On Simple Life
The idea of leading a simple life often feels distant in today's ever-changing, ever more demanding world. There's this relentless hustle culture where everyone is pressured to aim for the highest status and greatest wealth. Social media is riddled with images of constant achievement, pushing the narrative that more is better. It makes you question whether what you have is ever enough, whether it holds any value. It can leave you feeling ungrateful, making you blind to who you are and what you already possess, devaluing your experiences, and dulling your sense of personal values - turning you into a chaser of dreams that aren’t even your own.
We often do things for others - and I’m not talking about selfless actions, I’m talking about acquiring something or trying to be someone we’re not just to show off and get validation from others. It’s a self-destructive loop to get stuck in, because actions and behaviors must be motivated by self-love and acceptance of our true self. I think this leads to better outcomes for everyone and less wasted time and energy.
Own more, be more, strive for more - this never-ending, exhausting race where happiness and self-worth become defined by material possessions and others' perceptions of who we are. The definition of success is obviously not universal. It's not about who has more money in the bank or a bigger house. It’s not even about the competition - we are constantly told we must compete against one another for higher ranks, higher paychecks, greater social acceptance - when the only person we really have to compete with and keep reinventing is ourselves. So, it’s about living a purposeful life, where the only person you compare yourself to is your past self, and the goals you set are your own.
The truth is, things break, people leave, and opinions become outdated. At the end of the day, it’s just you vs. you, and the only thing that matters is living according to your own values. There's a different version of you in everyone’s mind, but we don’t have to meet anyone’s expectations or match up to the assumptions they have about us in their heads. You know who you are and what you want, so just go after that. Then why is it so hard? Or is it? What exactly do you think makes it hard? Our attachment to validation, our pride, and our shaky self-worth often come from placing too much importance on how others see us.
We all want to feel like we belong, like we’re a part of something, so we adjust our actions to fit in, often unconsciously nourishing the ego that craves approval. But the ego is never satisfied, always asking for more validation, leading to a cycle of anxiety and insecurity. When we constantly seek acceptance outside ourselves, we abandon our true selves. This is not good stuff, in case it wasn’t already obvious.
Ditching the ego doesn’t mean abandoning ambition or becoming passive, however. It means freeing yourself from the endless pursuit of external validation and recognizing that lasting contentment comes from within. When you're no longer a slave to others' opinions, you begin to see your worth through your own eyes. You stop competing with others, and instead, you focus on being better than the person you were yesterday. This shift creates a sense of peace because you're no longer chasing a moving target that keeps changing with every opinion you encounter.
Being your own judge means recognizing your growth, giving yourself credit where it's due, and holding yourself accountable to the standards you set for yourself - not the ones society dictates. When you accept yourself, your decisions are based on what truly matters to you, not on what will make you seem more successful or likable in the eyes of others.
And if some people walk away because you no longer fit their version of you, and they’re not comfortable with the growing version of you - good riddance. Those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.
If you're not living happily, at peace, and in alignment with what truly matters to you, then what the hell else is there? Everything is temporary, such is the nature of the material world—things metamorphose from one state to another, but the memories created from experiences will stay with you until your days are over. That’s why experiences are the only thing worth investing in.
They don’t always require a lot of money, but saying that money doesn’t matter is bullshit. Money is the tool that allows us to try things, to discover what works for us and what doesn’t. Lacking financial security brings about anxiety, stealing time from the things you love. And time is by far the most valuable currency. You don’t need millions to feel secure, and you also don’t need to trade more hours of your life for more money that has no added value to your happiness.
You see, for every point, there’s a counterpoint. Is living with fewer possessions smart, or does it mean denying ourselves comfort and a sense of belonging? I think the key is not to go to the extreme ends - don’t be a hoarder or an ascetic. Find the middle ground. Be grateful for what you have, and let go of what no longer serves you without regret. Freedom often comes from having and being less, but it’s also about being unapologetically yourself.
I’ve always been quite straightforward, but I sometimes hold back because circumstances seem to demand it. I’d rather say things as I feel them and let whatever happens, happen. How many times have we stayed silent, thinking they wouldn’t understand, thinking they’d get offended, while the other person likely wonders the same? And so, nothing gets said, and the thought is buried under layers of doubt. I feel like the world would be simpler if everyone spoke what's on their mind Sure, it would be harsher on our sensitive selves, but it would be far better than this pretentiousness and duality we often navigate. We need to get simpler because living authentically is freedom.