Actually, it shouldn't be that hard to live simply if you want to, but it is. Society tells us that we have to own, own and own even more things. Advertising are everywhere, we are bombarded by advertising day in and day out. The fact is that we are exposed to enormous amounts of advertising and it's hard to put a number on it because different sources give different numbers, but everything between 3,000 and 10,000 advertising impressions daily and of course they differ between countries and cities too. However, we have become more aware of advertising and have therefore learned to see through it, but despite this, 14% of it sticks to the retina. Out of 3,000 advertising impressions, that's still 420 impressions a day that stick. That's a lot that we are tempted to buy in just one day.
If you want to read more about how the brain affects us in this regard, there's more to read here https://marysdeclutterlife.com/minimalism-train-your-brain-to-take-in-the-important-things-in-life/
But how do you live simply? The answer is actually that there is no easy solution to it other than really wanting it and being persistent in striving for it, motivated to make a change. You may not like this but the first step is to get rid of all unnecessary things. Not only physical things but also digital things and things that weigh us down mentally. If we live with family, it is important that you are like-minded or at least think in the same direction. It will be very difficult to live simply if your partner wants to live like a hoarder.
Furthermore, it is important to realize that this will take time. Who can change their lifestyle overnight? I think it is difficult for most people to do so. Drastic changes that happen quickly are often due to a tragedy of some kind, accident, illness, etc. You have to allow yourself to give them time. You have probably taken a certain number of years to accumulate both physical and mental clutter, so you also have to understand that it will take time to get rid of it too. The psychological/mental part is the hardest part. Then it is about seeking inspiration. Not that we should try to imitate someone else's life, but sometimes it is nice to have a role model in the field who can be your guide forward in your journey of change. I myself have two people I follow on YouTube who inspire me to continue changing my lifestyle for the better. I think motivation is important in order to stay focused.
Stop bringing things into your home is an obvious thing after a while but most people make that mistake in the beginning, you keep shopping until you realize that you never get anywhere at home with decluttering. Meditating is also good to add for a calmer more relaxing life. If your heart is constantly beating at 180 how are you going to be able to live easier. Stress creates chaos in us, so it is highly recommended to avoid negative stress as much as possible.
Something really big in this is to review your life. Are you living life according to your values? If you work 12 hours a day you may not have time to relax and unwind. You may need to change work or focus on work (I know it's not always easy, I'm just raising the idea here). You may realize that work is inhibiting your intended lifestyle.
No matter what, it's important to look at all aspects of your life. Sit down with a pen and paper and write everything down. Why you want to change, what you want to change, how you want to change it, what parts of your life need and should you change? There are a lot of things to sort out but I can tell you that it will be worth it if you are truly prepared to commit to a newer, calmer lifestyle.
No matter what, it's important to look at all aspects of your life. Sit down with a pen and paper and write everything down. Why you want to change, what you want to change, how you want to change it, what parts of your life need and should you change? There are a lot of things to sort out but I can tell you that it will be worth it if you are truly prepared to commit to a newer, calmer lifestyle.
