Voluntary Simplicity
Candlefocus EditorAt its core, voluntary simplicity is a lifestyle decision aimed at de-emphasizing accumulation of money and material goods - in return for a more meaningful lifestyle that’s less stressful and often, more sustainable for the environment. As conventional consumer channels are avoided in favour of experience based activities. Simple living advocates move away from the idea that possessions equate to happiness and instead suggest that contentment can be found in reducing these types of material ties.
The promise of voluntary simplicity is that it can cultivate peace of mind and a greater sense of joy as it has the ability to reduce the need to make material possessions the priority. People who practice voluntary simplicity say it isn’t about deprivation but liberation – that simplifying our lives in this way can help to reduce the pressures of keeping up with the Jones’ and enable more thoughtful decisions to be made about what’s important and worth spending money on. It also puts an ethical angle on lifestyle choices, allowing people to critically think about whether we are consuming responsibly and if what we are consuming is beneficial to us and our planet.
In doing so, voluntary simplicity can have great environmental benefits as it encourages fewer purchases and less production, reducing our impact on the environment. In Britain, for example, recent research found that cut down on food, fashion and Christmas shopping were the best ways for Britons to reduce their environmental impact.
The ideal of voluntary simplicity is not new, having first been popularized by non-conformists in the past such as Henry David Thoreau who, throughout his writings, promoted the notion of a ‘simple and hard won’ livelihood. Particular emphasis was laid on the necessity of nature in this form of living and the importance of living a life free from anything which might restrict the pursuit of meaningful activities and experiences.
Ultimately, voluntary simplicity is a highly personal activity. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach and everyone’s journey will of course look different. What’s important is that it’s an individual decision that comes from a place of intention and an understanding of what is truly important. Voluntary simplicity is an alternative lifestyle that is ideal for anyone who wants to feel less overburdened by material possessions and more connected to life’s experiences.