Blaine and I are two individuals who, I would say, live and lead a rather simple life. This, by no means, is meant to sound like a negative statement, although, for whatever reason, the idea of living simply is one that some people might associate with doom and gloom.
Neither Blaine nor I have ever really been enticed by the idea of living a lavish, grandeur life. Rather, we both come from a farming and agricultural background, so we take pride in working hard and earning what we have and own. That isn’t to say we don’t enjoy something a little more luxurious now and then, but generally speaking, we don’t do anything too wild.
I have come to the conclusion, in my own experiences, that not nearly enough of us acknowledge the beauty that comes in living simply. Rather than filling our lives and homes with the newest and best version of anything that is available, taking a more simplistic approach to life allows us to recognize and appreciate what we have.
As an example, if something breaks, or starts to slow down, as opposed to immediately scrapping it and purchasing a new version, perhaps try fixing it, or dabbling in some simple upgrades to make the most of whatever it is you’re working with. As another, maybe instead of making a reservation at a ritzy restaurant to celebrate a special occasion, you visit your local Farmer’s Market and grab some fresh and local cuts of meat and other ingredients to prepare a lovely homemade dinner.
We have been so tremendously influenced by social pressures into believing that our own self-worth is determined and further measured by what we own, wear, drive, live in, etc. that we have lost sight of the beauty that exists in small and simple ways. There is a distinction between distraction and happiness, and after a while, the former tends to impact the latter.
Photo by Gian Cescon on Unsplash
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