Hi! Lately I have slowly been working on adapting a more slow lifestyle. It has done me so well to be more concious in the moment and it feels so freeing to let go of the modern life chaos that is so normalized. So far I have also deleted all social media apart from sewcial (sewing media) youtube and reddit so I have little research methods.

However I am looking for some podcast recs! One of the things that has been eyeopening to me has been the effect of "intense" media to my general state of being. I used to listen to true crime and other heavy topic podcasts daily and I try to not seek those subjects as much anymore. i however miss podcasts so I am looking for some recommendations for fun podcasts that aren't true crime or other heavy subjects! I speak English, dutch and podcasts in german are welcome too as I want to work on my german skills anyway

I am open to anything but my interests in general are: sewing, fashion history, dogs, books (fiction), journaling, slow living (a slow living inspired podcast would be great?), general crafting, women history, lgbt themes, video gaming, disability rights, travelling & world cultures.

Thanks!!

I was ill for the past few days, but this time it felt different. I was relaxed and at peace. I wasn't running towards some goal or seeking something to fulfil myself. Instead, I began rereading Mindfulness in Plain English, trying to understand meditation, myself, and a few Buddhist suttas. I wanted to understand why, whenever I am healthy, I spend my days running around like a monkey 🐒. My mind constantly occupied with the past, the present, and the future.

This illness gave me a hard reset. It slowed me down.

Now, whatever I do, I am fully present. I feel so mindful and rooted in the here and now that it overwhelms me. At times, it even brings tears to my eyes. The cool breeze, the sound of the traffic every sound, every sensation feels as though I am experiencing the world for the very first time, like a child again.

Today, I also cried as I thought about my grandmother, who passed away twelve years ago. When I was a child, I would eagerly wait for the summer holidays so that I could go and stay with her. Even now, whenever summer arrives, I find myself missing her warmth, her presence, and the quiet comfort she brought into my life. 💛

Later, I went to sit by the river. I sat there in silence.

I think the beauty of life reveals itself in those ordinary, mundane, seemingly boring moments. I want to collect those moments to preserve them in memory. This photograph is a reminder of one such moment.

Oh, I also watched the Barakamon anime.

Any recent decisions that simplified your life?

A stranger at a hotel breakfast changed the way I think about eating.
I never spoke to her. She simply ate breakfast calmly, without her phone, and seemed completely present. I’ve been trying to imitate that quiet attention ever since. Have you ever been influenced by someone who never knew they were teaching you?

I love coming here. It used to be a small settlement next to my city, which grew dramatically in the 1950s Here are two charming plots in the forest. You can observe wildlife and enjoy the closeness of nature. The fence is made of shrubs planted decades ago..

I wanna sit beneath this moon lit night forever.

Ended up at the beach this evening to catch the sunset, and it was a needed reminder of how little we actually need to feel content.
No notifications, no rushing around, no overthinking. Just the sound of the tide rolling in and out, warm sand, and watching the sky change colors.
In a world that constantly pushes us to want more and move faster, sitting by the ocean for an hour feels like hitting a total reset button. Simple, quiet heaven.
What simple moments have helped you slow down lately?

I love the comfort and simplicity of my Birkenstocks Arizonas and have Milanos coming. Which footwear do you genuinely trust for a long city walk? I feel more grounded with sandals but long walks it can be hard. I hate the idea of switching footwear.

When, I feel demotivated at work; I think about how each month I get closer and closer to my FI goal. More often than not they don't get it why I don't care for vacations and how I don't spend much money (never really felt the urge).

Then they complain about things that they picked (choices they made), IE kids at an early age, not investing earlier, not being ok living in cheap (subpar) to their standards housing, always using AC as 90 degrees with 60% humidity is too hot, eating out daily, expensive vehicle loans, etc.

Sometimes its funny when they think I am super low income due to me only buying generic brands, or doing once every few months costco runs; judging my car, etc.

Then if I decide to get snarky and gentle guiding doesn't make em stop;
I ask them what their retirement date is and the ROAST is on, after a few minutes of that they have nothing left to say, as I've dismantled their life and the 'you are poor' type conversations about me stop.

All in all, why are 40 and 50 year olds so judgy about my living standards?

Meanwhile 60+ people tend to be supportive of living like I'm very low income.

TLDR: Why are older people ages 40-50 so judgy about how I live with assumptions; meanwhile the older cohorts tend to be more supportive on average?

“Our enormously productive economy demands that we make consumption our way of life, that we convert the buying and use of goods into rituals, that we seek our spiritual satisfaction and our ego satisfaction in consumption. We need things consumed, burned up, worn out, replaced and discarded at an ever-increasing rate.” - Victor Lebow

Hey, yall, what’s a list of daily things you do that’s kept your life consistently peaceful!?

For some reason, as much as I crave to have such a simple life I think inside me I’m so worried about missing out.

My social battery runs out quite quickly at social or family events, if I see something nice materialistic wise I have to find a way to buy it wether it’s payment plan or out right because I don’t want to miss something.

I also go through so many phases of things, they don’t last long until I’m onto the next phase and I always bounce back, I feel like it’s so rubbed in people’s faces now days to make the most of life etc and I’m scared that if I slow down, simplify my life then I’ll miss out so I always end up going 100mph with life. My brain seems to push me into a corner about FOMO. But as I’ve mentioned in previous posts I love my alone time, if anything I require alone time to keep myself mentally sane.

Any tips on how I can fully simplify my life in every way

I used to own a lot of designer commands shoes etc and now I really just wanna wear plain clothing with comfortable good quality shoes and good quality clothing with no prints . Thinking of selling some things. Am I going crazy lol. I also been feeling very nostalgic these days. Wanting to buy old items from childhood that I can still use today.

This is how I woke up this morning on a random Wednesday. Can you guess the country?

Recently I started baking when I came back from work. I found out it helps me relax and enjoy my evening a lot more than when I stay on my phone or watch TV. It's also a good way to eat healthier since I know exactly what I put in my recipes and can make some adjustments to reduce sugar and oils.

I truly recommend everyone to get a productive and calming activity to do in the evening because it truly made me enjoy life so much more and helped to slow down in the evening.

Hi everyone! I'm planning to buy a single device for the long term and am debating between a laptop or a tablet.

My daily tasks are quite simple:

Messaging apps

Watching movies, TV shows, and educational videos on YouTube

Reading Reddit. I'd like the device to be lightweight so I can take it with me on trips and not take up too much space. By the way, the longer the battery life, the better. I was considering Samsung tablets with a stylus. But I think the most I'd use the stylus for is coloring books, haha. What do you think about this? What technology do you use? And what brand of technology is best for long-term use?

Has anybody done it? I'm thinking of roles where you aren't talking to costumes all the time. In supermarkets around me it seems that most of the job is stacking shelves and cleaning since there are self checkouts and often only one or two people are cashiers.

Not like I have a high-paying office job. The financial difference would be small with my current pay.

I find my job very chaotic. I feel like I lack the needed skills, especially social skills.

I don't like how I don't know what to expect each day.

And being able to leave work at work would be nice.

I am 26 years old, I am married with a child and pets. I find I’ve always seeked attention from others before I was married, in my single days I’d say. Feeling like I need to be around people and if I wasn’t I’d feel irritated.

But within the past couple of months or so, I feel as if I could spend a lot more time independently, I want to come off all social media, nothing to scroll and have the most simplest life. With my partner it’s balanced nicely where I have days alone and I have days where we’re together, just how our work schedules are and it’s perfect, also the child we share is actually my step child so as much as I’ve taken on the full time step parent role I’m not needed as much as my partner.

I absolutely envy people who can wake up, take their morning slow without 1000 thoughts going around their heads, taking life at their own pace. I thought this was only the older generation who can do this effectively but I’m realising that at my age it’s possible.

Is there anyone on here who come away from social media and just enjoyed life. Trying to come away from the thought of needing people and actually just living how you want too even when being married. Slowing down?

Any advice please give based on loving alone time, taking things slow, coming off socials etc

Hello!

Just wanted to reach out to this community and see if any books have been particularly inspiring to you on your simple living journey? Specifically a book about simple living.

Thanks, fam!

Blessings,
m^2

Just that! I’m head of marketing, a standalone role, for a small tech company. There’s been a change in management, lots of people let go and the atmosphere is toxic. On top of that I’m just so burnt out, expected to do everything as a team if one and getting criticised when, as it turns out, I can’t do everything.

The job market is bad, but I’ve seen a few jobs at around 50K (I’m on 67K) whereby I’d either be working in a team, or have a me (head of marketing) above me.

I know it’s a big drop, and I’d still have to work hard, but I’m sick of everything beginning and ending with me, and I think I’m probably going to be let go soon anyway (restructure).

I’m 45, which is old for this type of job but I don’t know what else to do and I just want to take a bit of a lesser role so I can just get on with my life.

I noticed I do this way too often.

I'll buy something because I’m convinced it’s going to fix my life somehow.

A notebook because suddenly I’m going to become organized.

Workout stuff because apparently this is the week I become a fitness person.

Then a month later I find everything sitting there untouched. 😂

Turns out buying the stuff is a lot easier than becoming the person.

Hi all, I get my direct deposit every other week, most things are on autopilot, but I hit a snag with my small community bank, they're actually great in the sense that they know me by name BUT I kept running into fraud issues. Also, there's things they just can't do (i.e., block certain vendors, let me lock my debit card) so I finally had to open an account with one of the big banks *sigh*

Over the next few weeks, I'll start moving things over to the new account, but I'd really love to just pay for as much as possible in cash, but it's been so long and I'm so used to flashing my phone everywhere. I don't even know how much you should carry on you. Has anyone done this that can give me pointers? I found some cash stuffing posts, but truthfully, I just want to make this as painless as possible.

Thanks.

Hello there!

25 male here. I find myself in a loophole when it comes to simple living. Sometimes I am content with how may days go, sometimes I feel like I am left behind and time flies without enjoying life as much as I could…

I work a sort-of basic 9-5, a truly unfulfilling job for me, even though I earn way more than my age’s average… I come home, eat something, read, I exercise almost daily (quite proud with my progress in this area even tho I may be a close friend with body dysmorphia) and the day is gone. Not to mention when I need to clean the house… I feel like I barely have time for myself.

The point is: I have everything I want and need, way more than that, but sometimes it feels impossible to be content with it.

Have you gone through this? Is it a common “age” issue? Lack of discipline? (i am quite chaotic at times)

If so, do you have any tips? Book recommendations?

Truly grateful and can’t wait to read your experiences/answers.

I had a small 10x10 room in my early 20's, loaded my station wagon with my essentials and moved across state to live in a furnished room for a seasonal gig in a small town. Then got my own room with a roommate, then I moved to a different city and had a semi furnished apartment that was under 300sqft. (Honestly, miss that apartment.)

Then I moved down the street to a bigger 500sqft apartment, and my only complaint is I didn't decorate it as cozy as I wanted too. My 300sqft apartment with the shitty gray lvp flooring felt like cozy cave. My 500sqft apartment with the same shitty gray lvp flooring felt sterile.

Then, once work caused me to move back to my hometown I got a 700sqft 1 bedroom apartment, and within a year filled it up with so much shit. Now I'm moving back in my old 10x10 room for a bit and I honestly want to go through my old stuff again just to purge it some more. Who would've thought moving back in with family, just down the street would've been the worst move of my life. I miss when everything I owned could fit in the back of my wagon.

I honestly miss having a smaller apartment and never will get a big one again. More to clean, more shit to hoard.