enough supplies for beloved hobbies and interests, a few favorite mugs you love to use, etc. With just about anything in life, always try to keep things less, but better.

A Simple Schedule of Things That Interest You

Part of what has made life so complicated in this super-connected world is that anyone and everyone can reach you at nearly any time.  And with that can come many invitations for things that can easily start to fill up a calendar. It is important to be able to discern what you really want to show up for. There will be times when replying no to an invitation is appropriate. It can be hard for many to say no as it feels like a rejection that causes unpleasant emotions, but one cannot fill their every available hour with obligations, even social ones as this will surely lead to burnout. Show up for what is important to you and politely decline the rest with a sincere thank you. When your schedule reflects back to you the things that are important and the things that excite you, you feel as though you chose a future of quality and not quantity.

Create A Simple, Quality Style

Clothing seems to be a place of contention for most as it pertains to quality. In the age of brands like Shein where one can purchase a dress for $6.00, it can be tempting to fill a closet full because it will feel like we will always have something to wear.  Then the irony eventually sets in that you do not have anything to wear because nothing looks good. Creating a simple style and implementing the less but better technique will ensure a closet of quality.  You will want to start investing in better clothing pieces when you appreciate how it looks and feels.  That does not mean that one needs to pay hundreds of dollars for a single item if that is not in their budget.  Stores such as Banana Republic, J. Crew, Madewell, Ann Taylor and Quince (for cashmere and silk) are great options for quality pieces for a smaller investment.  They also regularly run sales where you can surely get items for even less, but are still quality.

Eat Simply For Better Quality Health

Eating well is a lifelong investment in the quality of our lives.  Food has such an impact on our health and happiness. Food can give energy or drain energy and it all depends on what was consumed.  It’s only been a few decades since ultra processed food came into the everyday lives of people and the consequences are hard to miss.  When food is simplified back to its natural form the quality of life improves significantly.  That’s not to say that this should be a perfect practice as I too enjoy things such as a take-and-bake pizza, a bag of chips with a sandwich or french fries with a burger, but these foods are consumed in low moderation.  Food is vital to a good quality life and simplifying meals into delicious dishes of lean proteins, roasted, sautéed or steamed veggies and light carbs and fats will keep us in a good quality of energy, health and vitality.