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29 May 2023

Living Simply

My Path to Simplicity

It isn’t true that everyone should follow one path. Listen to your own truth. —Ram Dass

Garden pathThe path to a simple life is not always so simple. Mine is filled with distractions and detours that oftentimes take me off course.

For me, a simple life means an easier life—joyous and less complicated—with less house to maintain . . . less clutter . . . fewer bills to pay . . . no pressing appointments or meetings . . . less rushing around to get things done . . . more peace of mind . . . and more time to do the things that matter most.

This is my vision. You might not agree with my vision. Things in your life might be exactly as you want them, and you might not even feel a need to simplify. Simplicity has to make sense and fit each individual’s personality, life situation, and dreams for the future. Everyone is different, and the path a person takes (or chooses not to take) depends entirely on what that person wants.

How to simplify your life

Reduce the complexity of life by eliminating the needless wants of life, and the labors of life reduce themselves. —Edwin Way Teale

I started by asking myself the following questions:

  • Do you want to clear up the clutter in your home?
  • Do you want to remove non-essential tasks, obligations, and projects you find overwhelming?
  • Do you want to make time for the people you love and those things you love to do?
  • Do you want to reduce stress and simply live a more peaceful life?

My answer was yes yes yes YES. Tom and I have so much stuff in our home and so much going on in our lives, I oftentimes feel overwhelmed. We have a good life, but if we were to eliminate the things that are not necessary—the visual and emotional clutter—life would be heavenly. We need to simplify so we can focus on what’s important.

The path to take

Start small . . . tackle an area that will have the biggest impact.

Path to simplicity

In our case, Tom and I determined a home was essential. We rejected the idea of buying a McMansion and chose, instead, to downsize to a smaller, more manageable house. It was a good move. The next step is to purge, let go of the unnecessary material items that clutter our home. It’s an ongoing process, but doable.

I’m taking the path one step at a time, taking each day as it comes, and seeing where it leads. This past weekend I sorted through the paperwork on my desk—a small step for man . . . a world of improvement for me.

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  • 10 Ways to Identify Clutter in Your Home
  • Clear Clutter for a Clear Mind
  • Simplify Simplify Simplify
  • 75 Simple Ways to Simplify
  • Slow Down to Savor Life
  • How to Simplify 101
  • Upsizing After All These Years
  • My Quest to Declutter
  • My Path to Simplicity
  • Edit Your Wardrobe
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Comments

  1. Nina Knox says

    Wednesday, October 19, 2011 at 11:28 PM

    Met you on twitter, followed you to Facebook, and found my way to your website. I love it! We think very much alike and are also empty nesters trying to simplify and find more peace. It’s all about the journey. Stay happy, Nina Knox

    Reply
    • Patricia says

      Thursday, October 20, 2011 at 10:06 AM

      Hi Nina, I’m so pleased you found the site! I have a ton of things to post and stories to tell, but so little time. Thus, the need to simplify is #1 on my To Do List . . . right next to being happy. Stay tuned. I’ll watch for your tweets.

  2. Janice Baumann says

    Monday, September 12, 2011 at 8:45 AM

    Just discovered this site. Great advice. It’s just what I needed to kick start my own journey to simplicity. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Patricia says

      Monday, September 12, 2011 at 7:17 PM

      Glad to have you visit, Janice, and good luck with simplifying!

  3. Georgia Mullen says

    Tuesday, August 30, 2011 at 7:42 PM

    Beautiful picture. I love arbors.

    Reply
    • Patricia says

      Wednesday, August 31, 2011 at 7:13 AM

      I wish our side yard looked like this . . . so peaceful and inviting.

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Patricia and TomHi there! Tom and I are two empty nesters who decided to downsize and simplify our lives—lose the clutter and drama, travel a little, laugh a lot, sit back, and enjoy the simple pleasures life has to offer. Read more

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