Words by Carl Phillips
I believe deeply in the power of simplicity. It’s become a passionate subject for me. One I have written many articles and books about. Broader than this, it’s become a framework for how I try to live. Something I am always seeking to bring into my life.
One part of this simplicity journey is about discarding. Finding ways to remove things from our lives. Whether they be possessions, commitments, toxic relationships, or something else we realise is dragging us down. Reduction is an important step.
But it’s just a step.
I find some people stay here. They obsess over how to remove things. Sometimes they remove too much. That’s not the point of minimalism, at least not for me.
Simplicity is a tool, a tool that should improve our lives. A paradox is that as we remove that which does not matter to us, we receive something else back. That something else is making space for the things that matter most to us. Things that bring us joy and give us energy.
We may even develop an abundance mindset through this experience.
What does this look like?
We learn to see the opportunity, where others only see a change for the worse.
We make space for small, simple pleasures in our every day. So that we can come back to them, over and over.
We establish self-care practices—to replenish our reserves when we need them most.
We slow down to speed up.
We give thanks for the small but meaningful moments. Establishing a gratitude practice.
For me, this is where to real treasure is. Not in the bare shelves or stripped-down wardrobes. Simplifying our lives is not so much about what we give up. It’s about what we get back.
We simplify our life to amplify our experience of it.