Member Comments for the Article:The Benefits and Virtues of Voluntary SimplicitySimplify Your Life!114 Comments
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12/23/2012 1:01:16 PM
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Fabulous article. For the most part, that is how I live ~ and I'm working on the rest. I totally believe in living in 'the Now' ~ thanks to Eckhart Tolle. :) |
10/29/2012 12:45:27 PM
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Great article! My husband and I are entering our 50's and realize that what worked for us in our 20's, 30's, and 40's is quite different that what we'll need going forward. As other responders noted, simplification is as much about habits and mindset as it is about "stuff." I appreciated the recommendation for a book to read on the topic as well. Several of our recent 'reads' dealt with the externalities of simplification, so we appreciate one that deals with more inward considerations. Thanks! |
8/8/2012 9:07:01 AM
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I have had the recent epiphany that I need to "unclutter" with things because I have too many of them. They get in the way and don't have a purpose other than I thought I needed them at then time. Learning to say no to requests to be a leader also has helped me reduce the clutter of having no time or always on the go to somewhere or planning that program or meeting - it helps a lot to simplify. |
4/17/2012 9:07:21 AM
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I loved this article and am working towards these concepts. |
2/24/2012 2:04:46 PM
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I have not read a Dean Anderson article that I did not thoroughly enjoy as well as find tremendously helpful and insightful. Thank you for your work! |
1/28/2012 8:12:24 PM
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Full of useful information. |
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12/19/2011 5:36:17 PM
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I really appreciate Dean Anderson's pieces! And this one's no different. I also find the comments from others to be instructive and inspirational. Being joyful with less is something that I am striving for daily. |
10/24/2011 9:34:30 AM
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Self reflective consciousness sounds a bit like 'letting your light shine'. |
6/13/2011 7:55:40 AM
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Balance sounds appealing. |
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4/8/2011 8:26:39 AM
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As always your articles are inspiring. |
NANABABY5
2/23/2011 7:30:26 PM
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A great article thank you ! |
11/4/2010 8:01:30 PM
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A good book relating to this topic is Margin by Richard Swenson. |
SPARKIN2LIVE10
11/1/2010 9:50:02 AM
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I would like to share my experience in relation to this article. In Feb. I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. My life was turned upside down. The FM leaves me in some level of pain every single day. And the CFS makes just doing normal everyday tasks as simple as getting showered and dressed literally exhausting. Since my diagnosis I've learned a great deal, including ways to cope with my new life. The first thing I had to do is accept the fact that I had to give up some things in my life to prevent even minimal stress. This hasn't been easy and I'm still working on it, but the first thing I did was get on my computer and start closing out my membership on some of the websites I was participating on. I had to limit myself to just a couple and decide which ones would be the most valuable to me and my new life. I've also had to learn to let things in my house go a little. This one's been real difficult for me, but I'm doing it anyway. I didn't leave my dinner dishes overnight very often, my house had to be almost perfect. Now, I have all I can do to fix myself a healthy dinner, and have to leave my dishes at least half of the time because I just can't do anymore. I don't like it, but I'm an early riser and it's a snap for me to get them out of the way first thing in the morning. As I said, I'm still learning to adjust a lot of things in my life to make my life less exhausting and incorporate plenty of time for rest and those things that bring me joy. Thank you for the good article... Cindy |
10/30/2010 12:21:22 AM
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I should also add that my DH and I do not own a TV, do not have cable (obviously), do not have hobbies because we cannot afford them. I work full time as well, but since employers in this area have been beat down so badly by the "recession," I have taken 3 pay cuts and haven't been able to find a better paying job. (Mind you, I have 2 B.A.s and graduated at the top of my class.) We haven't turned on our heat yet. We live in PA and the nights get below 40 right now. I agree that learning to let go of alot of things in your life will help you balance out priorities, but telling us that we can get by on less if we really try is asinine and plain, old mean. |
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10/30/2010 12:15:36 AM
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I think this article is a good starting point for so many people. However, people need to realize just how much time this might take. My husband and I have both believed in living like this before we were married--before we even met. However, with his God-awful salary (as a rookie cop), we cannot afford to live on one income in this area of the country. Our rent jumped from $750 to $790 JUST BECAUSE WE GOT MARRIED. With 2 people in the same apartment, they charged $40 more per month. And that is some of the cheapest rent in this area if you want to live somewhere relatively safe (minus the rapist that lived next door and the drug dealers the next street over). Buying a house here is literally the cheapest option for most people which we JUST did. To those people who can choose to live more simply and still afford to live on one income, because you are blessed with more than you need, more power to you. For those of us who have not been blessed in this way, please stop telling us that we need to try harder or to think of things differently, or "be more positive". My DH and I own 1 car (that gets 38 MPG, so it's pretty good) and we own it free and clear. Our insurance is not outrageous, and we pay less for that than we did for 2 cars before we got married separately. We're not making car payments, we're not making massive debt payments, we're not smokers, we don't travel, we don't eat out, we don't buy things unless we NEED them, I haven't bought new clothes in over 3 years, etc. Some of us really are just getting by. I spend less than $90 per MONTH on food for my DH and I. (Yes, it can be done, but you have to work really hard at it and be willing to eat alot of beans and rice.) We would LOVE to be able to live on one income, walk that fine line between being controlled by money and not needing any, but the reality is that we need to eat, too. (BTW--many of the things suggested by Sparkpeople, as well as many other diet-type sites, is not budget friendly. I can't afford to spend $40 PER WEEK on produce since $40 is half of my grocery money for the month!) To those of you who are able to work in your dream jobs and still be able to live on one income, count your blessings and stop chastising those of us who haven't been so blessed!!! |