The fast-paced, constantly changing world we live in can sometimes be overwhelming. Starting a peaceful life could be your lifeline to navigate modern living. This article, curated with Simple Life Quotes, aims to inspire readers toward a path of simplicity.
We will cover various facets of simple living, exploring themes of contentment and even tips on how to start. With each section filled with wise words from renowned philosophers, minimalist advocates, and influential figures, this article serves as your handbook toward a simpler lifestyle.
Quick links to our selection of simple life quotes:
The quest for contentment often leads us back to a path of simplicity. In our busy lives, we overlook that joy usually residing in the smallest things, from the chirping birds to a stranger’s warm smile.
Today, embracing a simple lifestyle might seem uninteresting and going against the norm. But when we realize the tranquility of a life stripped of unnecessary wants, we gradually think otherwise.
Moreover, the beauty of simple living is that it is totally subjective and unique to each individual. Whatever our definition, embracing it allows us to exist in contentment.
Pause and think about what gives you contentment while reading the simple living quotes below.
"The greatest wealth is to live content with little."
"Think how joyous each and every day could be when you are making the most of what you have."
"The less I needed, the better I felt."
"If one's life is simple, contentment has to come. Simplicity is extremely important for happiness. Having few desires, feeling satisfied with what you have, is very vital: satisfaction with just enough food, clothing, and shelter to protect yourself from the elements."
"The secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less."
"To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter… to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird's nest or a wildflower in spring – these are some of the rewards of the simple life."
Living a simple life has numerous benefits for our health. According to a study, valuing money and possessions negatively correlates with well-being1. This doesn't mean we must stop buying but instead refocus on life's essential aspects.
Personally, I’ve been dreaming about living a semi-off-grid lifestyle where I can grow my own food and interact less with digital screens. Even if it’s only a dream now, I firmly believe doing this could significantly benefit my mental and physical health.
Visualize your own dream lifestyle while checking the simple life quotes below.
"Escape from complicated life! Take refuge in simple life! You will find three treasures there: Healthy body, peaceful mind and a life away from ambitious fools!"
"A simple life gives birth to more clarity, inner peace and meaningful relationships."
"Simple pleasures are the last healthy refuge in a complex world."
"When we lead a simple life, we achieve an unknown happiness —a happiness that surpasses any other form of happiness."
"I believe that a simple and unassuming manner of life is best for everyone, best both for the body and the mind."
"As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler; solitude will not be solitude, poverty will not be poverty, nor weakness weakness."
Related read: Solitude quotes.
Starting a simple life is an age-old practice that circles back to the ancient Stoics of Greece and the earliest Buddhist cultures of the East. Slowly, over centuries, this philosophy has integrated itself into Western society, attached to the principles of minimalism.
Being a minimalist doesn't mean selling all you have and living in a small space. Start by decluttering your wardrobe, focus on experiences over possessions, and make conscious purchases.
If you still have dilemmas, follow minimalist advocates like Fumio Sasaki, author of Goodbye, Things, who believes owning less stuff is not a curse but a blessing.
Head to our minimalist quotes for similar messages like the simple life quotes below.
"It is preoccupation with possession, more than anything else, that prevents men from living freely and nobly."
"A minimalist by intent, I live a beautiful life with fewer things — simple, yet full."
"Living with only the bare essentials has not only provided superficial benefits such as the pleasure of a tidy room or the simple ease of cleaning, it has also led to a more fundamental shift. It's given me a chance to think about what it really means to be happy."
True simplicity goes beyond the tangible things. It carries over into our emotional wellbeing. Once we know where to invest our energy, we will not engage with unnecessary negativity and instead allocate it to activities aligned with our purpose.
Imagine walking in on a gossip-filled conversation. Instead of participating and risking your peace, choose to walk away. In doing so, you simplify your emotional environment.
Get more ideas about a purposeful life in the simple living quotes below.
"While you are alive collect moments, not things, earn respect, not money, and enjoy love, not luxuries."
"Declutter your mind, your heart, your home. Let go of the heaviness that is weighing you down. Make your life simple, but significant."
"A person who knows who they are lives a simple life by eliminating from their orbit anything that does not align with his or her overriding purpose and values. A person must be selective with their time and energy because both elements of life are limited."
"When we focus more on fitting it all in instead of making time for what counts, we lose sight of how to create a meaningful life."
To further motivate ourselves to work for a simpler life, we can dig deeper into who we really are. Through journaling or simply meditating over our thoughts, introspection can reveal not only what we want but also what we don’t.
Once we clearly distinguish this, we can better prioritize our choices, whether in choosing a career or buying something from the store. After reading the simple life quotes below, choose a journal prompt to start a session for self-examination.
"Be a curator of your life. Slowly cut things out until you're left only with what you love, with what's necessary, with what makes you happy."
"Manifest plainness, embrace simplicity, reduce selfishness, have few desires."
"In order to seek one's own direction, one must simplify the mechanics of ordinary, everyday life."
"Simplicity boils down to two things: identify the essential and eliminate the rest."
"Reduce the complexity of life by eliminating the needless wants of life, and the labors of life reduce themselves."
"Edit your life frequently and ruthlessly. It's your masterpiece after all."
"Going back to a simpler life is not a step backward."
Committing to a simple life can seem challenging when we're accustomed to the hustle and bustle of an average existence. Nevertheless, one can initiate this transformation by adopting simple habits gradually and consistently. The bottom line of simple living is we should not make life complicated.
Find what you want, stop overthinking, and work towards that. I know it is easier said than done. That’s why this is not only a message for you but for myself as well.
Here are more simple life quotes and a Ted Talk recommendation to further prove the point.
"Simplicity of living, if deliberately chosen, implies a compassionate approach to life. It means that we are choosing to live our daily lives with some degree of conscious appreciation of the condition of the rest of the world."
"Life is better when we don't try to do everything. Learn to enjoy the slice of life you experience, and life turns out to be wonderful."
"There are often many things we feel we should do that, in fact, we don't really have to do. Getting to the point where we can tell the difference is a major milestone in the simplification process."
When we reflect on how others live, we understand how we want to live ours. For instance, Steve Jobs, renowned co-founder of Apple Inc., was an avid practitioner of a simple lifestyle. His limited wardrobe of turtlenecks and jeans was not the only evidence of his preference for simplicity; his life philosophy mirrored this, too.
The simplicity that Jobs strived for was not just an external manifestation but a deeply rooted principle that drove his groundbreaking innovation. By simplifying things, we can make our systems more efficient, thus increasing productivity.
After going through the simple life quotes below, study other influential figures and people you know whose simple living you want to emulate.
"That's been one of my mantras—focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it's worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains."
"My choice of a lighter lifestyle has brought me a greater sense of well-being. In a world that often seems stressful and chaotic, that's a feeling I cherish."
"For a few minutes I tried to empty my mind entirely, to concentrate solely on breathing: sometimes it's useful to rediscover simpler pleasures of life."
Simplicity can also cover our digital spaces. But how? First, we should be mindful of the content we expose ourselves to, avoiding those that encourage unnecessary extravagance.
Second, we should also be sources of content we want to see. Promote simplicity together with a relatable story of yours and one of the quotes below to inspire others to start their journey.
"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."
"The simple life is an authentic life."
"The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak."
"Beware the barrenness of a busy life."
"It is the sweet, simple things of life which are the real ones after all."
"Simplicity is making the journey of this life with just baggage enough."
"The troubles of modern life come from being divorced from nature."
"Simplicity, clarity, singleness: these are the attributes that give our lives power and vividness and joy."
| 1 | Dittmar, H., Bond, R., Hurst, M., & Kasser, T. (2014). The relationship between materialism and personal well-being: A meta-analysis. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 107(5), 879–924. |
Isabela is a determined millennial passionate about continuously seeking out ways to make an impact. With a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering with honors, Isabela’s research expertise and interest in artistic works, coupled with a creative mindset, offers readers a fresh take on different environmental, social, and personal development topics.
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