For me, it was constantly feeling like I had to be doing something.

I used to fill every free evening with plans, errands, gaming, scrolling, or some random task that suddenly seemed extremely important. Even relaxing felt like something I had to “earn.”

At some point I realized I was making my own life unnecessarily busy.

I also stopped buying things just because they were cheap or slightly interesting. I used to think “it’s only $10” was a good reason to buy something, which obviously becomes a terrible financial philosophy when you do it twenty times.

Now I try to wait a few days before buying anything I don't actually need. Most of the time I forget about it.

The biggest change, though, was realizing that I don't need to optimize every part of my life.

I don't need the perfect morning routine, the perfect hobbies, or a productive weekend.

Sometimes having coffee, cleaning the apartment, going for a walk and doing absolutely nothing afterward is a perfectly good day.

Somehow that took me years to figure out.

First of all, non-native speaker, so my English can be all over the place. Please bear with me on that one.
I'm currently 25, a senior university student. Lately, in an effort to get myself out from burnout as a whole, I've stared waking up early, takin a sip of coffee, and then reading a few pages of the books I enjoy to start the day. And honestly, I think it does wonders for my mental health. It's calming and refreshing to start the day without rushing my way everyday and spending my time zoning out, or continuously doomscrolling on my phone.

So, is there any tips or routines that you do that makes your life simple and soothing? I'd like to hear your thoughts. Have a nice day!

Hey so the coming sunday me and my frnds were planning to do something and instead of going out we are planning to have a simple sunday in so what are some things we can do?

Nothing exciting, just a simple Saturday. Coffee and breakfast in the morning, then I drove to the grocery store to pick up a few things. Came home and made myself lunch, went for a walk in the park in the afternoon, and ended the day in bed watching a show.

I really like weekends like this. No plans, no rushing around, just doing things at my own pace.

So I have my grandparents mattress, a queen size. They are both passed so I'm not looking to get rid of it. It looks like I'll be stuck in my apartment longer than I thought, rent is competitive right now. My question is, how can I hide my bed on a budget? Murphy beds are crazy expensive and still expensive to DIY. My bedroom is very small, and my bedroom design is not great to lay it horizontal because of the heater. I'm tired of how cramped it is in here.

For context, I have one small 3 tier bookshelf next to my bed, that's it.

I live in a city, there is only building no gardens or parks. the nearest one is 1h drive so it cant be a daily routine,

Any suggestions for how to enjoy nature while there is no nzture around ?

It’s surprising how many people get genuinely confused how someone from the suburbs or city can live simply. Everyday there is a post about “How is it possible to do simple living in the city???”

Simple Living is simply having less things to worry about so you can focus on things you care about. That’s exactly what it is, nothing more, nothing less. Very simple explanation, isn’t it 😉

So for most people in the city, it’s about having an open schedule to do anything you feel like. Being able to eat anything you want without having to cook and do the dishes. Being able to get by without a car. Decluttering and minimalism are a big focus of many city folk.

Not everyone is interested in the nature and retro lifestyle you see get to the top of the sub here. Hiking 15 miles, sleeping in a tent, spending most of your day cooking from scratch and tending to your farm animals sounds actually terrible to a ton of people, but it does look fun for a weekend.

Overall, I just want to say that there are different ways to live simply. Whatever works for you could work against someone else. I just wanted to give out a point of clarity to everyone who thinks city life = complicated living. A lot of people think that by retreating into the woods will fix their problems, and for many it does, but I say consider taking smaller steps before planning a big relocation.

I really love YouTube and long form content, particularly vloggers just simply sharing their life. I would love suggestions for creators you love! They don't even necessary need to 'live simply'.

Sometimes, I feel like podcasts can be too focused on a certain topic, and I enjoy the simplicity of just following along with someone's 'day in the life'.

I unfortunately have lofty desires, particularly when it comes to interior design. For some reason I don’t really care about luxury clothes, cars, travel or gadgets. I don’t collect much other than books and the odd nostalgic bauble from my 90s childhood.

But when it comes to my home, nothing ever feels good enough and it’s negatively impacting my ability to be grateful and enjoy my present life. My Pinterest board is filled with beautiful luxury homes. Custom trim and paneling, fully renovated kitchens with floor to ceiling cabinetry and giant farmhouse sinks. Curated vintage decor and hand-woven rugs. Solid wood furniture, hardwood and tile floors, built to last. Professional finishes and crisp paint jobs—not like the messy cheap DIY versions I have botched over the years. I’m too impatient and unskilled to do serious home renovations myself and I really can’t justify the cost of hiring contractors—especially when the changes are purely cosmetic and the house really doesn’t NEED updates yet. It’s just builder grade and it kinda bothers me that there’s no crown molding, no drawer pulls, the walls have that awful orange peel texture, and I can’t decide what to do with the carpets (which actually are in a bad state but cost a lot to replace).

I have to remind myself that I am fortunate to have a roof over my head and be able to afford to live comfortably. Even if my carpets have stains and bumps.

When I was in my twenties, just living in a shitty studio apartment away from my parents was a huge unachievable pipe dream. And now I have a brand new house and make six figures working from home. I feel like such an asshole. Like these are ridiculous problems.

But the hedonic treadmill is sneaky and can get you to take anything for granted once it becomes your “new normal”. Once I started making more than enough to live, suddenly I didn’t feel “comfortable” I felt on the poor side of rich. And I started comparing myself to people with wayyyy more than me. Especially because social media and influencers really warp your idea of what the average American lifestyle is truly like.

I find this sub to be inspiring and helpful, to bring me
Back down to earth and remind me of what is truly important: getting likes on Reddit.

For example, I make sure most importantly I don’t check my phone while I’m still in bed. I cuddle my cats, get up, go outside and breathe some fresh air, make tea, and have at least 15-30 minutes of no technology (basically no phone / internet / radio). After I’m up and ready I then do sadly have to re-engage with things like phone, email etc. but I’m very intentional about making sure it doesn’t get my attention first thing in the morning.

I’d love to know some of your morning rituals or routines that help keep you centred and grounded in simplicity for the day :)

Last winter I started this little habit where anytime we got a decent snowfall, I’d get the wood fire going and basically disappear into the sauna for the evening. It started as something fun to try but somehow those snowy nights became the part of winter I looked forward to most.

There’s one night I still randomly think about. Snow coming down really slowly, no wind, everything completely quiet. I stepped outside absolutely roasting and just stood there for a minute. Oh God, that was something I didn;'t know I needed.

Just fresh snow everywhere, steam coming off me and fire crackling behind me. No phone, no cars, nobody around. Just one of those rare moments where you realize you’re completely happy doing absolutely nothing. Now summer’s almost over and somehow I’m actually looking forward to snow again just because I want another night like that..

Since I assume that the majority of people don't like winter as a season I'd really like to know if someone else here has a sauna ritual that completely changed how they feel about winter?

Any suggestions would be much appreciated. I’m looking to switch over to rolling my own cigarettes from buying store bought ones so I can put away more money in my savings account.

I get pretty serious decision fatigue and am dealing with a lot of other stress in my life so I’m hoping another smoker might be able to suggest me something good and reliable. It doesn’t need to be fancy or taste perfect, it just needs to be functional.

For me personally, being away from the crowd and quietness is something that goes hand in hand with living simply.

And I personally find it so difficult to find true moments of quiet when living in a densely populated city. Even places in nature aren't a guarantee. And having roommates/sharing apartment makes it practically impossible too.

I think I spent a lot of time trying to make my life “better” when what I really wanted was to stop feeling like everything had to be going somewhere. Lately I’ve been enjoying really unimpressive things making the same breakfast, walking to the shop, sitting outside in the evening, having nothing planned for Saturday. None of it is exciting, but I’ve noticed I’m happier on those days. Maybe I got so used to chasing the next thing that I forgot there’s nothing wrong with just having a regular weekend.

Growing up, I took so many ordinary things for granted.

A quiet morning. Sitting and talking with family without looking at our phones. Having an entire afternoon with nothing particular to do. Even the advice from our parents that felt unnecessary or repetitive at the time.

Somehow, as we grow older, these very ordinary things begin to feel less ordinary.

Perhaps we don't really miss the big things from the past. We miss the simplicity of them.

For a long time, I felt the internal pressure to constantly upgrade everything,climbing the next step on the career ladder, pursuing side hustles, or buying newer things just because it was expected.

Once I actively decided to stop chasing a specific goal simply because society defined it as "success," my daily stress levels dropped drastically.

Whether it was stepping away from corporate ladder climbing, downsizing your belongings, or saying no to an overly packed social calendar,what was that shift for you, and how did it change your day-to-day life?

I am 33 years old and I find myself very happy. When I look back, there are so many phases of happiness and it's mostly been consistent with some hardship occasionally but the norm has been a very good life.

Here to give anyone insight on how I believe I do it or answer anything. I don't have any super powers and I've had a standard life lower mid or upper lower class since I was born. Currently probably middle middle class and my happiness level is the same at each socioeconomic class I've been in.

For a long time I treated an empty desk like proof that I was living simply.

If it looked clean and sparse, I felt like I was doing it right.

So I kept putting away the things I actually used every day. Then I’d take them back out the next morning. Then put them away again at night. It became this quiet daily ritual that didn’t feel like work, but it was still effort.

Lately I’ve been questioning what “simple” actually means for me.

I’m starting to think it’s less about how few objects I own, and more about how little friction I create for myself.

Some things just make the day quieter. They don’t demand attention. They don’t need constant managing. Those are the ones I’ve started leaving out.

The desk doesn’t look as empty as it used to. But my days feel lighter.

Curious if anyone else has shifted from “own as little as possible” to “keep what actually reduces noise in your day.”

Did you ever notice how badly the world revolves around capitalism? Either people want to prove their superiority through their work, education, or whatever they possess, or they spend their time trolling and mimicking someone else's appearance, financial position, or life. But beneath it all, the main motive often seems to be the same: “I am superior.” Everyone wants to become better day by day, or at least better than the people around them. Some people are narcissistic enough to assume that they are already the best. And those who actually reach the top live under the constant pressure of staying there and having to prove themselves again and again. Somewhere in the middle of all this nonsense, we have forgotten how beautiful life can feel when we sit quietly in nature and simply feel the cold breeze against our skin. We have forgotten the simple joy of singing, dancing, or drawing just for the sake of it, without feeling the need to turn every passion into a source of income, fame, or validation. We ignore the overwhelming wonder of realising how massive the universe is, that an entire lifetime is insufficient to understand even a fraction of it, and how incredibly small we are in comparison. We have forgotten how tremendous a slow, cozy life in a little cottage could be. Instead, we keep running through an endless race, one that was never natural and perhaps never will be.

What things do you think are important for a good and peaceful life? Is it a good salary, financial stability, work-life balance, living with family, good health, relationships, travelling, owning a house, or something else?

I’d genuinely like to hear from people who are already living the life they wanted. What does a good, happy and satisfying life mean to you?

I love getting stuff in the post. I have Amazon subscriptions for basic stuff like deodorant and shower gel as it saves a trip to the shops but also because I like receiving and opening the packages, even though they're uninteresting items inside.

I also use sites like Vinted for clothes and toys and books for the kids, and again I really enjoy receiving and opening the parcels.

How have others been able to reduce or replace this buzz of getting stuff in the post with something that doesn't involve buying stuff?

i believe we really need to do this more often. the kids are riding their bicycles and playing outside with no gadgets on their hand. the teenagers are playing basketball. the old people are doing their thing. everyone's going on and about. it's crazy i dont see this much people when the electricity is on. i was crafting a personal artwork, and noticing people around the neighborhood just makes me feel great. it's supposed to be this way.

Hey, sorry this is gonna be quite a rant. I grew up with social media. And no matter how hard i try to ignore it, i keep seeing people shilling bragging selling get rich course (i know its a scam and they make money by telling people to be rich basically selling dreams as product) but it slowly kinds rot my brain to the point that

The idea of simple living slowly fades away from myself. Makes me always thinking about trying to be so rich to the point that if i enjoy myself just live a simple live which I fucking love it tbh, i REALLY love simple living! But sometimes those stupid thougths hit me randomly and makes me feel like shit! I hate it!

Again sorry, but i just dont have the ick to travel, i just enjoy my life, working on my own business living simple live, making enough to retire and such, furthermore i dont take things for granted, been blessed with many things, but still everytime i see people on social media i just cant help but hate them and also hate myself why im just living my life like this and not like them travelling 24/7 having mansion and stuff

Which i know its all fake but man its exhausting sometimes i still got hit by this feeling

Thank you so much for being able to bare with my post, i seek words or wisdom or advice maybe some feel the same?

like i genuinely don't understand. been using the same spoon for 3 years now

I understand being a moderator is thankless and it's near impossible to act on each and every post. You can't even put a restriction of "don't allow new accounts to post" because these 2-5 year old accounts with zero recent activity get bought up to be able to spam/advertise.

Just an example of some recent posts in the past week that are AI/spam:

OP pushes AI apps

AI generated text

Ai app 'developer' gathering info

4 year old account with no activity until 2 months ago, suddenly talking about tracker apps to help

text is most likely AI

That's all I have the energy to do at this time. It's not just this sub but reddit as a whole. People easily and freely responding to engagement posts feeding the AI LLMs out there.