Why Simple Living Creates Everyday Heroes

In this episode, we’re opening the door to our 2026 theme, Be Someone’s Hero, and talking about how a simple life naturally shapes everyday heroes. When we slow down and live with intention, we begin to notice the quiet needs around us — and that’s where small deeds and steady kindness make the biggest difference.

Join me on the back porch as we explore how faith, presence, and the rhythms of simple living help us become a gentle force for good right where we are.

NEW! - Companion Resource:
This month’s episode pairs with January’s eWorkbook, The Hero Within, filled with worksheets, tips, and simple tools to help you live out small deeds with purpose.

Transcript

Episode 197: Why Simple Living Creates Everyday Heroes

Happy New Year! Welcome back to the back porch. Go ahead and grab yourself a cup of coffee or hot tea, get comfy in your favorite chair, and take a deep breath. You’ve found a quiet corner in your day, and I’m so glad you’re here.

For those who are just joining us on the porch, I’m Julie. Not only do I host this podcast, but I’m also a blogger and a writer of both the non-fiction Simple Life series, as well as fiction – mostly in the suspense genre. If you want to learn more about that, just check out the show notes for links to my websites and my books. But for now, we’re going to kick off the new year with a new aspect of living a simple life.

As we begin a brand new year together, I want to invite you on a journey. This year we will be talking about how to Be Someone’s Hero — A Year of Small Deeds, Quiet Strength, and Meaningful Impact through the lens of a Simple Life. Each month we’ll talk about how you can be someone’s hero in different areas of your simple life. And if you want to dig even deeper into the topics, I’m now offering a different eWorkbook each month that follows along with the monthly conversations. In it you will find over 20 pages of thoughtful explanations, Tips, Checklists, Worksheets, a recipe, a simple DIY project and more. To get your copy, simply click the link in the show notes. It will take you straight to my shop.

Now that we have that covered, let’s dive in and get our new year kicked off right. Let’s learn how you can be Someone’s Hero.

But please, don’t let that word “hero” scare you off. We’re not talking about capes, fame, or big dramatic moments. We’re talking about the kind of heroism that often goes unnoticed — the kind that happens in kitchens, gardens, small-town churches, and on quiet roads where someone stops to help a stranger.

This year, we’re going to look at what it means to live with quiet strength, to make meaningful impact through small, intentional deeds, and to discover how a simple life — the kind you and I love — can actually shape the world around us in powerful ways.

And today, we’re starting with the foundation: Why Simple Living Creates Everyday Heroes.

Now, you might be wondering, how does simple living make someone a hero? Isn’t heroism about doing something grand or extraordinary?

Well, I believe simple living creates space for the very things that make heroes who they are. When life slows down, when we clear away the clutter — not just in our homes, but in our hearts and schedules — we begin to see what really matters. We have time to notice the people around us, to listen, to lend a hand, and to show kindness without needing recognition.

Simple living roots us in purpose. It helps us focus on faith, family, and community — the places where real heroism begins.

Let’s start by redefining what it means to be a hero. So often, we picture heroes as those who run into burning buildings, climb mountains, or change the course of history. And yes, there’s incredible courage in those acts. But there’s also courage in much smaller moments — the ones that rarely make the news.

There’s heroism in the mother who gets up before dawn to make breakfast and pray for her children.

There’s heroism in the man who works quietly behind the scenes, fixing things, building things, caring for others with strong, steady hands.

There’s heroism in the neighbor who brings soup to someone who’s sick, or in the friend who sits and listens when you’ve had a hard day.

Simple living gives us room to see these things as sacred — to value them for what they are: small acts of love that ripple outward into something far greater.

You see, heroes don’t always wear uniforms. Sometimes, they wear aprons, garden gloves, and well-worn boots. They live ordinary lives with extraordinary hearts.

And when you choose a simple life — one built on faith, gratitude, and intentional living — you open the door to that kind of heroism.

Mother Teresa once said, “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” That’s the heartbeat of this year’s theme.

Simple living teaches us to slow down and pay attention. When we’re not rushing, striving, or comparing ourselves to others, we begin to see where we’re needed. A simple life helps us notice the small moments where love can make all the difference.

It might be writing a note of encouragement, offering a ride to a neighbor, or teaching a child how to plant a seed. It might be choosing patience instead of frustration, or gratitude instead of complaint.

These small deeds might not look heroic, but they’re the very things that shape a community, that build trust, that lift others when they’re weary. They’re the heartbeat of a simple, meaningful life.

And the beauty of it is — anyone can do them. You don’t need special training or a platform. You just need a willing heart and the courage to show up.

Another reason simple living creates heroes is that it builds quiet strength.

We live in a noisy world, don’t we? Everyone’s hustling, striving, and sharing their highlight reels. But simple living invites us to turn down the volume — to build our lives on steady rhythms, deep faith, and contentment.

Quiet strength doesn’t shout for attention. It doesn’t need applause. It’s the strength that holds families together, the strength that stays calm in chaos, the strength that forgives, endures, and believes the best in others.

When you live simply, you develop resilience — not because life is always easy, but because you’ve learned where your roots are. You’ve found your anchor in faith and learned that your worth isn’t tied to what you produce, but to who you are in Christ.

And that kind of strength — quiet, humble, steadfast — is exactly what this world needs.

Now, here’s the beautiful part: when we combine small deeds with quiet strength, something powerful happens. We begin to make meaningful impact — not just in our own lives, but in the lives of others.

You might be thinking, What difference can I make? But remember, a simple life creates ripples. The way you live — your kindness, your example, your faithfulness — it all has a way of inspiring others.

Maybe someone sees the way you tend your garden, and they start one too — and before long, they’re sharing fresh vegetables with their neighbors. Maybe you invite a friend to your kitchen table, and that simple act of hospitality gives them hope. Maybe your children or grandchildren watch the way you handle hard times, and they carry that quiet courage with them into their own lives.

Impact doesn’t always look like grand gestures. Sometimes it’s one person, one heart at a time. And that’s enough.

When you live a simple life, you’re teaching others — without even realizing it — that peace is possible. That faith can guide you. That life doesn’t have to be complicated to be full and rich.

Of course, we can’t talk about heroism or simple living without talking about faith.

At the heart of a simple life is trust — trust that God provides, that His timing is perfect, and that we’re called to love others right where we are. Faith reminds us that we don’t need to do everything; we just need to do what He’s placed before us.

It’s in that faith that we find direction, purpose, and peace. Faith is what turns a chore into an act of service, a conversation into encouragement, a meal into ministry.

So as we walk through this year of small deeds, quiet strength, and meaningful impact, remember: you’re not walking alone. You’re being guided by a faithful God who delights in using ordinary people to do extraordinary things.

I want you to think back over the past few weeks. Can you recall a moment — maybe something small — where someone showed up for you? Maybe they prayed with you, brought a meal, or simply listened. It probably didn’t make headlines, but I bet it made a difference.

Now, think about ways you might do the same for someone else this week. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Maybe it’s sending a text, baking a loaf of bread, or offering a word of encouragement. Maybe it’s taking a little extra time to truly listen to someone who needs to be heard.

That’s where heroism begins — in the simple, intentional choices to love well.

As we move through this new year together, that’s what I want to invite you into — a life of quiet heroism. The kind that grows out of gratitude, faith, and the willingness to do small things with great love.

Because when we live simply, we live attentively. We become aware of needs, of beauty, of opportunities to serve. And that’s when ordinary life starts to feel sacred — full of meaning and purpose.

This year, we’ll explore stories and reflections to help you live that out — from finding your anchor in faith to building a rhythm of service and gratitude. We’ll talk about being a light in your community, nurturing your home, and sharing your gifts in ways that matter.

But for now, take a deep breath. Step outside if you can. Listen to the wind, the birds, maybe even the creak of a porch swing. Get centered. Let your heart settle into the simplicity of this moment.

You don’t need to change the whole world today. Just start with love — right where you are. Because when you live simply, you’re already shaping the world around you in ways you may never see.

Until next time, take it slow, savor the simple things, and remember — you’re already someone’s hero.