Simplicity is happiness

You can live well and not be rich. It's a simple statement of complete common sense.  Yet a lot of people get caught up in the idea that it's wealth accumulation that makes you rich.

I have great job, as does my wife. We're not rich, far from it, yet we live a rich life. I have a comfortable home in  a stable middle-class neighborhood. When we want to go out to dinner, we go out to dinner.  We take multiple vacations a year. We live a rich life, not in terms of wealth but in terms of happiness. 

According to the National Academy of Sciences the magic number for day-to-day happiness is $75,000 per year, a number of lot of people probably think would be a lot higher.  Happiness increases up to that number but once you get above 75K day-to-day happiness doesn't really increase.  Granted, 75K is a lot of money for many people, but it barely qualifies someone as "rich". 

It all goes back to perspective.  I live better than my one-hundred-years-ago ancestors could have ever dreamed of. I don't drive a fancy automobile or live in an exclusive neighborhood. I suppose I could afford a Lexus but drive a Camry.  I need a car to get to point B.  As long as its reliable why the need for luxury? 

It may seem like a paradox, but simplifying your life may be the key to happiness. Living within your means doesn't mean you have to forgo things that will make you happy.  You simply have to figure out how to pursue what interests you within your budget. Most importantly eliminate the clutter. One easy step is to take an inventory of the material things around you.  The things you just had to go to Best Buy to pick up. How many of these things do you really need?  I often tell my wife that if our house was robbed the only things I would really miss are the mementos, pictures, etc. Insurance can replace the Blu-Ray and the big screen television. So many of us take value and are driven by the accumulation of material things, whether it's clothes or electronics. Unfortunately you can only watch one TV and wear one pair of shoes at a time. 

Eliminate the chaos.  Reduce your life, don't super-size your life.  You'd be amazed how simplicity can drive increased happiness. Prioritize what IS important.  Set your sights on a dream vacation-- it's still achievable with simplicity, provided you make it a priority. If you have a limited budget but still want to try that great new restaurant in town, try it--- even if you have to skip that morning latte for a a month.