How can less be more? When we live a simpler life where less is more, we create a spaciousness and clarity that allow for balance, relationship, peace, harmony and contentment to arise organically in our lives. In a sense we prepare the spoil in which we grow and nourish our soul so the essence of our being and relationships, human and spiritual, can emerge and express itself freely. In the words of Professor Ludwig Wittgenstein, “The aspects of things that are most important to us are hidden because of their simplicity and familiarity.”

Living simply leads to a renewed and fresh ‘felt experience’ of love and grace that remains elusive in busy, stuffy and cluttered environments. There, we are preoccupied with doing and having. How do we ever discover our ‘being’ in this noise and hectic that drown out the often quiet voices of our essence? It’s simple–not simplistic and not necessarily easy though: Let’s shift from DO and HAVE to BEing out of which the DOing arises that will lead to certain HAVEs. In turn, whatever we HAVE and DO informs and enriches our BEing authentically and with integrity.

How simple is your life? I mean all aspects of your life; your personal and professional life, which entails all physical, emotional, mental, relational and spiritual aspects of your being. Let’s say, on a scale from 1-10, with 10 being absolutely simple, what number will you assign your way of living and being right now? Just take a breath; be still and see what number pops into your awareness.

‘Wait a second,’ you say. ‘Life’s too complex for such a simplistic assessment!’ Is it really? Are we perhaps just scared of the implications? In the Western world, at least in the last 60 years, we certainly have not been taught to understand and appreciate the values inherent in ‘letting go,’ saying good-bye, subtraction or departing, or death. And the unknown tends to frighten us. We want to be able to get to the bottom line, the root cause and fix the problem. So, eliminating ‘stuff,’ either material or immaterial, from our lives inevitably causes us some grief. Many of us want to avoid grief at all cost and pretend it doesn’t exist since we haven’t learned how to appreciate the tremendous challenges and opportunities–often painful, agonizing and simultaneously mystical–the experience of loss and grief in any form offers to us.

Perhaps we have just allowed ourselves to complicate life as consumerism continues to thrive and our notion of well-being and wealth centers on steady and increasing accumulation and additions. A simple example are the hundreds of TV channels or products online and in stores from which we can now choose. Does the choice inherently bring quality or an increased sense of contentment? We’ve been good students in a culture that defines progress by how well we amass material possessions, often under the pretext of providing security and safety.

Growing sophistication and complexity in our societal structures have not resulted in growing happiness, more time, freedom or wisdom. To the contrary, it appears that what we are growing is our ability to destruct not only ourselves, but everything around us, including our precious planet Earth.

Simplicity appears to suffer from a bad reputation (just think of the connotations of the word ‘simpleton), probably because we look at life from the perspective of opposition, of polarities, of dualistic thinking, expressed in the notion of ‘either/or’ and ‘but,’ rather than ‘both/and.’ (Our justice system, the adversarial system, serves as a great example.) We often equate simple with bad, insufficient, weak, inadequate or limiting. I remember as a child feeling embarrassed, maybe even ashamed, at times when my family’s simple ways did not seem to measure up to other’s elaborate life styles. How grateful I am now for these experiences that have helped me shape my understanding of the importance of simplicity not just for me, but for us as a human species.

I contend that living simply (’living simplicity’) requires deep awareness and reflection on our part because of the choices that are required of us in a seemingly confusing and complex time. I further contend that it demands enormous courage, willingness, discipline and soul searching to arrive at a solid inner state of harmony and peace that support expressions of simplicity in all areas of our lives.

Have you ever taken pride in your ability to handle successfully complex situations? Do you get satisfaction out of embellishing and exaggerating certain moments in your life because it ‘looks’ or ‘sounds’ better, perhaps creating more of an impression than the simple moment that truthfully occurred? Or maybe because it makes you feel more important and tickles your sense of self-esteem the right way? I certainly can recall some such moments in my life where I was seeking external recognition and validation–never with lasting results, though.

I’m assuming I’m not alone here. Now, let’s turn it around. How much pride have you taken in your ability to simplify your life? Let’s look at the physical aspects of your life, such as your living space, your closets, your desk or your vehicle or vehicles. Much has been talked about de-cluttering lately. What’s your most rewarding experience in this area? How does it feel? What’s the effect of a de-cluttered environment on your mental or emotional state?

Now, how cluttered and ‘stuffed’ are your emotional, mental and spiritual aspects of your life? Have you sorted through those areas and given away your outdated beliefs, aired out the stuffy corners of your mind? What about your spiritual beliefs, routine and disciplines? Perhaps there has not even been room or air left for any of them to flourish because you have hung on to too much stuff?

Or could it be that you are frustrated with your attempts at de-cluttering because they tend to be sporadic, momentarily gratifying, and–just like many New Year’s resolutions–they vanish into thin air despite your best intentions? Have you given up because you feel you have not really been successful yet?

Remember that learning only lasts if it’s intrinsically motivated. That means, we have to find a strong drive within ourselves that leads us to the action of ‘letting go.’ When we feel the obligatory ‘should or must,’ we set ourselves up for failure. This is how we return to the idea that what we DO and HAVE can only arise authentically from who we truly are. When doing and being are incorporated into our BEing, we can make lasting changes.

So, what’s the one area in your life that calls your attention right now where you can make ONE change that will simplify your life? Where less is more? Don’t think about it! Just let it pop into your awareness.  Got it? Does it resonate with you at the core of your being? Yes?! Now commit yourself 100% to implementing that one change that simplifies your life–'unstuff' yourself! Not 90% or 99%, but 100%! Remain alert and recognize over the course of the next two weeks the potential ripple effects of your decision to create simplicity. When you are ready, repeat the process with another item that calls for your attention.

Enjoy! I look forward to hearing your stories of simplicity!

“Our life is frittered away by detail... Simplify, simplify, simplify!” – Henry Thoreau