Simplify Life and Enjoy It More; Contentment is Good For The Soul.

📌SIMPLICITY

📝 Appreciate Simplicity. Never buy something for the purpose of impressing others.😘

Do you long for the simple life? May people do. It seems as if we're all too busy , have too much stuff, and owe too many bills (mainly because we have too much stuff). If you've ever said to yourself, " Stop the world, I want to get off," then you're probably a good candidate for simplicity.

But what does that mean? You may hear the word simplicity and right away think of self-imposed poverty of lowered ambitions. You may think of the simple life as an empty, boring existence. Think again.

Simplicity doesn't take away from your life. A simple lifestyle may actually add quality and contentment to your life. When it comes to life, simplicity doesn't mean poverty. Quite the opposite, when you identify those things and those people who are really important to you, your life takes knowing more meaning because you pro-actively choose to do those things that will increase the quality of your life. The net result is that your life is richer, not poorer.

For most of us, our problem isn't that we need more. What we need is better. Do you have any things you no longer use or wear because they no longer add value to your life? Get rid of them (give them to people who don't have any stuff). Is your schedule so overloaded that you don't have time for those people and those activities that add to your life rather than taking away from it? Learn how to say "no." Learn to prioritize.

While you're giving stuff away and learning to say no, keep this profound thought in mind: The reason our lives are so complicated is that we're too self-centered. Richard Foster writes that "simplicity means moving away from total absorption in ourselves... To being centered in God."❤

✅God isn't the one who lead you to a more complicated life (and more stress). You get there quite well all by yourself. God wants you to give the small stuff and the stress of your life over to Him. When you trust God and let Him take the lead in your life, you will find that your life will be more peaceful and more productive. You will naturally want to clear out the clutter to make more room for God.

Thomas Kelly wrote that our deepest need "is not food and clothing and shelter, important as they are. It is God."

• Appreciate Simplicity

📌CONTENTMENT

Like so many words, we've lost the meaning of contentment. We've somehow came up with the notion that contentment is the opposite of succes. We believe contentment is attainable only if we stop striving, and who wants to do that? We're afraid that if we stand still for a moment, the world is going to pass us by, so we make up our minds that we'll be contented someday, perhaps when we retire.

If you're an average person trying to get ahead in the world, contentment is probably the last thing you're striving for, yet there's a good chance that you long for it. Why? Because as it's core, contentment is peace of mind. Contentment is happiness. The person who is content has little or no stress.

Yet we forge ahead like a soldier going into battle. We dive heading into society's raging river and get caught up in a cycle of overspending, overcommitting, and overworking. And all for what? Happiness. Peace of mind. Satisfaction. But we're only kidding ourselves. Striving, consuming, and accumulating will never bring happiness. What they bring is anxiety, worry, unhappiness and-in the long run-ineffectiveness.

Even as you read this, let your mind slow down and reflect on some qualities of true commitment. First of all, being content doesn't mean being lazy. Discontentment affects the rich and poor alike. What they have in common is that they both want more stuff.

Second, don't equate contentment with being lowly or meek. There is tremendous power in contentment, because when you are content with what you have, you are free. You are free from pretense, free from concern over having it almost now, and (in most cases) free from stress.

Third, it's not only possible but desirable to be both content and ambition. If your ambitions come from a desire to serve God, to help others, and to improve yourself so you will have greater impact in your world, then the fulfillment of your ambitions will bring you much happiness and contentment.🤩😘

• Enjoy happiness;treasure joy. Learn to relax without feeling guilty.