Simple living can be hard work. You’ve got to say “no” when it’s easier to say “yes,” ignore the marketing messages being thrown at you from all angles, and find meaningful ways to fill your time. Just because it’s simple, that doesn’t make it easy, though. So what’s the point?
I’ll be honest: the point, for me, changes from season to season, and even week to week. I find new challenges, new drawbacks, and new inspirations each day. There’s one underlying reason, though, that shines through everything.
By living simply, I can manage complications and still enjoy life.
That’s it. Sure, I save money and free up time. But in the end, simple living is sane living for me. On the craziest day, when I’ve got to keep a few dozen plates spinning, I can manage. By living simply, I keep my baseline craziness to a minimum. Since I don’t stretch myself to the limits on a regular basis, I’ve got more bandwidth when those kind of occasions arise. One small issue gone awry doesn’t have the power to ruin my day or destroy my appointment book. I’m much better able to take things in stride than in years past.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve still got moments when I just have to stop and laugh or scream from sheer frustration. Still, I take a lot of comfort in the fact that when I come home, my simple life will provide a perfect cushion. I don’t have to cook a gourmet meal, deal with relationship issues (don’t worry, give us time…), or balance a jam-packed schedule.
The point of simple living, for me has got to be:
A soft place to land
A wide margin of error
Room to breathe
Lots of places to find baseline happiness in each and every day
I’ve got to say, it’s worth every sacrifice I’ve made.
What about you? What is the point of living simply for you? I’d love to hear other folks’ reasons for slowing down and breaking free.
译文:
简单生活的意义
简单的生活可能是一件苦差事。你肯定会对这样的生活说“不”，因为这比说“是”更加简单，无视那些从各个方向投掷而来的营销信息，为充实自己的生活找到有意义的生活方式。尽管非常简单，实行起来却并不轻松。那么其意义是什么呢？
坦率的说，对于我而言，简单生活随着更替的季节甚至每周情况而不断的变化。每天我都会面临新的挑战、新的困难和新的灵感。这里有一个适应万事万物的根本原因。
通过简单的生活，我可以应付复杂的事情，然后尽情享受生活。
就是这个道理。的确，我可以节省用钱并拥有自己的时间。可是到最后，简单生活对我而言是一种健全的生活方式。在最疯狂的一天，当我非常忙碌时，我能应对自如。通过简单的生活，我将这种疯狂降低到最小的程度。通常情况下，我不会恣意突破自己的极限，当那种情况发生时，我可以很好的调整自己。如果一件小事出错了，它不可能搅乱我的一天或者搅乱我看既定一本书的计划。因为我比从前更能从容应对发生的事情。
请不要误解我，当遇到挫折，我还是有停下来大笑或者惊呼的时候。事实上，当我回到家里，我仍然需要好好的安慰自己。然而，简单生活能能缓冲我的生活，我不必烧一顿美味佳肴、处理关联问题（不要担心，给我们一些时间...）或者平衡满满的日程安排。
对于我而言，简单生活的意义是：
有一个舒适的地方
允许出错
有喘息的空间
我想说它值得我每一次的付出。
你有何感想？简单生活对你来说它的意义是什么呢？我非常想听到其他人对放慢生活脚步并自由自在呼吸的看法。