I've heard that Voluntary Simplicity is a growing movement of people dedicated to living simple lives. They believe in minimizing consumption of material goods, not pursuing wealth for its own sake, avoiding debt, and reducing commitments to only those most necessary for personal satisfaction and well-being.
This practice has millions of followers around the world, many are in Europe, Australia, and North America. It?s been growing in popularity for over a decade. Living simpler has always intrigued me. I have tended to accumulate things. It used to be books. As I worked to clear out my books, I've been able to declutter and let go of other things as well. I don't live in Simplicity yet but would like to get close to this in the future. Just keeping what is needed.
Some people have been practicing Voluntary Simplicity from the start. Does it make them happier?
Multiple studies of people who practice voluntary simplicity have shown that they?re happier than average. They report significantly higher levels of happiness, satisfaction, and fulfillment. They score lower on tests designed to measure stress and tend to have lower levels of chronic illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes.
Furthermore, voluntary simplicity adherents who have been practicing for several years tend to have more financial security than the general population. They have less debt, as is expected, but also tend to work fewer hours and in fields they find personally fulfilling. They report having more control over their time and being able to devote more hours to cultivating relationships, volunteering, and leisure pursuits.
Does this mean you should actually join the voluntary simplicity movement if you want to be successful on your happiness journey? Not necessarily, like any other philosophy, it?s not for everyone. But that doesn?t mean you shouldn?t at least dip your toes in the water by trying on some of the ideas.
For example, even if minimalism doesn?t appeal to you, the chances are good that you have too much stuff. Most people in the modern world do. Living in a cluttered environment can raise stress and anxiety levels. It also gives you more things to clean, maintain, and put away. All of this can detract from your life satisfaction. Why not declutter your home and work and see how it makes you feel? This is what has helped me immensely. See too much 'stuff' around me actually stresses me out. I've found when I have more clear space and things in stored and organized, I can think much clearer.
Other ideas from the VS movement that you might want to try including getting out of debt and re-examining your commitments. This will give you more time, energy, and money to pursue the things that matter most to you, which helps you put in place two of the building blocks of happiness.
It won?t harm anything to try. And who knows? You might discover that you like it a lot more than you thought you would. You could end up becoming a happy proponent of voluntary simplicity.
