Words of a simpleton

Hello. Glad you liked the shopping video, it brought some interesting responses. Thank you for your comments, I really enjoyed reading them.. I see that Richard over on Down The Lane has asked the question on the forum, 'What do you call a simple, or simpler life?' I have given my definitions and it's started me thinking, what exactly does a simple life mean. I'll expand on it here.

I take it to mean a life with very few complications, and not looking for them. Going with the flow, instead of the opposite and upsetting the applecart. A simple life is one with less choices. I have a rather simplistic view. I tend to see things in black and white, an either or situation. Two choices you either do or don't, you say yes or no, you like something, or you don't. I don't see many grey areas.

There are too many choices in supermarkets, that's why I only walk around say 20% of it, I don't need to know about the other 80%, there is nothing there that I want to buy. I am just the same in other shops, I only go to the departments where I know I will want to buy something.

No complications for me means living alone, it makes for a very simple life. I don't have to fit in with anyone and no one has to fit in with me. The only complications I have accepted are my pets, they need someone to look after them and I gave them a home. That was my choice, I could have said no.

I don't need to get a job, or earn money on the side. I simply don't need any more money. If I did have more  then that would bring complications and create stress. How many times do you read about people who have lost money through poor investments, or who have been conned out of their life savings? That won't happen to me. I believe the less money you have, the less you have to worry about. A bit of a cockeyed view I know.

Work means timetables have to be kept to, being at a certain place at a certain time every day, I know I have done it. Clocking in clocking out, get on with the job, do as you're told, there is nothing simple about that. I don't see how anyone can claim to have a simple life if they go to work. You only find out what a simple life is, when you retire, and can simply lie in bed all day if you want to.

The more money  you earn the more you spend, the more you spend the more you need to earn to pay for the lifestyle you have become accustomed to. That's not simple. Not spending money means not having to earn it, that's simple.

As you know, my cooking is very simple. I don't spend ages in the kitchen preparing a work of art, faffing around with pots and pans and utensils. Most of my meals are made in one saucepan, occasionally I use the grill, and sometimes the microwave. The simplest meals are food that require no cooking at all.

Getting rid of stuff you no longer need is a great way to simplify your life. If you have too much clutter you become bogged down, you worry that you can't find anything among the chaos, and you worry when you lose something. If you move it on out of your life you have a nice big space.

I find that eliminating complications frees up space to think about what matters. And to be perfectly honest, I can't think of anything to worry about.

I've told you how my life is simple, now tell me what you have done to simplify your life. How have you eliminated your complications? What have you dumped because you no longer need it? What changes have you made to how you organize your day? Is your life much simpler now than it was say five years ago, or is it more complicated? I'm nosy, ha ha.

Thanks for popping in. Goodnight and toodle pip.