Comments on: What Voluntary Simplicity Is NOT http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-voluntary-simplicity-is-not/ About finding balance in your life, connecting with who you are, and creating a lifestyle where you wake up each morning eagerly anticipating the day ahead. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:29:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jude http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-voluntary-simplicity-is-not/#comment-73890 Jude http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-voluntary-simplicity-is-not/#comment-73890 What a stimulating article. We have similar views. We live in Costa Rica where we can live more closely to our values, simplicity being one of them. I've noticed here there is a big difference between being poor and living simply. Poor means there's not enough food or medical care. Living simply is a choice about what to consume and what's important. We've learned a great deal from the Costa Rican people, about priorities in life. For these people, family is number one. From the family there is always food and shelter. And in this developing country, everyone has medical care and everyone has an opportunity for education. We feel like very well treated guests in this very special country. What a stimulating article. We have similar views.

We live in Costa Rica where we can live more closely to our values, simplicity being one of them.

I’ve noticed here there is a big difference between being poor and living simply. Poor means there’s not enough food or medical care. Living simply is a choice about what to consume and what’s important. We’ve learned a great deal from the Costa Rican people, about priorities in life. For these people, family is number one. From the family there is always food and shelter. And in this developing country, everyone has medical care and everyone has an opportunity for education.

We feel like very well treated guests in this very special country.

]]> By: Nan http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-voluntary-simplicity-is-not/#comment-72982 Nan http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-voluntary-simplicity-is-not/#comment-72982 Shirley, I live in the deep south. We, like your family, live in a very rural area on land that has been held by family for generations. We live clean, we eat clean, we live simply. We at one time used the farm for our "hunting camp" as we lived in a 5000sq ft house in the CC "in town" 45 minutes away. My husbands industry was hard hit in the recession and we we struggling keeping up with the house and the "Joneses" and one day after spending a weekend at the farm,we got tired of the stress and said,"what are we doing?"... Four happy years later we are still here- happily living simply. What began as a financial stress reliever turned into a lifestyle of enjoying our lives more, putting more emphasis on happiness and living and less emphasis on what now we personally view as unimportant. We are debt free,living and eating clean and happy with our kids. Our kids cyber/home school and enjoy the freedom. My husband lost his job 3 weeks ago, and this has put stress on us...but not nearly as it would be if we hadn't changed out life to a more simple one. Our freezers are stocked with vension, fresh vegetables, and our pantry is stocked with enough natural, healthy ingredients (baking etc) that we can live well for a very long time. Simplicity is certainly not living poor...but when you have to live poor to have the skills earned from living simply, those skills are priceless. Shirley,

I live in the deep south. We, like your family, live in a very rural area on land that has been held by family for generations. We live clean, we eat clean, we live simply. We at one time used the farm for our “hunting camp” as we lived in a 5000sq ft house in the CC “in town” 45 minutes away. My husbands industry was hard hit in the recession and we we struggling keeping up with the house and the “Joneses” and one day after spending a weekend at the farm,we got tired of the stress and said,”what are we doing?”… Four happy years later we are still here- happily living simply. What began as a financial stress reliever turned into a lifestyle of enjoying our lives more, putting more emphasis on happiness and living and less emphasis on what now we personally view as unimportant. We are debt free,living and eating clean and happy with our kids. Our kids cyber/home school and enjoy the freedom. My husband lost his job 3 weeks ago, and this has put stress on us…but not nearly as it would be if we hadn’t changed out life to a more simple one. Our freezers are stocked with vension, fresh vegetables, and our pantry is stocked with enough natural, healthy ingredients (baking etc) that we can live well for a very long time. Simplicity is certainly not living poor…but when you have to live poor to have the skills earned from living simply, those skills are priceless.

]]> By: Jesse http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-voluntary-simplicity-is-not/#comment-46944 Jesse http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-voluntary-simplicity-is-not/#comment-46944 Shirley, I feel late coming to the party. I am an American expat living in Southern Chile. I stumbled upon your site while looking for a something on a post about starting fire in wood heaters and stoves. I love the site and am subscribed. It is interesting how this is the NORMAL lifestyle in much of the world. I have been blessed to influence people I love to make this kind of change in their lives and the benefit it has had for their family. I am email a link to this article to others and will be linking to your site soon. Thanks for caring enough about others to share. Shirley,

I feel late coming to the party. I am an American expat living in Southern Chile. I stumbled upon your site while looking for a something on a post about starting fire in wood heaters and stoves. I love the site and am subscribed. It is interesting how this is the NORMAL lifestyle in much of the world. I have been blessed to influence people I love to make this kind of change in their lives and the benefit it has had for their family. I am email a link to this article to others and will be linking to your site soon. Thanks for caring enough about others to share.

]]> By: Kathryn http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-voluntary-simplicity-is-not/#comment-41342 Kathryn http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-voluntary-simplicity-is-not/#comment-41342 I just found this site and I love it. I have been living what is now called either voluntary simplicity or sustainable living for a long, long time. I didn't know there were "names" for such living until the past few years. I am only living as my parents and their parents. When my children (now grown and living the same) were babies I was told I was "spoiling" them by making my own baby food, etc. I was only doing what I believed in, only wanting the best for them. The best food, the best morals, values, beliefs. No, it isn't simple or easy, but anything worth doing isn't. I just found this site and I love it. I have been living what is now called either voluntary simplicity or sustainable living for a long, long time. I didn’t know there were “names” for such living until the past few years. I am only living as my parents and their parents. When my children (now grown and living the same) were babies I was told I was “spoiling” them by making my own baby food, etc. I was only doing what I believed in, only wanting the best for them. The best food, the best morals, values, beliefs. No, it isn’t simple or easy, but anything worth doing isn’t.

]]> By: Gerard http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-voluntary-simplicity-is-not/#comment-35827 Gerard http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-voluntary-simplicity-is-not/#comment-35827 Many years ago, my father taught me about simplicity, unintentionally....I think. I asked if he could buy me a car. Instead, he took me to buy the newspaper so I could look for work and save to buy my own car. "Not having" taught me two things. First, working for what we DO have feels so much better. And second, it taught me the most important thing about simplicity......to value and feel good about the things we do have. Dad's simplicity might not have been "voluntary" at the time but it taught me to be aware. And that's what I strive for now. It has been my greatest lesson. Many years ago, my father taught me about simplicity, unintentionally….I think. I asked if he could buy me a car. Instead, he took me to buy the newspaper so I could look for work and save to buy my own car. “Not having” taught me two things. First, working for what we DO have feels so much better. And second, it taught me the most important thing about simplicity……to value and feel good about the things we do have. Dad’s simplicity might not have been “voluntary” at the time but it taught me to be aware. And that’s what I strive for now. It has been my greatest lesson.

]]> By: Dream Mom http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-voluntary-simplicity-is-not/#comment-30811 Dream Mom http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-voluntary-simplicity-is-not/#comment-30811 Such an interesting post! I find the whole concept fascinating. I gave up a full time, well paid job to stay home with my severely disabled son nine years ago since there wasn't any daycare for him and I could never, ever think of putting him in a home (I was recently divorced.). As a result, I had to live a lot more frugally. What I gained (in addition to the joys of taking care of my son and giving him a good life) was so much...I learned to cook (make most from scratch and still learning), live close to nature, learning to live green and without chemicals, etc. When I do buy something, I've researched it more and thoroughly enjoy it my purchases. When I have a nice event to go to, I spend money and purchase a pretty new dress and prepare for it. I take nothing for granted and life feels richer. I also like to think having no debt is akin to freedom. It's funny because typically when people simplify or give up the fast paced lives, more often than not, most people enjoy it. Do I miss the money? Yes, at times, but if push came to shove, I'd never want to give up most of the things I have now. When my son passes, I'll have all the time in the world to go back to full time employment but I doubt I'll give up simple living. HGTV used to have a series many years ago about people giving up their fast paced lives and moving to the country and starting businesses, etc or just plain simplifying. What I noticed was how content people were but more than that, you never hear of people in the country, getting tired of it and moving to the city. Makes you wonder? Such an interesting post! I find the whole concept fascinating. I gave up a full time, well paid job to stay home with my severely disabled son nine years ago since there wasn’t any daycare for him and I could never, ever think of putting him in a home (I was recently divorced.). As a result, I had to live a lot more frugally. What I gained (in addition to the joys of taking care of my son and giving him a good life) was so much…I learned to cook (make most from scratch and still learning), live close to nature, learning to live green and without chemicals, etc. When I do buy something, I’ve researched it more and thoroughly enjoy it my purchases. When I have a nice event to go to, I spend money and purchase a pretty new dress and prepare for it. I take nothing for granted and life feels richer. I also like to think having no debt is akin to freedom. It’s funny because typically when people simplify or give up the fast paced lives, more often than not, most people enjoy it. Do I miss the money? Yes, at times, but if push came to shove, I’d never want to give up most of the things I have now. When my son passes, I’ll have all the time in the world to go back to full time employment but I doubt I’ll give up simple living.

HGTV used to have a series many years ago about people giving up their fast paced lives and moving to the country and starting businesses, etc or just plain simplifying. What I noticed was how content people were but more than that, you never hear of people in the country, getting tired of it and moving to the city. Makes you wonder?

]]> By: Linda Woodrow http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-voluntary-simplicity-is-not/#comment-29976 Linda Woodrow http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-voluntary-simplicity-is-not/#comment-29976 I'm not at all sure that voluntary simplicity is a good label. There's nothing very simple about it! I love living a complex, resilient lifestyle that is true to values that seem to me much more self-evidently valuable. I often say that if I didn't garden,I would feel both deprived and irresponsible, and I think that applies to most aspects of the life of "voluntary simplicity". I’m not at all sure that voluntary simplicity is a good label. There’s nothing very simple about it! I love living a complex, resilient lifestyle that is true to values that seem to me much more self-evidently valuable. I often say that if I didn’t garden,I would feel both deprived and irresponsible, and I think that applies to most aspects of the life of “voluntary simplicity”.

]]> By: finallygettingtoeven.com http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-voluntary-simplicity-is-not/#comment-28760 finallygettingtoeven.com http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-voluntary-simplicity-is-not/#comment-28760 I think unless you are living the life you really don't have a true understanding. A lot of comments are made out of ignorance and lack of true knowledge and understanding. Those of us here already know the difference and I think that is really the only thing that matters. Let the others continue to live in ignorance.... I think unless you are living the life you really don’t have a true understanding. A lot of comments are made out of ignorance and lack of true knowledge and understanding. Those of us here already know the difference and I think that is really the only thing that matters. Let the others continue to live in ignorance….

]]> By: doug http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-voluntary-simplicity-is-not/#comment-26871 doug http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-voluntary-simplicity-is-not/#comment-26871 I'm really liking this website! And all the points you make are extremely valid. But I guess I question a little bit on "Voluntary Simplicity" on definition. We are currently (and have been for a few years now): "living debt-free, living close to nature, working from home, living green and without chemicals, cooking from scratch". And I would have to say that it is NOT simple. Living green and without chemicals is very difficult. Society is consumer-based, and everything is geared towards that. Living in "voluntary simplicity" is like swimming against the current and really isn't simple... it's complicated. EVERY purchase, every action must be scrutinized and possible alternatives must be sought. It adds an entire new level of decision making to what most people just take for granted. It really is much 'simpler' to go along with the hive mind and take what they give you, do what they want you to do. Having said all that, the sustainable lifestyle IS better... much better in terms of quality of life and fulfills my ethical and political ideals. And it certainly is not poor. I’m really liking this website! And all the points you make are extremely valid. But I guess I question a little bit on “Voluntary Simplicity” on definition. We are currently (and have been for a few years now): “living debt-free, living close to nature, working from home, living green and without chemicals, cooking from scratch”. And I would have to say that it is NOT simple. Living green and without chemicals is very difficult. Society is consumer-based, and everything is geared towards that. Living in “voluntary simplicity” is like swimming against the current and really isn’t simple… it’s complicated. EVERY purchase, every action must be scrutinized and possible alternatives must be sought. It adds an entire new level of decision making to what most people just take for granted. It really is much ‘simpler’ to go along with the hive mind and take what they give you, do what they want you to do.

Having said all that, the sustainable lifestyle IS better… much better in terms of quality of life and fulfills my ethical and political ideals. And it certainly is not poor.

]]> By: Jannie Funster http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-voluntary-simplicity-is-not/#comment-26248 Jannie Funster http://www.choosingvoluntarysimplicity.com/what-voluntary-simplicity-is-not/#comment-26248 That's pretty sad because what you are actually doing is liveing RICH, more richly than most can ever imagine. True rich, in harmony with nature. Can it get any sweeter or richer than that?? That’s pretty sad because what you are actually doing is liveing RICH, more richly than most can ever imagine. True rich, in harmony with nature. Can it get any sweeter or richer than that??

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