Seven Keys to Simple Living and a Richer and Happier Life

Release all meaningless activities.greens in pots using plants like garlic, onions,
Do you need to read the newspaper and listen to orbuckwheat and lentils. Not only will you eat healthier
watch the news every day? Is what you read, listenfood, you'll be reducing your carbon footprint and
to or watch helping you create a positive attitudedoing your bit to improve the health of the planet.
and the realization that through your own efforts andGet out of your car and onto your feet.
positive thinking anything is possible? So often theHow far do you drive to work? Could you find
negativity of the news drains our optimism andemployment closer to home, or even at home? Time
makes us feel helpless in light of seemingly endlessnow spent in the car could be used getting exercise
wars, calamities and insurmountable problems aroundif you were able to walk or cycle to work. You'd feel
the world. If you're not going to personally getbetter, lose those unwanted pounds and, again, be
involved with one of these issues, give them noreducing your carbon footprint.
attention.Discover natural ways to stay healthier.
Release all unnecessary possessions.Rather than just relying on prescriptions from the
You'll have to determine what is necessary for you.doctor, heed the advice of Hippocrates: 'Let food be
Those in the householder stage with children will havethy medicine and medicine be thy food.' So often the
different requirements than empty nesters. Our trueside effects of medicines are virtually identical to the
wealth is not determined by what we possess, butsymptoms they are prescribed to treat. Read books
by what does not possess us. Our true wealth is noton natural healing or take courses to upscale your
determined by what we have, but by what we canknowledge on how to look after yourself. You'll save
live happily without. That which we possess needs tounnecessary trips to the doctor and you'll feel better
be looked after. This takes time and energy; timementally, emotionally and physically.
and energy that could go elsewhere if we had lessA simple life is a balanced life.
stuff.A simple life is a balanced life, relying on a careful,
Put your time and energy where your heart is.dynamic interplay between activity and rest. It's not
So often we do things because others expect themfor nothing Native Americans sometimes call modern
of us. Do these activities make us happy? Do theycivilization 'Termite People' because we are forever
fulfil us? We need to listen to and follow our hearts.scurrying about. Look closely at the word
Then the whole world supports our every step, we'business'-'busy-ness'. We often wear our 'busy-ness'
are guided by coincidences, and we find true peacelike a badge. When someone asks if we are busy, it
and happiness.is expected that we are. Life is a delicate balance
Grow some food of your own, preferably organically.between activity and rest. Find that balance.
In the supermarket of today we rarely know wherePut the above ideas in place and your life will be
our food comes from or how it's been grown. Somesimpler, healthier, richer and more satisfying. This is an
crops are sprayed more than ten times before theyorganic process, meaning that results come at the
are harvested and the chemical residues areright time (which may or may not correspond with
absorbed when we eat them. It's not difficult toyour expectations). Just concentrate on thinking and
create a little vegetable garden and/or plant a fewliving more simply and leave the results and timing to
fruit trees. Apartment dwellers can grow microGod.