A few weeks back, Kevin was lucky enough to sit on a panel at an event with Brooke McAlary, the host and creator of The Slow Home Podcast. What an inspiring woman! After being diagnosed with severe post natal depression in 2011, she embarked on a one-woman mission to cut out the excess in her life and reconnect with what was really important. She learnt about minimalism and simplicity, immersed herself in the Slow Living philosophy and discovered the beautiful benefits of living with less. She now shares her insights with millions of people on her popular Slow Your Home Blog and The Slow Home Podcast (check out her interview with Kevin on meditation and mindfulness here). Our thought of the week is inspired from one of her articles.
“Beware the barrenness of a busy life” – Socrates
We’ve spoken in depth previously about the epidemic of time-poverty that has swept the globe, where busy is worn as a badge of honour and we suffer from “hurry sickness” as a result. What fuels this epidemic is the false pretence which most of us have been lured into that ‘more is better’; The more successful, more wealthy, more beautiful we are, the happier we will be.
The truth is…we will likely gain far more from living with less. In fact, less stuff, less debt, and less clutter usually corresponds to more freedom, more time, and more joy. We’ve all heard the phrase before “less is more”, but here are 5 insightful reasons why we really might stand to gain more from living a life of less:
- Clarity: We will begin to see who and what is really important. We will know what we want, what we need – and we will have the time and space to explore those things further.
- Clutter-Free: In a physical sense our home, our bedroom, our studio will become a haven from the busyness of life. A place where we can unplug and relax, surrounded by a limited number of things that are beautiful and useful.
- Health: Almost universally, those who pursue a simpler life will become physically healthier. We will become more mindful of what we eat, how much we eat, how we move our body and how we care for ourselves The awareness and simplification of our surroundings will bring awareness and simplification of our body. Less junk, less inactivity, more whole food, more vitality, more movement, more health.
- Presence: We will no longer float through the days caught in our past or our future. The present will be our reality and we will be capable of living there, soaking it in, learning and participating. We will be present playing with our kids, loving our partner, talking with our friends, the work we do.
- Joy: There is so much more joy to be had when living a simpler life. The important things will bring joy – the improved relationships and connections – the little things – a beautiful sunset, a child’s giggle, a bird in flight, the warmth of a room full of friends. We will have the time and energy to feel these.
In Brooke’s words, this life is ours for the taking. So what are we waiting for? “Start now and start small. It’s simply a matter of small actions and time”.
