Choose Simplicity
Linda Mastro and Anna Harding

As our world swirls with news of history-making financial and political events, we have choices to make. We may scan newspaper ads to decide where to get deals on our groceries. Instead of burning gas to drive to the mall, we may order online or shop closer to home. Every penny is precious when we consider that our income may be cut or gone altogether. We wonder how to protect, even add to, what is left of our savings while paying today’s utility bills.

The bigger choice, though, may be one of attitude and intention. What if, instead of tightening our belts in a gesture of deprivation, we expand our sights by choosing to use less and to give more?  Maybe it’s time to put aside “It’s all about me” and act as if “It’s all up to me,” to see how our actions affect the real world wide web.

This web is held together – or torn apart - by the values that shape our thoughts, words and actions. We can adopt a fearful view, one in which we contract, focusing all of our energy on what we have lost and what new losses await us.  Another possibility exists when we begin to notice the interconnectedness of our actions and their impact on the Earth and all of us who live here togehter. From this world view, we can change from “Woe is me” to “What if” conversations.

What if we realized that there is only so much fresh water and fertile soil and clean air, and that we are using them up and altering them in ways that will take us years, even centuries, to correct? What if, instead of feeling fearful about our personal savings and well-being, we consider the well-being of all beings, including the plants and animals with which we share the miracle of this planet? What if we make changes without sacrificing the rich lives we have created?

The voluntary simplicity movement that began over 20 years ago is founded on just these types of “What if” conversations. By coming together for a common goal - to simplify life while also enriching it - small groups of people are sharing and then implementing small ideas that add up to something larger.

Living more simply is a practice, something that can be cultivated by making small, incremental changes in our daily routines. Moving toward simplicity as a life philosophy is a matter of choice, not something imposed by scarcity and fear. Living simply grows out of a philosophy of service, of living for the sake of something beyond the individual and beyond this time and place. Approaching changes from the view of “For the sake of…” adds purpose to something that might otherwise feel like an obligation.

Adopting simplicity as a lifestyle entails a shift in intention as well as changes in how one spends money, time, and energy. Voluntary simplicity is about making conscious choices to reclaim your “free” time, to buy less and to focus more on relationships. In fact, simplicity, when adopted voluntarily, celebrates the abundance that exists all around us, in the beauty of the changing seasons, in the collaboration of our relationships, in the intellectual challenges of our work.

Some of the more zealous practitioners of simplicity shop only at thrift stores, give up their cars for bicycles, raise their own food and recycle everything.  Other simplifiers make job changes or reduce their work hours to free up time for family, friends and community service.  Those just venturing into this new way of living begin with smaller steps. They question spending $4 for a grande latte and begin to clip coupons. At every place along the simplicity spectrum, people use their personal values as a guide for the decisions that they may have been making on automatic pilot.  

“Some people think simplicity is about self-deprivation or moving to the woods, but what I’m talking about is how to enjoy life more right where you are,” says Cecile Andrews, author of Circles of Simplicity: Return to the Good Life.  She suggests starting with some basic questions: How much is enough? What is really important? What brings me true pleasure? Do I really need this? What is the impact of this my decisions on the people I love, my neighborhood, the country, the world at large, future generations?

Linda Breen Pierce, author of Choosing Simplicity: Real People Finding Peace and Fulfillment in a Complex World, describes the growing voluntary simplicity movement as a ``deliberate, contemplative way of living.'' The goal is to escape consumerism and accumulate more quality time, to choose to give of your time and money only to those things and people that best align with your values, and saying a confident “No” to anything else.

Some of the values that are important to people who live simply include limiting material possessions to those that are essential and that hold special meaning; doing work that makes a contribution; cultivating quality relationships with friends and family; participating in leisure activities that bring joy; practicing healthy eating, exercise and sleep; fostering personal and spiritual growth; and respecting and enjoying time in nature.

There is no one prescription for adopting a simpler lifestyle. Each of us can experiment with specific actions that reduce waste while enhancing well being. Making one small change is the best way to begin. Here are a few ideas to get you started. Let your values guide you to others.

• Borrow books from the library instead of buying new ones. Swap books with friends.
• For every new item you bring into your home, recycle or give away one you already have.
• Say “No” and “Yes” to requests for your time as conscientiously (or even more so) as you spend your money.
• Give to feel abundant. Find a charitable organization that matches your values and give of your time, talent and money.
• Exercise to reinvigorate your body and kick start new ways of thinking

In these times of seismic change, what small changes are you willing to make now to create a more simple life, one rooted in what is important to you and to the community in which you live? To join the conversation about voluntary simplicity, email renew@petiteretreats.org.
December, 2008
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