This week our nation will be celebrating the 4th of July, which we all know is the birthdate of our country gaining freedom. Our forefathers created and signed the Declaration of Independence, which gave us political separation from Great Britain.
By choosing to live a simple life, you have gotten your own brand of freedom – the separation from the tyranny of a life where something or someone other than yourself dictates you where you live, how you live, when you can come, when you can go, what job you can have, or what lifestyle you can live.
It’s your life, your choice. And you even get to create your own definition of what that simple life you’re living means to you, and the elements you want to include in it.
No matter how you define it, there is so much freedom in living a simple life, both internally and externally.
As for external freedoms, one of the biggest ones is gaining control of our finances. Smart money management offers you a stronger sense of freedom and security and gives you the ability to live your simple life on your own terms. It allows for a greater opportunity to pursue your passions, take better care of your family and yourself, and be relieved of the stressors that come with being deeply in debt.
We also have the freedom to choose how we spend our time. Another huge stressor in life is having an overflowing schedule that is filled so full we can never even hope to complete everything listed. Instead, we choose to find the things that align with our priorities and eliminate as many – if not all – of the things that don’t. By doing so, we are able to find more time in our days to actively pursue those things that are most important to us – our faith, family, friends, home, and community. And there is even time left over to take care of ourselves and spend time indulging in our passions.
Our internal freedom comes from the peace of mind we have cultivated just by living the life we choose. We have a sense of contentment seeing an organized home, watching as our gardens grow with fresh food, and knowing we have enough quality time left over to spend with our family, friends, and even to take a much-needed Afternoon Tea break during the day.
Living a simple life brings many facets of freedom to your life. Think about the freedom you can achieve just when growing a garden. There are external benefits such as exercise, feeding your family, and being able to choose what to plant. The internal benefits are the comfort level knowing your homegrown food tastes better, has been grown without herbicides and pesticides, and knowing you can still feed your family even in the event of financial hardship or world-wide catastrophic events.
There is also a sense of freedom when you use that fresh food to create meals for your family. You know they eat healthily, and you have a wider range of choices in what to prepare. When you go to a restaurant, you are limited to the items listed on a menu. When you cook at home, you can pick and choose from an almost unlimited menu – from a simple fare of soup and sandwiches to family favorites. You also have the freedom to exercise your creative nature and learn to cook and bake new and different things. The only limit you have is your imagination.
One aspect of the freedom to live a simple life is the ability to set our own boundaries. We set those boundaries to keep out any person, relationship, or activity that can be toxic and harmful to ourselves, our family, and our way of life. We also have the choice of letting people, relationships, and activities that are healthy and positive cross those boundaries and bring us even more joy and happiness. By choosing when and where to set those boundaries can bring us a stronger sense of contentment and place us on a deeper level of emotional wellbeing.
Living a simple life also brings us a certain degree of fulfillment and liberation knowing we can make choices for our lives that align with our priorities, values, and passions. It gives us a sense of inner strength and resilience knowing we have the ability to bounce back quicker from hardships.
Creativity also brings us freedom. By actively pursuing creative endeavors, we can provide an outlet for self-expression. Being creative is also known for helping to reduce stress.
If you love the idea of living a simple life, there are some simple ways you can achieve the freedom that comes with it.
1. Create your own definition of a Simple Life - Way back in Episode 3, we talked about what a Simple Life is, and how we can create our own definition. Without knowing how to define it for yourself, it’s difficult to follow through. If you’re ready to create your own personal definition of what a simple life means to you, listening to Episode 3 can help get you started.
2. Set Your Priorities – once you know these, it’s easier to start adapting your lifestyle to fit within them. For instance, if one of your priorities is your family, you need to have more quality time to spend with them. That means adjusting your schedule to eliminate anything that doesn’t fit with your simple lifestyle, which in turn frees up more time to spend with your family.
3. Shift Your Schedule – freeing up time from unnecessary busyness allows you more time to focus on what is truly important. Prioritize the tasks that align with your values. And arrange the things that you have to do (such as errands, doctor’s appointments, etc.) in a way that is organized and easier to handle. For instance, if you know you have a doctor’s appointment on Wednesday, use the time before or after to run any errands you may have, rather than run them on another day of the week.
4. Create a Cleaning Schedule – housework is a never-ending process. By creating a cleaning schedule, we can better maintain our homes in less time. A quick 30-minute walk through on a daily basis keeps the house neat. More involved cleaning (such as mopping floors, cleaning out the refrigerator, etc.) can be done on a weekly basis, and heavier cleaning on a monthly or annual schedule.
5. Declutter Frequently – Make it a practice to put away items that are out of place. For small things that seem to build up on a daily basis (car keys, loose change, receipts, etc.) use strategically placed baskets or containers to collect it all. You can place a basket next to the door for the keys and receipts. Add a jar to collect the loose change. When the jar is full, roll up the change and put it in savings, or use it to treat the family to ice cream.
6. Practice Consumption Awareness – pay close attention to what you bring into your life, whether it is material, digital, or even commitments. Choose wisely and leave anything that is unnecessary alone. This also applies to negative attitudes. One of the things the Country Boy is building me is a sign to place on a post by my gate. It will say, “Check Your Attitude at the Gate’, and underneath that will be several hooks that will hold tiny baskets. We work hard at keeping our home and farm a warm and welcoming place to be. Negative attitudes can destroy all our hard work, so we prefer that people don’t bring them in. And yes – that includes us, as well.
7. Take Care of Yourself – I have always stood by my belief that if you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t be in any position to take care of others. Schedule time for yourself on a regular basis. That could mean a simple Afternoon Tea Break each day, indulging in a bubble bath and home spa day once a week, or simply enjoying coffee or lunch with a friend.
8. And last – but certainly not least - Learn to Be Grateful – instead of focusing on everything that is wrong in life, learn to look for the silver lining. By finding even the smallest things to be grateful for, we find that we begin to encourage a positive outlook. Yes, some days it’s harder than others to find things to be grateful for.
Just recently we dealt with quite a few days of storms, which made the pastures a muddy mess. While feeding, my rubber boot got stuck in a deep puddle and I ended up being the filling in a cow sandwich as my bull and one of the cows closed in around me trying to maneuver into position at the feed trough. It was a bit scary knowing the ‘bread’ in that sandwich was a weight combination of around 2500 pounds, and one wrong move meant I could have been kicked, stepped on or knocked down and pushed into the mud.
Surprisingly, it also turned out to be my way of escape. By leveraging myself against their pressure, I was able to pull my boot free and step away safely. And I quickly found I was more than grateful that I have docile cows.
There really is a great amount of freedom when you choose to live a simple life. By incorporating more aspects of slowing down, choosing to live within the parameters set by your priorities and your passions, you’ll begin to find more joy, a deeper level of fulfillment, and a greater sense of contentment in life. And after all, isn’t that what having the freedom to live a simple life is all about?
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, please 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!
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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.
