Setting the Stage for a Simple Life

No matter how you describe or define it, I love living a simple life. But for me, a more traditional simple life fits better with who I am. So, what’s the difference between the two?

To be honest, there is very little difference between a ‘simple life’, and a ‘traditional simple life’. A simple life is one where you actively focus on slowing down, choosing your priorities, and following your passions. 

A Traditional Simple Life takes this lifestyle a bit deeper. It encompasses various aspects of life that are centered around a more intentional approach combined with traditional values and practices. There are elements of living within your means, less dependency on outside sources, and a more hands-on approach, rather than using technology for everything you do. 

Listen in to find more on living a Traditional Simple Life, including why it may be considered a ‘radical’ way of life and what some of the benefits are!

You Don't Need Permission to Live a Simple Life

Transcript

Episode 93 – Setting the Stage for a Traditional Simple Life 

Welcome back to the porch! If you listened to last week’s Episode, you may be needing a bit of time to contemplate all the possibilities you have for this year. And one of those possibilities may be beginning to shift to living a Simple Life. 

No matter how you describe or define it, I love living a simple life. But for me a more traditional simple life fits better with who I am. So, what’s the difference between the two?

To be honest, there is very little difference between a ‘simple life’, and a ‘traditional simple life’. A simple life is one where you actively focus on slowing down, choosing your priorities, and following your passions. 

A Traditional Simple Life takes this lifestyle a bit deeper. It encompasses various aspects of life that are centered around a more intentional approach combined with traditional values and practices. There are elements of living within your means, less dependency on outside sources, and a more hands-on approach, rather than using technology for everything you do. 

This traditional lifestyle, for many years, was referred to as ‘old-fashioned’, and when applying it today, may still be considered a somewhat radical approach. But with all we have lived through lately, more and more people are beginning to see the value of living more intentionally and with purpose.

Why is a traditional simple life considered radical? According to Dictionary.com, one of the definitions of radical is: extreme, especially as it regards change from accepted or traditional forms. Living a traditional simple life isn’t truly an ‘extreme’ measure of change, but it can be construed to society as shifting from the accepted norms. Traditional today is more technology based and even leans heavily towards ‘instant gratification’ – think drive thru and restaurants for meals rather than cooking from home, or using the internet for shopping and communications, rather than handmade items and hand-written letters. 

Surprisingly, more and more people are shifting to a lifestyle of intention, purpose, and voluntary simplicity. They are becoming tired of spending more time, money, and assets to keep up with those norms, and end up having nothing left over to enjoy their lives, living in debt, or being prepared for emergencies. 

Yes, it may feel radical to make the shift, but in reality, what you gain from making it is more valuable than anything you can purchase in a store. And the gains include:

·        Less dependency on outside sources

·        A true sense of self-confidence

·        Financial stability

·        Family bonding

·        Sustainability

·        Deep-seated contentment

·        Real joy and happiness

I first learned about the idea of being ‘radical’ through Shannon Hayes book Radical Homemaker: Reclaiming Domesticity from a Consumer Culture. If the idea of becoming radical in your lifestyle appeals to you, then this book is one you need to read. You can find the link for this and other fun books to add to your winter reading list on my 3rd Annual Winter Reading List in the show notes. It’s definitely on my list of favorite books to read.

Overall, a traditional simple life can be broken down into eight main categories. All categories won’t apply to everyone, but you have the control to pick and choose which ones will work best for you. Some of us have children, some don’t. Others have a career they love; some prefer being a homemaker. 

Even where and how you live will fit well into living a traditional simple life. Those who live in condominiums and apartments can live traditionally as easily as those who live on large farms. The only difference is to what degree you live.

Someone who lives in an apartment won’t have a milk cow, or sheep for wool. But they can still choose other categories such as homemaking, family, community, and handmade& DIY. 

These categories comprise of: 

·        Homemaking

·        Gardening

·        Food Preservation

·        Livestock

·        Handmade & DIY

·        Family

·        Community

·        Faith

Some of these may resonate with you; others may not be a viable option. Still, you can mold the list to fit your own preferences. 

Now let’s take a closer look at the categories. Each category has several elements that can be molded and shaped to fit your daily focus. Where someone with acreage may choose to raise livestock for food and income, apartment and suburban dwellers may not have the space or zoning allowances. But don’t let the lack of space inhibit you from living a traditional simple life.

Gardening is one way you can live in an apartment and still live traditionally and gardens can easily be adapted to most home sizes. Even if all you have is an apartment, you can still have a windowsill herb garden or a container garden on a balcony. A suburban dweller may not have a large yard but can still grow at least a portion of their food in flower beds or containers. 

Some of the traditional lifestyle elements for smaller space living include:

·        Cooking from scratch using traditional cooking techniques

·        Baking bread at home

·        Cleaning - and possibly making handmade cleaning products

·        Finances

·        Traditional gardening, such as growing your own food, composting, and saving seeds 

·        Traditional food preservation

·        Raising chickens for meat and eggs (for those who live in a suburban area)

·        Handcrafts and handmade items

·        Family – which includes values, communication, and activities - both one-on-one and as a whole

·        Community involvement, such as volunteering and raising awareness

·        Faith – such as Daily devotionals, worship services, and ministry

The larger space you live in, the more categories you can adopt, and the broader scope you can implement within each one. 

Another beauty of living a traditional simple life is that there is no one category that takes precedence over another. Instead, and over time, these categories and their elements will shift in priority, or blend together. If you grow your own food, tending the garden takes quite a bit of time and effort during the summer. It is then quickly followed by food preservation such as canning, freezing, and dehydrating. 

In the winter, there is more time to spend within the handmade category. In the spring, you may choose that ‘in between’ season to do spring cleaning or sitting down to plan your garden or meals for the next few months. Summer is perfect for more family time. And fall is a great opportunity for community gatherings, such as potlucks. 

There are some strong benefits to living a Traditional Simple Life. The first one would be the sense of Clarity.  This begins when you take a closer look at how you are living, and search for what is most important to you. From there, you can begin to see more clearly the things that truly are important and hold precedence, and begin eliminating those which aren’t, or interferes with those things that are. 

For example, if one of the most important things to you is your family, you will be able to see anything takes away from the time you spend with them. As many of those items as possible can then be adjusted or removed from your planner or things to do list. 

Values are another benefit. When living a traditional simple life, the foundation is set in place with the values you hold. These are things such as honesty, integrity, curiosity, reliability. Everything you do will be measured against your values. Those that don’t fit can be adjusted or eliminated. Those that do can be continued, or even increased.

One of the biggest benefits to a simple life is to learn the skills of our ancestors. The world we live in seems to be getting more and more ‘iffy’ every day. Our jobs aren’t as secure as they once were. The cost of living is increasing, but paychecks aren’t. And we are always looking over our shoulders for the next recession, Great Depression, or pandemic, all of which can shut down our lives as we know them.

Learning the traditional simple life skills of yesterday may just be what helps us to get through any ‘new normal’ we may encounter. Having these skills, and then handing them down to our children or teaching them to others, could be of major benefit to everyone. And when we do learn them and hand them down, we also begin to strengthen our bonds with them. 

At one time, traditional skills were taught and handed down from father to son, mother to daughter. Young girls were taught at an early age how to manage a home, and if you look even further back, they were taught how to spin, weave, sew, and cook.

Fathers taught their sons how to tend livestock, grow food, construction, leatherwork, cut firewood, and to even fish and hunt. In many households, children were expected to at least learn the basics of any chore that would help keep the household running smoothly.
Teaching and learning these skills helped to form a bond between the parents and child. Time was spent with each other. As the work took place, it opened up time for conversation. Bonds grew stronger. In the evenings, dinner was eaten together at the kitchen table, and afterwards, families spent time together telling stories, playing games, and just talking before bedtime.

 Over time, people began working outside the home. Many of the daily skills were no longer considered necessary, so they weren’t taught and shared. Families began spending more time working; children attended school and after-school activities. Eventually, the parents began to look at these skills as ‘old-fashioned’ and something they had only heard about their grandparents doing.

This begs the question: If the parents no longer have the skill, what happens to the bond that sharing and teaching once helped to create?

 This is what I believe the answer to that question is: In today’s society, many households require at least two incomes, if not more. This means that both parents usually are away from home for a minimum of 9 hours a day. In some cases, more. Children spend as much time attending school as the parents do work.

Evenings consist of more time away from home through after-school activities, overtime, or running errands. It’s no wonder that restaurants, take-out, and fast food have become so popular. 

With all of the time spent away from home, there is less time to spend together as a family. Instead, the main focus is on eating, homework, baths, and bed. Weekends are equally as busy with sports, more work, house cleaning, errands, and outside activities. 

There is minimal time left over to have simple conversations, much less enough to teach skills that parents no longer have or need. And learning new skills today focuses more on how to operate the latest technology rather than skills that require a hands-on approach.

Teaching the skills to your children is also a way to set an example for them and express the values you hold. They learn through your actions to value what they have. They learn patience, self-confidence, and sustainability. They also gain self-confidence, how to be innovative, resilient, and flexible. All of these values are skills that are beneficial throughout their life.

Are you ready to seriously consider living a more traditional simple life? Making the shift may take time and thought, but it isn’t difficult. All you have to do is take the first step. And I am here – not only to help you take the first step, but to ‘walk’ with you through your journey. You can start by visiting my website and reading the post You Don’t Need Permission to Live a Simple Life – you’ll find the link in the show notes. Then just take some time to explore and discover where your new Traditional Simple Life can lead!

If you want to learn more about living a Simple Life, just visit my website at www.thefarmwife.com/ . If you’re enjoying listening to these podcasts, you can support the show by clicking the SUPPORT button in the show notes. When you do, you’ll be helping me continue bringing you fun and helpful ideas for living the Simple Life you love!

If you have questions or just want to stop in for a visit, you can do that through email at thevirtualporch@gmail.com. And be sure to subscribe – you don’t want to miss a single conversation. I'll be sitting on the porch every Monday morning waiting for your visit!

Thanks again for stopping in. I will see you next week on Living a Simple Life with a Back Porch View. And while you are waiting for the next episode, grab that glass of refreshment, pull up a rocker, and sit back for a while. It’s time to relax and enjoy.

 
You Don't Need Permission to Live a Simple Life