Finding Meaning in the Simplicity of Life

Source: Gerd Altmann/ Pixabay

An important question we need to ask ourselves is, “how much is enough?” Do we really need more money, more cars, more clothes, more entertainment, more alcohol or drugs? Are we filling our lives with an overabundance of “stuff” in order to feel more secure, more successful, and more accepted by others? Are we filling our lives with activities to keep ourselves busy and to avoid asking the deeper existential questions that might cause us to face up to our deepest issues? Importantly, is now the time, especially after the crisis of the last year, to simplify our approach to life in order to focus on living with more meaning?

The costs, both intended and unintended, of the hunt for more are staggering. We ignore our relationships and our health, as well as lose sight of the true meaning in life when we are so focused on seeking “more." Many great philosophers throughout the ages have warned us that everything in excess is opposed to nature and our natural selves.

The philosopher Antisthenes, who was a disciple of Socrates, advised us to reduce the things we possess to the bare necessities in order for our souls to be free. Focusing on necessities enables us to create the emotional space to focus on knowing ourselves better and, in doing so, become better equipped to live simpler, more meaningful lives. So what steps can we take to start to simplify our lives? I suggest the following.

Step One: Reflection

Reflect on the differences between needs, wants, and luxuries.

Step Two: Categorize

Next, we can apply these three categories to different aspects of our lives, such as “material goods” or “time” or “goals” or “relationships.” For example, in terms of material goods, we can ask ourselves what things are needs or necessities to live a simple, meaningful life; what things are nice to have; and what things are extravagant and perhaps unnecessary.

In another example, we can ask ourselves how we wish to spend our time in order to live a more meaningful life. Perhaps spending time with a certain friend falls in the needs category because the presence of this friend energizes us and we learn about ourselves and the world from being with them… or we find meaning in helping this person. Alternatively, perhaps spending time with certain other people could be classified as not being a necessity. In another example, perhaps spending time cooking nutritious meals or learning a new language or skill are necessities for us but spending time watching television is not.

Step Three: Choose and Take Action

Reflecting on the purpose of each item or each activity in our life helps us to start to focus on what we believe is really necessary for living a more meaningful life. It is not about being materialistic or being totally anti-materialistic. It is about being more aware of the role things, activities, and people play in our lives. Once we have understood what our necessities are, we must take action on these insights. Our ability to say yes to meaningful things and activities and no to unnecessary things and activities is a valuable step in the right direction.

It is best to begin with the necessities and then layer on any additional wants or luxuries versus starting the other way around—embracing lots of materialism and busy activities and then hoping one day to find meaning. So focus first on the necessities of life: on your health, on your positive attitude and sense of hope, on your families, on your friends, and on helping others. This is the secret to living a truly meaningful life.