While I was gone the past few weeks, Kyle got down to work here at home. I’d get occasional texts from him like, “Can I get rid of your teacup with the broken handle?” or “I’m getting rid of more clothes—hooray!” One time when we talked, he told me he had a surprise for me—he donated the armchair and ottoman from our master bedroom.
I breathed a sigh of relief. They needed to go ages ago, and he just up and did it. Love that guy.
I’ve been passionate about living simpler since before I started this blog five-plus years ago, and I’m still reminded that it’s a constant journey. I will continually be getting rid of stuff in my life I don’t love or need. We will forever be gut-checking our calendar commitments with our family’s real priorities. Day by day, week by week, we will do the work of living simpler, of making daily little sacrifices so that our life is fuller to give.
There is a marriage between art and science when it comes to living a simpler life. It involves both learning—and living from an outpouring of passion about—the real needs of the world so that our choices propel goodness, but it also involves cutting up that old t-shirt into rags so that you buy fewer paper towels. You read this blog to get a shot in the arm instead of strolling the mall and coveting All The Things, but you also manage your daily budget for fifteen minutes each night so that you don’t accidentally overspend.
It’s about painting a portrait of a life well-lived with the ins and outs of our little choices. It’s about the discipline to say no so we can say yes to more time, more freedom, more to give back. It’s why we write posts about both why we need mentors in our lives, and how to make a simple bunting out of a tablecloth.
A simpler life doesn’t just happen to us—we make it happen by being good stewards with our brains, our wallets, our calendars, our relationships, our things. And so I’d like to hear from you.
What are you doing right now to pursue a simpler life? Are you purposely not eating out so you can get out of debt by a certain date? Are you making a commitment to only buying Fair Trade chocolate so that you don’t unintentionally support slavery? (More on that soon.) Are you reading a particular book about simplifying? Are you line drying your clothes? Riding your bike to the store?
I have no agenda here, other than being sincerely curious about the community here and what’s going on in your lives. What is driving you towards simplicity right now? What habit are you practicing, today, that is propelling your family towards a life with more meaning?
Please share in the comments what you’re working on. What’s up, friends? I’d really like to know.
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And along that note, how can I serve you in this goal? We may not live near each other, but I’d certainly like to hear from you how this online space might inspire more passion or fuel you with more ideas.
