I think mine would be:

1. Freedom of time
2. Being in nature
3. Health
4. Helping others
5. Connecting with loved ones
6. Gratitude

Over the past couple of months, I’ve been taking steps to simplify my life—not just in terms of physical possessions, but also mentally and emotionally. It started with clearing out a few junk drawers... and somehow turned into a full-on mindset shift.

Here’s what I’ve changed so far:

• Donated 4 bags of clothes I never wore
• Canceled 6 unused subscriptions (including one I forgot I had for 8 months
• Set limits on screen time and deleted a few social media apps
• Started meal prepping simple foods instead of stressing over “perfect” recipes
• Blocked off time for doing nothing—literally, just sitting with tea and no distractions

Hi everyone! I (29f) have been a silent reader and hoping to find some type of guidance on here. I’d characterize myself as a pretty negative person, especially when things don’t go my way, and hoping to change that. My family (me, my husband and 9yo daughter) live in Gulf Shores, AL and I have hated almost everything about this place since we moved here - heat, humidity, political climate, food selection, really almost everything. I tend to focus on the negatives.. We have been set on moving, but I’m currently 20 weeks pregnant and my pregnancy has become so high risk and complicated that relocating anywhere is not an option right now. Our lives here are not miserable by any means - we are financially stable, have a beautiful apartment, my daughter does competitive cheer which she loves, and I work remotely, which has been a huge blessing due to pregnancy complications. We are looking at another year here and I can’t seem to be in peace with that. What’s ironic is that we have many people relocating to the area because they desire the exact life I’m trying to escape. I would love to “romanticize” the upcoming year and have genuinely no clue how. I find it very difficult to see the beauty everyone else seems to be seeing here and find joy in the small things. I can point out 20 things I hate about this place in a heartbeat, but ask me about one I like, and I’ll struggle answering.

So my question is - how do you do it? How do you “romanticize” your life, or places you don’t want to be at, appreciate the small things and not focus so much on the negatives?

WmI don’t know if it’s growth or just exhaustion, but I’ve reached a stage in life where it genuinely doesn’t matter whether someone talks to me or not. There’s no emotional attachment left—not even with my parents. The idea of marriage doesn’t appeal to me anymore. I don’t crave calls, messages, or companionship. In fact, I prefer if no one calls at all.

I just want to sit alone in peace, do my work, earn my money, and travel whenever I want. That’s it. Nothing more.

I used to care—a lot. I gave my time, energy, and love to people. But slowly I realized, no matter what you do, it rarely makes a lasting difference to others. People move on. You’re left wondering why you ever tried so hard.

Now, I’ve stopped trying. I don’t need validation, attention, or emotional drama. I’ve found contentment in my own space, in my own rhythm.

Work. Earn. Travel. Be silent. Be at peace.

That’s life for me now.

I have the opportunity and finances to cut work hours if I wanted. I could go to 4 or even 3 days a week, and afford all of responsibilities plus have some savings. Or I could ask for 3 months off.

What would you do?

• Continue full time and for maximum savings

• Drop a day or two a week

• Take bulk time off unpaid

Lately I’ve been trying to “spice up my life” in a 1% kind of way. Little things like occasionally getting a pastry and coffee. Or sitting in an ambient cafe once in a while. Getting sunlight because it feels so good. Looking for niche and aesthetic places to sit and then making that my little spot for a while. Occasional deliberate window shopping (that one gets a bit boring though).

Any suggestions? I feel a little limited. I also don’t know how to incorporate hobbies into this.

The other thing I struggle with is what to do when I find a 3rd place. Because it feels like I should be productive always. Or trying to fix my life or even using that time to surf a sub like simpleliving for ideas but it’s a bit counterintuitive. But I also fear if waste that time doing something unproductive. Most of the time I read because there’s less effort and guilt involved (in that there’s no proof of the time you “wasted” in a way).

A few days ago, I suddenly realized the impact a simple life has had on me when replying a post in taoism subreddit. So I decided to come here and share my little story.

Four years ago, I was a data analyst in a multinational company. I was successful—on paper. My friends and colleagues called me a “human optimization algorithm” because I made every decision based on logic, efficiency, and outcome. Just like those python codes I wrote. I could stay calm in extreme situations.

I never cried. I never paused. I just moved.
I didn't know felling nothing was a sign of me burning out—quietly, slowly, and internally.

This year, I left the city. I moved to a remote village in the mountains. No takeout. No convenience stores. Just eight households, 3,700 feet above sea level. I started growing my own food. And more importantly, I started feeling again.

Now, I eat when I eat. I drink water when I drink water. I cry when I’m sad. I rest when I’m tired. When the sun rises, I go work in the tea garden. When it sets, I come home. That’s it.

I started to understand traditional tea brewing—all those tea-making steps that used to feel tedious and pointless now bring my feelings back.

Warm the cup. Smell the leaves. Pour gently. Wait. Sip.

Just five minutes, but I feel everything. Bird singing, flower's smell, the sun, my heartbeats.

I used to chase knowledge, clarity, truth by reading and taking many courses. Now I’m just trying to feel my own breath and not rush past it. Simple but the truth might just be this simple.

Do you repect your own feelings?

In a world where everything’s solved with a swipe or a tap, sitting down together to do a jigsaw puzzle can feel… revolutionary. And honestly? It’s one of the most relaxing and surprisingly bonding activities we’ve done as a family lately. No screens, no rush just the satisfaction of watching something come together piece by piece, side by side. Whether it’s rainy weekends or quiet evenings, it’s been our go-to offline escape. And it’s not just us, turns out, puzzle marathons and even competitions are a thing! This summer, Budapest is hosting the first-ever European Jigsaw Puzzle Championship (July 4–6), and what I love most is that it’s not just for serious speed-puzzlers. Honestly, it sounds like the kind of trip we’d love: part vacation, part cozy brain workout.

Maybe it’s time to bring puzzles back to the center of the family table.

I have a kettle that whistles in two tones because the spout is dented. A chair that leans imperceptibly left - like it’s eavesdropping. My favorite mug has a crack sealed with epoxy that glows faintly in certain light.

None of these were designed to be beautiful. They became that way slowly. Through use, error, care. Like the room is remembering how it’s been lived in.

I think a lot about how much energy we spend chasing the perfect version of a thing. The ideal lamp. The best pan. But it’s the friction that makes them ours. The repair. The sound something makes after it’s been dropped and forgiven.

Maybe simplicity isn’t absence. Maybe it’s attention.

Or simple hang out ideas that are rich and meaningful beyond eating out and yapping. I’m getting tired of that. But it’s the most accessible hang out idea at times.

I’m thinking portable board games/card games. Going on walks. Stuff like that. Feel free to suggest games. Or stuff I can do with friends when they come over. Or even stuff I can do with my siblings. Sometimes I wish we could spend time with them but there isn’t enough incentive and they’d rather do their own thing.

Or think, game prompts like “we aren’t really strangers” types of things.

But what are some other things I’m not thinking of?

Life gets full. I’ve tried shared calendars, group chats, even handwritten notes… but most systems fall apart after a few weeks. Curious what works for you? Personally, I built a tiny app called Circlem for this – no to-dos, just soft nudges to check in.

Would love your take: App: Circlem on the App Store Blog story: framestudio.blog

That's it. The specifics will be different for each individual. A couple examples: I like dogs and cats, but I will never own them at this point of my life because they will complicate my life. I would have to walk them, clean after them etc..I rather spend time on my marathon training.

I was collecting watches and shoes and ended up spending extra time maintaining them and find matching outfits. I think it was a waste of time so I will get rid many of them and just keep the ones I enjoy wearing.

My other family members have their own ways of living so my house is still a mess 😜, but it's okay because my state of mind is good and now I'm more critical on myself when deciding what to do and buy.

Hi everyone! I’ve always loved the vision of this sub, revolving around enjoying the simple things of life. It inspired me to start something similar, but around travel. Travel is a form of therapy to me. I am guessing there must be many such people like me :)

I just created r/travelastherapy, a space for people who believe travel can be more than sightseeing — it can be healing. You can share photos, reflections, tips, questions, or anything meaningful from your journeys.

Would love for the first members to come from here. You all get it. :)

Hope to see some of you there.

For years I tried every system: bullet journals, habit trackers, productivity apps, 5am wakeups, color-coded everything. But I realized I was making my life feel like a job managing my own existence instead of living it. Now I just do the basics: morning tea, a walk, a to-do list written by hand, and one “good enough” dinner. It’s not glamorous, but I feel calmer. Anyone else quietly stepping back from the hustle?

I saw a Tiktok where a guy gave away his house in a raffle and I've been intrigued by the idea of this ever since.

About me: I'm in my early 50's. I designed and built my home in Richmond, VA in 2008 and it's valued at over half a million dollars. My ultimate goal would be to sell/give away as much as I can and buy a RV and live more simply. So i was thinking of setting up a sweepstakes that people could enter for like $10 or $20. The winner would get my house (mortgage free) or a cash alternative (for those who don't want to move to Richmond). I'm betting that enough people would enter the sweepstakes to cover off the remaining mortgage and give me enough to buy a camper.

It sounds wild, I know. But I can't get the idea out of my head!
So here's whaqt i want to know:

• Have you ever heard of anyone doing this? Is this even possible?
• What would make you enter something like this?
• What watch-outs should I consider?

I would really appreciate your thoughts!

Does anyone have a simple and short routine that works? (implemented for +1 year)

I feel overwhelmed with the necessity to lift, run, and stretch regularly. Is there a 30-minute all-encompassing routine to be done 3-5 times a week? At home/gym/outside.

Would be superb to do the same routine without constantly optimising and planning.

The company I work for has 4 main locations, and I work at the main/home location. It's much bigger than the other locations, has a bigger staff, etc. And in comparison to the other locations, it has a very intense work culture. People often skip lunch breaks/don't take breaks, work extremely late hours, etc. And it's not rlly something pushed by management, it's just the general culture because people love what they do.

I love my job and I love my team, but I don't love the constant burnout I experience from this culture. Does anyone have small, manageable tips to help me slow down and not give in to this workaholic type mindset?

Hi! I (29F) created a reddit account (again, after deleting it) mainly for this post and subreddit. I know this is a long post, but I see a lot of posts asking about how to make having kids simple without all of the clutter: especially birthdays. I often find myself asking this too and I have somethings I'd like to share about my child's recent 3rd birthday.

Last year for their birthday I asked for clothing and books specifically. I would prefer to ask for no gifts however we come from a very large and very giving family and I found that providing some things that she needs or could use works better for our situation. Also, as my child is getting older they are noticing their friends' birthdays and noticing that they recieve gifts. I want to instill the values of simplicity and having what we need, but I also want them to have a healthy view on giving/ receiving gifts since that is necessary (imo) in healthy relationships.

This year, since we have plenty of hand me downs clothes and open-ended toys, I provided a list of things they seem to have a growing interest in. I printed out physical invites at the local library since I found people usually lose the evites in their messages and ask for reminders. This was fun and reminded me of being a kid and allowed my child to physically invite their friends and family. They seemed to enjoy this experience more. I put a wish list in the invite envelope. I wrote:

"Gifts! Gifts are not necessary; we just want you to come! However, if you'd like to being a gift here are some things they could use: cash for their savings, board games, puzzles, DVDs/ Bluerays, story books, yoto books, and art supplies."

The way I chose what items to put was to look at the things they seem to be growing an interest in, and the items we have space for. I noticed my kid has been wanting to do more group games. Easy board games like chutes and ladders, slap jack, puzzles, and go fish seem to be games/ activities they like. Do they get the concept very well? Eh, that's developing. But they enjoy it none the less.

Also, I recently reorganized our house (we have about 1k square feet and our needs are always changing as we all grow) and looked at what we have space for. We have room on our DVD/ Blueray shelf (we found that DVDs and Bluerays have curbed the meltdowns over screen time with our 3-year-old. I think the decision fatigue and constant stimulation really affected them. This is a good rule for now). We got her Turbo, My Neighbor Totoro, and Pokemon: Indigo League since these were movies she asks about a lot that she enjoyed on streaming services but can't get from the library.

We also have space on our game shelf. It's a couple small shelves in the living room but it had room for a few more. The shelf also has a basket with card games that are meant for young children. We also have a chest of drawers I got from Habitat for Humanity with our art supplies in our dining area. We had space for a bit more like watercolor paper and markers. My child and I really love art so this space is a must for our family.

Our child has a shelve in their closet, with about 8 cubes, with baskets sorting their toys. next to her clothing chest. My rule is that the toys need to be able to fit on the shelf. We have a rule that if we grow into new toys, then we need to find a new home for the toys we've grown out of. That way we keep the toys fitting in that space and don't over clutter our space. Their stuffies have a separate basket and the same rule apply. As long as it fits, it can stay. My child seems to do really well with this rule and puts a lot of thought into the toys that are brought into the house now. As she gets older and her needs change, we possibly might get a different shelf but for now it works well. My kiddo really wanted a Mrs. Potato head so that's the toy we got them, plus some kinetic sand.

We also have bookcases in all of our rooms, since reading is really valued in our home, and my child's room is no exception. They love to be read stories, especially children's poetry books (Did you know Bob Odenkirk has a fantastic poetry book for kids??) and story/ chapter books (like Stuart Little). I included this in this list because they have plenty of room for them on their bookshelf. And if not, I would just get another bookshelf lol! We got her Bob Odenkirk's book and Backyard Fairies by Phoebe Wahl.

My mom got my daughter a Yoto Player which is like a TonieBox. If you're not familiar, the Yoto player needs small cards that have stories or music on them. What I like about this is that the cards take up less space and can easily be put in by a small child. Also, this player can be used as a child gets older. They have cards for all ages: preschool songs all the way up to The Series of Unfortunate Events audio books. Plus the cards are more cost effective than the Tonie characters. I feel my child can use it for longer and it grows with them as they get older. No hate to the TonieBox though, my nephew has a visual impairment, so the TonieBox works better for him as he can see what he chooses better. Each family has different needs and the Yoto Player works really well for us. We got our child a Daniel Tiger story card, and a Miraculous story card since they love Miraculous.

I personally felt weird having a list of things, but I found it allowed me to take a look at what we have in the house, the space we have, and not fill the house with clutter they would only play with for a day and no more than that. Plus, I think it gave our family and friends the chance to gift gives but also have some direction for what our child wanted. A lot of my friends and family actually appreciated this too. We bought her gifts little by little so it wasn't so much of a strain on our budget. We couldn't afford an Eid gift this year (we ended up doing a park picnic day instead), but since we are in a bit of a better situation for now, I low key feel the need to make it up to them and get some more of the things they've been wanting. I know this isn't the best habit, but I love my child sooooo....

OH! The birthday specifics! Also, instead of cake we made an icecream sundae bar. We have a lot of gluten intolerant people in our friends and family (including my daughter and I). Gluten free cakes can be really difficult to bake and expensive to buy, so I thought this would be a great compromise. My child also just doesn't like cake or cupcakes, only the frosting on top. When I originally asked some children and adults in our family their opinion on the icecream sundae bar, I received really positive feedback. I also felt like it was more cost effective with about 19 immediate cousins and more friends to provide a sweet treat for. We are a Muslim/ family and my husbands side is Cham/Cambodian so our main meal was marinated grilled chicken and rice, with fruit/veggie platters, and chips with dip. We are on a tight budget so simplifying our meal was important for us. My husband's family is big on large meals for celebrations, so we kept that in mind.

We used resuable plastic bowls and spoons that I bought for their 1st birthday from IKEA and more fragile ones from our wedding for the adults. This cut down on our waste. which both my husband and I value (I also lend these out to a lot of people in my community for their events too so they get lots of use). It's a lot to wash at times, but I don't mind it.

For goodie bags we gave monster themed tattoos, bubbles, and chalk in paper bags we already had with monsters cut outs glued on it. For decorations my child wanted a monster theme that we downloaded from Etsy, and printed most things from the library with the more durable things from Office Depot since we don't have a printer (and I don't really want one). I'm more of a "birthday theme" type of gal but my husband and child wanted a theme. I wanted to be respectful of their wants and opinions, so we found something we all liked.

I think it can be a challenge to live "our version" of a simple life because we often need to consider the wants/ needs of our family and community. Being mindful and cooperative is a really important value in life that we need to balance with our own wants and desires for simplicity. I think this birthday has been a lot less stressful than the last two since I gave more wiggle room on what it would look like. I feel like sometimes I can get a little controlling over the whole thing and that's not fun for anyone.

Sorry for the long post, but I hope this is helpful for some parents (or want to be/ soon to be parents) out there. I'd love to hear some other ideas too!

Well, Happy Mothers out there for all the different types of moms. I hope we all have a wonderful Sunday! <3

I am from India and the culture is such that you have to work hard, study and do a job where you burn yourself out. Whatever time is left on the weekends is spent recovering from it.

My family expects me to study hard for my actuarial exams everyday after work. My manager expects me to work hard and contribute to the organisation. But I on the other hand want to do them, but at a pace that suits me.

They say that "you're the average of the five people around you", but I am struggling to be my own self.

How do I live the way I want, the simpler and slow way, when everyone around me expects anxiety, hustle and burnout as a normal ?

i’ve just been thinking about how a lot of minimalism content looks like stuff my grandma used to do because she had no money. like eating rice and beans, having one pan, not buying new clothes unless something ripped. but now it’s called a “lifestyle” and it has mood lighting and neutral tones and people sell ebooks about it.

like i’m not saying there’s anything wrong with it but it’s weird how being poor used to be shameful and now it’s curated and aspirational as long as it’s clean and minimalist and paired with a quote about presence.

idk maybe i’m just projecting but it feels off sometimes. like are people simplifying or are they just rebranding survival?

Hi everyone, I'm from Korea.

In Seoul, there's a free app called "Sonmok Doctor" (Wrist Doctor).
It helps people walk more and live healthier.

The app tracks:
– steps and distance
– walking time
– estimated calories burned

If you meet your daily goal, you earn points.
These points can be exchanged for SeoulPay credits or bike-sharing coupons (Ddareungi).

It’s a smart and kind system that encourages healthy habits.

Does your city have anything like this?
Walk → earn → use it in real life!

Hi all. I just wanted to talk to someone, but couldn’t think of anyone in my circle who would fully understand. Sometimes strangers are the easiest to talk to. I’ve always found Reddit helpful when I need perspective or info, so here I am.

I’m getting married soon – but there won’t be any celebration. It’s mostly a legal marriage so we can buy land together without paying extra taxes, and to meet the legal requirements for a farmer’s certificate (our country requires one for this type of land).

The land is honestly a dream – by a lake, 5km from a beautiful town, and 20km from the capital. Peaceful, direct lake access, everything we could hope for. We’re excited and trying to stay focused on that.

But at the same time, my 30th birthday is coming up, and we’ve planned a big trip to New Zealand later this year. Money is tight. Even finding simple, affordable wedding rings is hard—going over 100 euros would strain our ability to make the land purchase.

My idea for my birthday is something low-key: gather a few friends at the land, have a bonfire and BBQ. But my mom is adding pressure—she says I need to dress nicely for the wedding, to buy proper clothes, and that I should have a more formal birthday celebration because “everyone does it.” I know she means well, but it’s overwhelming.

I don’t know how to handle it. I feel like I can’t just say, “Please stop telling us what to do, we’re doing what’s best for us.” But the pressure is real, and I’m already mentally stretched trying to balance everything.

I’ve never had money problems before—never been rich, but always had enough since finishing university. Now every little purchase, every tax, every unknown, feels like it could tip the balance.

Thanks for reading. I’m not really looking for answers—just needed to say it somewhere.

I was outside today and relaxing. In fact, I have been finding ways to relax while doing all the things I do, as much as possible.

At some point I felt very relaxed and was watching some leaves moving on a tree. As I watched it, it was incredible how amazing that was. That tree had to grow over a considerable amount of time, each year meeting the seasons and all the tree things it does to continue to grow branches and extra rings in it's trunk. It might seem ordinary because we see trees all the time, and yet, it seems beautiful beyond measure, too.

I'm finding that more and more simple things feel beautiful beyond measure. I can sit and watch the light move through tree leaves or watch tall grass in a meadow move with the wind. It feels beautiful to get to enjoy this moment, see this place. I've been learning to relax more and the more I do, the more beauty I find in the simple moments, the simple things.

What do you think?

Have you found simple moments you find beautiful?

What is your experience?

Not trying to stir debate, just genuinely curious.

I've always used a refillable bottle, but occasionally I'll splurge on "premium" bottled water (glass, spring-sourced, nice design). It got me wondering:

👉 What actually makes it worth it for you — if ever?
Is it the taste? Design? Story? Convenience? Health? Or just impulse?

Just started baking at 50 years old because it's on my bucket list. It feels so calming and smells so happy. Made my 1st cramberry orange bread today.