Voluntary Simplicity
By SuburbanTarzan, 23rd Aug 2011 | Follow this author
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Posted in WikinutWritingColumns & Opinions
“The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.” - Hans Hoffman
Life Is Good... A Bit TOO Good
With the affluence of our society, it has never been easier to acquire technology and countless products that are designed to improve our living conditions. Many people live a comfortable life with most, if not all, the little luxuries that life has come to be able to offer us in this day and age.
But it is also those same people who suffer from depression, anxiety and just overall lack of happiness and contentment with life. They seem happy enough on the surface though, living by the standards that have been set by the media and advertising. They don’t even question if those standards are what they really wish to measure their success by. They don’t question because they don’t have the time to. Not when their world is seemingly racing by at breakneck speed. They’re just hanging on for dear life and hoping that in the end it’s going to turn out okay. There is a desperation that exists beneath the façade.
However, an increasing amount of people are starting to move toward a different direction. Voluntary simplicity. What do those two words mean to you?
“Eliminate physical clutter. More importantly, eliminate spiritual clutter.” - Terri Guillemets
It means just what it says, to voluntarily simplify your life by cutting down on what you determine as “excess” and living with what you define as “enough”. You know what happens if you don’t make those distinctions? The world will make it for you. It will tell you to keep consuming until you feel like you’re somebody.
Voluntary simplicity is a way of living that promotes a healthy and full life without having to forfeit time, energy and money on the things that don’t really mean much to you.
Transitioning into this form of living requires you to gradually chip away at all the aspects of your life that you’re ready to do without. It is much like an artist creating a sculpture of simplistic beauty. It takes time, thought and planning but the feeling of emancipation is undeniable. Imagine sitting in a traffic jam and then finding your way onto a long open road with nothing to stop you from enjoying the ride. That’s what it feels like. That’s what you’ve been missing out on.
The beauty of it all is the rediscovery of the freedom that we have unknowingly squandered away.
Comments
23rd Aug 2011 (#)
Great article Suburban Tarzan. Advertising would have us believing that we're not good looking enough, thin enough, cool enough, 'with it' enough, and on and on. We don't need to possess any more than we need. Consume less - save the planet.
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24th Aug 2011 (#)
Totally agree with you there Steve! Reminds me of Tyler Durden's philosophy in Fight Club, one of my favourite movies of all time
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