The Effortless Life
No, that’s not a description of my own life. Although, it’d be great if it was.
Last week I wrote about ideas for improving your work life, based on the book Drive by Daniel H. Pink. The Effortless Life by Leo Babauta (one of my favorite bloggers) is a quick read about improving your personal life.
Simplify your relationships, your needs, and your wants. That’s all one really requires to live more effortlessly.
Babauta also mentions that the things that make him the happiest tend to be inexpensive or free:
Working out with a friend
Reading a book
Taking a walk outdoors
I’m big on living simply, so the above items have long been weekly activities in my life, and they’ve proven to be more fulfilling than a lot of other- more expensive- activities.
Some other ‘effortless’ suggestions involve moving more slowly, not planning so much, and focusing less on goals. Babauta explains his reasoning well, but I’ll openly admit that I pick and choose what things work best in my life- and I have to say, writing out a list of daily goals is too fun for a Type A personality like myself to give up.
However, I’m on board with the overall theme: It’s okay to do things that aren’t the norm.
Consider spending more quality time with the people who make you feel great, not necessarily those your feel obligated to spend time with.
Get rid of cable television, or that second car if you can get by with one. These are some luxuries I’ve seriously considered giving up lately and I’m not sure why I didn’t consider it sooner (why is it so hard to think outside of convention?).
A few years ago I started doing things that cost little or no money.
It took a 10-year hiatus from riding my bike to school every morning as a kid to pick up the hobby again as a 25-year-old (more for pleasure than necessity this time). It’s one of my very favorite things to do with my husband and my friends, but I never would have considered it had I not been looking for a way to save money and have fun at the same time.
Remember, none of these are sacrifices. It’s a way to declutter your life and make room for the more important things (including more financial security).
Consider simplifying. What could you do without?