Chapter 2 author's words

Let the boat of your life carry only what you need, for example: all you want is a modest home and a simple joy; one or two worthwhile friends; some people you love or who love you; one a cat; a dog; a flute or two; just enough food and clothing; and a little more water; for lack of water and thirst is a dangerous thing. Jerome Klapka Jerome A few years ago, I sat at my desk and lazily glanced at my calendar, which was designed in a time-management model.The calendar is chock-full of to-do sheets, phone lines, time planners, meeting quotes, goal-setting sheets, productivity charts, and five- to ten-year career planning sheets.Suddenly, I realized that I shouldn't be living such a complicated life anymore.

I immediately picked up the phone and made arrangements for a weekend getaway.I left that time management book at home and took only a notebook with me on vacation knowing that I had a lot to do. People of my generation, like my husband Gibbs and I, have accepted the 1980s notion that big is good and a lot is good.We have big houses, big cars, almost every convenience, and a lot of the toys of a typical yuppie lifestyle.Then, we will gradually realize that in the face of many complicated things in life, it is not so much that we are too involved in life, but rather that we are unwilling to admit the fact that we complicate life.We all know there's no need to compare yourself to others, but in the end, we can't help but face the fact that after a hearty lunch, the only thing we'll get is indigestion.Right now, it should be time for us to get out of the chaotic life.

A few days later, I wandered alone in a quiet corner of my vacation home, making a list of things that would improve our quality of life by simplifying it.When I got home, Gibbs and I sat down and discussed these things.Happily, he agreed with all of my suggestions for changing the whole point and most of the details. The first thing to do is to clear out those things that are not used (the first method).We've taken the big step of moving our homes out of the country so we can work close to where we live (Act 55) and we can do things we really want to do (Act 52) .We moved to a smaller house while the project was underway (Law 9).In a few years, we also simplified our dining habits (Act 57), consolidated our investments (Act 46), sold the damn yacht (Act 21), and reviewed our shopping habits (Law 40), and decisively reduce the demand for goods and services (Law 42).Step by step, we gradually realize the ideas mentioned in this book.

As we executed this simplified plan, we had three clear goals in mind.First, we need to reduce the needs in life, such as houses, cars, clothes, meals, finances, etc., to a level that we can easily manage. Second, we need to free ourselves from commitments, crowds, and constraints so that we have time to do the things we want to do.We make up our minds not to do what we think we should do.Doing this not only saves us a lot of time, but also reduces a lot of stress because we don't have to do things we don't like to do. Third, we want our lives and desires to be in harmony, and to live in harmony with the environment.

For us, simplifying life is not a back-to-nature movement of the sixties, although we really want to have more nature in our lives, and we already have it.While nearly half of the advice in this book will allow you to spend less, saving your life isn't the focus of this book.As far as we are concerned, simplifying life means downgrading life, but maintaining comfort, removing complexity, and minimizing the demands of our 1980s life. As we embark on simplifying our lives, I long for some advanced guidance.I searched carefully in libraries and bookstores.While I've collected a decent number of books on the philosophy of simplifying my life, I haven't been able to find anything concrete from them that I can actually do.So, we had no choice but to go down by groping hard.

Every time we take an important step toward simplifying our lives, we discover other small details that help simplify our lives, and we add to those discoveries.Therefore, I can draw a conclusion: If we two are more rational people, have fallen into a frenzied pace and the popular consumption trend of the 1980s, then there must be more people besides us. Rational people live the same life, and these people are necessarily looking for concrete ways to simplify their lives.So I decided to write this book, a compilation of life-simplification things we actually did, plus what we learned from some like-minded friends.

Like us, your life has probably become complicated enough to implement some or all of the advice in this book.Or, you just need to practice one or two things, like sorting out your relationships (method 72), changing your expectations (method 88), etc., when you need to enjoy other areas of your life When it comes to fun, these methods will provide a basis for simplifying your life.In any case, keep in mind the idea that simplifying one man's life complicates another.When we decide to withdraw from the holidays (law 33), we are given great freedom, however, this decision may also add more untold complexity to our lives, you must judge for yourself.

Throughout human history, intelligent men and women in every major culture have discovered no more secrets to happiness, at best less need for happiness.It seems that there are still some beautiful things in the 1990s, like people can give up any unpleasant things at will, and they can integrate the experience of the 1980s, pursuing a simple life, not blindly obsessed with the elegance of the 1990s life and move on to the next century.Thus, we can, like Thoreau [Note: Henry David Thoreau, American writer and philosopher], benefit a lot from the simplicity of life and the movement of the times.Let's simplify our lives and have fun doing it!