13 “normal” things I DON’T do to live a simpler life
Why live a simple life?
Simplicity is a huge part of my spiritual practice. I try to live a simple life so I have time for contemplation, prayer, rest, learning, and relationships. It’s also important that I am consuming less— wasting fewer of the precious resources the Divine has provided us here on this beautiful planet. Simplicity is sacred to me. There is an aspect of the monastic in the seemingly-mundane things I do every day to live a slow, simple life.
Here are 13 things others consider normal that I don’t do to keep my life simple:
Buy gifts for anyone outside my family
Some years I’ll buy a gift for my bestie for her b-day, some years I don’t. I never buy gifts out of obligation. If you’re changing to this, I recommend you discuss it with people you love beforehand. Or make a deal at work that you aren’t exchanging gifts. I promise there’s at least one other person who will be relieved.
Crafts
I’m not crafty. I want to be crafty. But buying craft supplies and using them are two totally different hobbies. So I quit buying them.
Own non-sentimental decor
It saves cleaning time. I think I own two decor items that are just because I like them. The rest are practical or sentimental (family photos, icons, etc.)
Wear makeup
Saves so much time and so much stress. Plus I can rub my eyes whenever I want to! Here’s another post I’ve written about not wearing makeup.
Style my hair
I keep a very simple haircut. On good hair days, all I have to do it comb it. On bad hair days it gets leave-in conditioner, curl cream, and a scrunch.
Use social media
So.much.time suck. I have some socials for business purposes, but if I use them at all, I just post and ghost.
Iron
In college I donated my last dress that needed to be ironed and swore I would never iron again. I buy clothes that are easy to care for and hang to dry. I only keep an iron around for sewing, which is insanely rare (see “crafts” above). Hint: Put your clothes in the dryer with no heat (fluff cycle) for 5-10 minutes before hanging to dry. It really helps get the wrinkles out.
Go to the grocery store
I’ve actually gotten back into going to the store so I can buy in bulk, but for years I didn’t step foot in a store. Curbside simplified my life so much. When things at my day job are heavy, I’ll step back into using curbside.
Get my nails done
This has never been a big deal for me, but I would in the past occasionally get my nails done as a treat. The last time I even had them painted was my wedding, and my nails felt heavy and like they couldn’t breathe. So I don’t mess with them anymore. Including my toenails. Yes, even wearing sandals. No, I don’t care what people think.
Say yes
My default answer is “I’ll check my calendar.” This allows me time to consider if something is really worth the time I’m going to commit.
Buy fast fashion
This greatly limits the time I can spend shopping, because my choices are limited. Secondhand or the most ethical brands I can find. Because so much research is involved, I buy very little clothing— only what I truly need to fill a hole in my wardrobe or if I get lucky and find a treasure at the thrift shop. Speaking of thrift shops…
Buy unnatural fabrics or clothing without pockets
I cannot express how much this has simplified my life. If I’m at Goodwill shopping, and I pick up an item that either doesn’t have pockets or is made with polyester, the decision is already made for me: it goes back on the rack. Limiting myself has made my wardrobe more comfortable and practical, but also saved me SO much time trying on gross plastic clothing.
Upgrade
My phone is old. I’ll use it until it’s not functional for what I need anymore. My car is dented, but it’s paid off and high quality, so I’ll continue using it until I can’t. I don’t need to impress anyone with new stuff, and I keep the old stuff out of the waste stream longer.
