An authentic life is a simple life

“Sometimes the most happy people in life are the ones with nothing. We can’t lose sight of the little things in life that should make us the happiest.” Ryan Cabrera

About a year ago I became conscious that I was living a life that did not feel like mine. I was going through all the motions but it was as if I had an avatar living my life. I was there but I wasn’t present. This had to change! I was now a father to a young child and I did not want her to grow up not knowing me and me not knowing her.

My life had become a routine of complication. I had assumed all too common business mantra of success. I was trying to look smart by engaging in conversations sticky in complexity. I became lost in the allure of looking like I was on top of my game. The thing is, the more this kept the pretence up, the more I was loosing my self. I had lost touch with the simple things in life.

It is the little things in life that make the magic.

Over time I have come to change all that and I am now so much more present, grounded and happier. The change feels like it took a long time but it has been the greatest gift I could have given myself.

So far it has all come down to defining what is important to me and my life. Being honest with myself and identifying what was missing in my life. Working out what I needed to do, to change, to be. I found that for me there were a set of five principles that would work as a guide for me to live a more authentic life. One of these is simplicity.

“A man is rich in proportion to the number of things which he can afford to let alone.” Henry David Thoreau

I decided to focus on simple, little things that brought joy.

Whether the beautiful sunset on my way home, the new words my daughter was using or even the smile from a stranger. I found great joy in little pleasures in the world out there. I started to be present with my friends and in conversations. I dropped the story and started to live in the moment.

This meant that in the world inside me there were also changes made. I started to celebrate little wins. I found joy in hitting personal goals in my meditation and not loosing my temper as often. I revel in the joys of observing my breath. Rather than beating myself up for failures, I accepted my faults and celebrated my strengths.

I started a simple daily morning routine as a cornerstone to starting each day on a positive foot. I set the intention daily to notice the little things, to keep things simple and to enjoy them when they happen.

The best thing of all, the change is working. People have told me how much nicer I am to be around. I look more relaxed and at peace and, I have dropped my avatar. Not every day is perfect and I am still sometimes short tempered, drawn to complexity or hard on myself. The thing is, I have been to the other side, so now I recognise it when I have gone off track.

Such a simple change has brought such immense benefits. Simplicity in life is a gift that the modern age seems to have forgotten to emphasize. I decided to break the norm and learn from the ages and sages.

Simplicity in my life has led to less clutter and greater authenticity.

When last did you stop to just admire a flower while in a rush to get somewhere? When last did you pay attention to your breathing? If you haven’t embraced simplicity, try it out. It has made my life feel amazing again.