by Karen Wilmot

Created on: January 10, 2010

Simple living takes the stress out of life. I know this is counter intuitive to our society standards but the truth of the matter is that when you live a simple life there is much less to worry about there by making life less stressful.

For instance, how many times have you surfed the 400 channels of cable only to be frustrated that there is nothing on television? Well, in the simple life, you don't have cable. You have the basic channels which amounts to about 12 channels to surf. You aren't as frustrated because you aren't paying $100 per month for nothing. You are paying nothing for nothing. When nothing is on you look around and find the book you just got from the library, head outside into the sunny desert and read. You are increasing your brain power, exercising your eyes and getting vitamin D; all of which lead to a stress less life and enjoying all God has given you.

Next, let's take the stress of going out to dinner. Going out to dinner is supposed to be a relaxing event. However, it usually ends up stressful. You get in the car and drive 15 - 30 minutes to the location. If your husband is like mine, there will be a moment or two when you want to correct his driving. For us this means a comment that shouldn't be said and the response of "You want to drive." You finally arrive at the restaurant only to find a 40 minute wait. You let out a heavy sigh but decide to stay because to get anywhere else would take an additional 30 minutes and who knows how long that wait will be. Your husband looks at his watch and starts the timing process. You are stressed thinking if we aren't seated in 40 minutes then he's going to get angry. Doesn't this paint the picture of relaxation? Finally you sit and since the restaurant is busy it takes a long time for drinks to be served, the order to be taken and the food to arrive. Three hours later you are leaving the restaurant and usually aren't completely satisfied. All this for a relaxing meal out. 

In the simple life, you open a bottle of wine in your kitchen and turn on some music. Then you and your husband have a conversation while chopping vegetables for dinner. At some point in the preparation,  your husband grabs you into a dance because your favorite song comes on the radio. In 30 - 40 minutes (the amount of wait time at the restaurant) you are eating a well balanced meal and have the stomach to digest it properly because you spent a relaxing hour preparing the meal with the love of your life. Simple living is less stressful.

Simple living doesn't mean doing without things. Simple living means doing with that which makes you happy. Quite simply my life has been enhanced by the recession. I'm learning new recipes, getting to know my husband again and preparing for the rain that will come. We have found life to be wonderfully easy by not stressing about material goods and by finding the great organizations that are around us to utilize. I believe even after the rain comes, we will continue to live simply because our life is so much better this way.

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