What is simplicity? Why is it worth seeking?

Simplicity is defined by Dictionary.com as:

1. the state, quality, or an instance of being simple.
2. freedom from complexity, intricacy, or division into parts: an organism of great simplicity.
3. absence of luxury, pretentiousness, ornament, etc.; plainness: a life of simplicity.

Simplicity represents a pure state that does not require extras. It is the removal of unnecessary things. This approach allows us to live more fully and be engaged in what really matters to us, instead of mundane details.

Photo: kevindooley

Examples of unneeded complexities that hinder us include clutter, unnecessary obligations, too many projects, too many magazines, etc. American culture has been obsessed with having the biggest and most of everything. Turning on any television program can instantly point out the destructive nature of this cycle. The desperate seeking that plagues Americans (and now other countries) has sent us down a road of rampant consumerism, obesity and debt. A return to measured simplicity might be the antidote for many of the ailments of modern life.

Our goal is to highlight ways seeking simplicity can improve our lives and how we can remove needless complexities.

How many days have we spent absorbed into nothing while other tasks that truly mattered were left undone? By taking action to seek out simplicity we begin to focus on the core of who we are and what we wish to achieve. Layers of complexity can be cast aside allowing us to be more effective and more fulfilled.