12 Powerful Tips for Living a Simple and Happy Life

After reaching the lowest point in my life, figuring out how to live a simple life and find happiness has become one of my top priorities.

It's so easy to get caught up in all the chaos and noise around us, right? Especially these days, when it feels like our happiness depends on what others think of us and whether they approve of us.

Social media always seems to suggest that happiness comes from living a big, fast-paced life.
I used to live that way, always stretching myself thin for others, trying to feel worthy and accepted, believing my happiness depended on theirs.

I always pushed myself to the limit, thinking that happiness was all about success and what I achieved.

I realized I was wrong because I wasn't happy at all during that time. I was feeling really miserable and exhausted, totally overwhelmed, and just mentally and emotionally drained. It wasn't until I broke down and hit rock bottom that I actually realized it.

During the toughest time in my life, I really focused on living things differently this time around. Let’s just hit the reset button and embrace a simple, happy life.

If you’re reading this, you’re probably curious about how to embrace a simpler life and find happiness.

So, I’m not claiming that I’ve figured out all the answers to happiness, peace, and contentment—trust me, I’m still on that journey too. But I’d love to share some things that have genuinely helped me live a happier and simpler life.

I really hope these tips help you out on your journey as well! These are just a few ideas that might help you live a simpler and happier life. I really hope these tips give you a good starting point to take that first step toward a more fulfilling life.

12 Tips for Living a Simple Life First

figure out what matters most to you

If you're looking to embrace a simpler, happier life, it's all about figuring out what really matters to you. Figuring out your priorities will help you use your time better because you'll know exactly where to focus your energy.

This will help you figure out what to concentrate on in your life and what you might want to let go of or decline.

It's so easy to stretch ourselves too thin, isn't it? We often fill our to-do lists with so many tasks that we can easily forget about the things that really matter to us.

It feels like we're always in a hurry, jumping from one task to the next, and we often forget to make time for the things and people that really matter to us.

Release Control

I've definitely been guilty of this for a long time. I've always been the kind of person who enjoys having a say in every little detail of my life.

I usually have a plan A, a plan B, a plan C, and occasionally a plan D too. I feel like by doing this, I'm really keeping things from going off track or my life from unraveling.

But you know, the truth is that no matter how hard we try, we just can't control everything in our lives. Sometimes, we just have to sit back and watch as things fall apart.

When we try to control every little detail in our lives, we often end up feeling more stressed and frustrated if things don’t turn out as we hoped.
It's important for us to learn to let go of control and recognize that, no matter how much we try, we just can't manage everything.

I’ve realized that rather than spending so much time trying to control everything, it’s way more effective to focus our energy and time on the things we can actually influence.

Quit Comparing Yourself to Others

When I was growing up, the people I loved often compared me to others. Well, naturally, I carried that toxic habit into my adult life.

I kept finding myself comparing my life and what I’ve achieved to what others have done. It might be with the folks I know well, and occasionally even with strangers on social media.

It felt like I was always trying to keep up with the life they seemed to have. It’s like every time you see someone else succeed, you can’t help but feel that urge for something more.

It was really tiring, and honestly, always comparing yourself to others just brings about unhappiness and a sense of dissatisfaction in life.

By concentrating so much on living a life that someone else has, you might be overlooking the opportunity to truly enjoy your own journey and create the life you desire.

It's important to remember that everyone is on their own unique journey.

Life is really too precious and short to spend our time pretending to be someone we're not or living someone else's life.

You're one of a kind and truly special just the way you are. It's really important to stop looking at what others are doing and instead put your energy into your own path.

This will help you live a more meaningful and fulfilled life, plus it’ll guide you to grow and tap into your fullest potential.

Take a break from technology

This ties in nicely with what I mentioned earlier. Absolutely, social media can be super helpful, but it can also show this unrealistic lifestyle that makes us start comparing our lives to what we see online.

During one of the toughest times in my life, I chose to cut back on Social Media. 

It wasn't just making me feel worse; it was also leading me to dislike myself and think I was a complete failure for letting everything fall apart.

That was undoubtedly one of the smartest decisions I made back then.

It helped me concentrate on my life and the things I needed to do to get back on track. Plus, it gave me a moment to breathe, recharge, and take a break from all the noise and pressure of those impossible standards of how we’re supposed to live our lives.

Take a break from social media every now and then. Use that time to reconnect with yourself and make some wonderful memories with your loved ones instead.

Practice gratitude

I really think that one of the important things for living a simple and happy life is making gratitude a daily practice.

It’s really easy to get caught up in all the negativity around us and let it take over our lives. I totally get it; I was in the same boat.

I was really caught up in all the negative stuff happening to me and everything that seemed to be going wrong in my life. Because of that, I totally overlooked all the simple joys and beauty that were right there in front of me every day.

Paying all my attention to the negative stuff going on in my life really didn’t do me any good. Honestly, it in all the negativity around us and let it take over our lives. I totally get it; I was in just ended up making things worse for me.

It really got under my skin, making me feel irritable, bitter, and just not nice to the people who were only trying to help me out.

It really brought me down and didn’t do anything to make my life better. We really need to learn to appreciate even the simplest things.

It's important to recognize our blessings, no matter how big or small. Even when things feel tough and gloomy, there's always a glimmer of hope out there, and so much beauty in the world waiting for us to discover.

If you enjoy journaling, consider jotting down at least five things you're grateful for each day, both when you wake up and before you hit the hay, for a month.

If you don't have a journal, I really enjoy the option of just standing in front of the mirror and listing all the things I'm grateful for.
Give it a shot and notice how this little tweak can really boost your quality of life.

Build a Morning Routine That Suits You

Do you ever find yourself rushing through your mornings in a bit of a frenzy? I totally get that feeling.

 
You know, I'm really not a morning person. My morning routine feels like a mad dash, just rushing around trying to get everything done. 

I end up bouncing from one task to another, totally ignoring how unproductive I am by trying to do too much at once.

I realized it was time to shake things up and make this part of my life a bit simpler. I found that putting together a morning routine that really fits my needs has been super helpful.

You know, it can be tempting to just copy the morning routines that seem to work for others. But I’ve found that if I try to force something that doesn’t really fit my lifestyle, it just makes it tougher for me to keep it up.

So, some folks wake up super early to kick off their day, but that just isn’t my thing. It's important to come up with a routine that works best for you.

So, it’ll definitely be a lot easier for you to keep up with the routine.

Prioritize Self-Care

Taking some time for yourself is super important for living a simple and happy life.

 
It's so easy to overlook ourselves sometimes, isn't it? It’s easy to overlook our own needs and just keep pushing through, but I’ve learned the hard way that ignoring ourselves can lead to some pretty serious consequences.

Before we know it, everything will catch up to us, and our mental and emotional health will really feel the impact.

Just keep in mind that taking care of yourself isn't being selfish. It's something we all need if we want to keep living a happy and fulfilling life.

 
ake a moment to unwind, refresh, and simply breathe. Your mind will definitely appreciate it.

Clear out and get things in order

A messy space can really make your mind feel all over the place too. Creating a morning routine can really make your mornings smoother, and you know what else can help? De-cluttering and organizing your space! It can seriously simplify your life and bring some calm to your mind.

Honestly, I totally get how it can feel a bit much to tackle organizing your whole house at times. No need to rush and tackle everything all at the same time.

Why not kick things off with a small area, like the one you hang out in the most? Then, when the weekend rolls around, you can move on to another spot.

That way, it won't feel too overwhelming for you, and it won't take up too much of your time. This approach has really helped me stay organized, even on those days when I just don’t feel like doing much at all.

Spend more time with the people who bring joy to your heart

If you're looking to boost your happiness, it's all about being around those who bring joy and love into your life.

When you hang out with folks who just bring negativity and keep pulling you down, you're really setting yourself up for a pretty miserable time.

If you’ve got folks around you who make you happy and brighten your days, make sure you appreciate them. 

Take a moment to really connect with them and let them know how much you appreciate having them around.

Want versus Need

One more thing to keep in mind for simplifying your life is to always know the difference between what you want and what you need.

I didn't really pay attention to how I spent my money. I thought that because I was putting in so much effort, I should definitely reward myself.

Hey, you know, it's totally fine to treat yourself every now and then. The issue comes up when it becomes a regular thing and your spending starts to outpace your earnings.

This will just bring more stress, worry, and anxiety into your life. It's funny how we end up buying stuff we don't really need at all.

It’s just going to end up wasting a lot of money and creating a ton of stress down the line, especially if you keep spending more than you bring in.

Begin to Love Yourself More

Getting to know and appreciate yourself better is a key part of discovering that inner peace and happiness.

If you really dislike who you are, it’s tough to find any peace within yourself. We've all heard the advice to love ourselves more times than we can count, but it still feels really tough to actually put that into practice.

We keep on criticizing ourselves all the time. We keep being hard on ourselves for every tiny mistake.

It’s really common these days to feel like we’re not enough, not worthy, or even not deserving of love, including from ourselves. But the truth is, we absolutely are.

Trust me, I know what it’s like to feel like you’re not enough, even from a young age. One of the best things we can do for ourselves is to begin accepting who we are, flaws and all.

You're perfect just the way you are right now. Just like everyone else, you totally deserve love and happiness. Hey, you know what? It's really time to stop putting yourself last and start showing yourself some love.

Be present and embrace life

Do you ever find yourself just going through the motions each day? Are you hurrying from one meeting to the next? Jumping from one chore to another?
It’s really simple to find ourselves always in a hurry throughout the day. Especially when you're really accustomed to a fast-paced lifestyle.

You know, one thing I've realized from spending so many days just going through the motions is that we really miss out on a lot of beautiful moments because of it.

You know, how often do we actually take the time to savor the flavors of what we're eating?
How often do we chat with others and really pay attention to what they're saying?
How often do we really spend time with the people we love and give them our full attention?

Life is just too precious to overlook all the amazing moments we have. We really need to focus on being mindful and enjoying all the amazing moments right in front of us.

It's important for us to really be in the moment in our lives. Let go of the past and stop stressing about what’s ahead—just enjoy the ride!

Wrapping Up on Living a Simple Life and Finding Happiness

Figuring out how to live a simple life and find happiness isn’t something we can just nail down in a day. I’ve come to realize that it’s really a journey too.

Hope you found these tips useful! Keep in mind that there are plenty of other ways to embrace a simple and happy life.

This is your journey to embrace, after all. Pick the things that truly resonate with you and those that will genuinely support you in finding peace and enjoying a simple, happy life.
I'm cheering you on!