Life lived simply
by sunil sharma

You are living a Simple life when certain attributes are consistently present in your life in a balanced manner.

Contentment
The general acceptance and satisfaction with the whole of your life and its major elements. You like your job, are satisfied with your family and romantic relationships. Your station in life feels like a comfortable fit and you appreciate what you have and do not feel as if anything is missing from your life.

Peace
Many people lump peace in with contentment. They are similar, but distinct enough to warrant separate consideration. Peace is a feeling of calm and assurance regardless of circumstances and situations. Peace occurs in that inner place where no one but you and God can go. That feeling of love and awareness of the divine spark that is you.

Joy
The feeling of pleasure and happiness at being alive. Appreciation for both the simple and the complex pictures of life. Love of mankind in general and an amazement of the wonders of nature. Your spirit leaping at a beautiful sunset or a gentle hand in yours. Get the idea?

Passion
The need and desire that fuels your hopes and dreams. The energy that compels you to create and build and envision. A simple life has an abundance of passion that drives you to dream and accomplish. This is not always on a large and grand scale and may sometimes just be the passion to be present for the people in your life.

Balance
Equal measures of rest and activity. Times of quiet contemplation and moments of exhilarating excitement. Periods of restfulness in preparation for change and periods of sameness and consistency.

Compassion
The ability to recognize that someone is suffering emotionally, physically, or spiritually. To have and express sympathy for the misfortunes, circumstances, and  conditions in the lives of your fellow spiritual beings. And, the action, if possible, to alleviate their circumstance.

Empathy
The ability to understand and relate to the discomfort and pain of others because you have personally experienced something similar. This requires trust and humility because when being empathetic you reveal your personal feelings, tribulations, and heartbreaks. It can also be less drastic, but just as important, such as being able to share that you have experienced times of anxiety or general fear in your life. The key is being able to validate and comfort another person by sharing yourself.

Your body is a good analogy for a Simple Life. Your heart, lungs, feet, brain, etc., collectively create your body. Keeping each of these components healthy through good nutrition, exercise, and rest helps you to lead a fuller and longer life. When you have the attributes of a Simple Life in your life, on a regular and consistent basis, they collectively form the body of your Simple Life. Similar to the components of your physical body, keeping these aspects of a Simple Life healthy, balanced, and functioning ensures the health of your Simple Life.

sunil sharma
sunil sharma is a blogger, yogi, designer, engineer and humanitarian.