Simple Living: Five Philosophies To Keep Life On Track
What philosophies do you use to guide your life?
When we fail to adopt a good philosophy of life, we often jump the rails and wind up with a mess on our hands.
Our philosophy of life provides boundaries that keep our lives on track and headed in the right direction. A well-run life is simple and focused.
What are philosophies and how do they lead to simple living?
A philosophy is a doctrine that guides our behavior. It is an authoritative statement of our beliefs. A collection of philosophical statements becomes a compass for us to live by.
Writing a list of philosophies helps us to clarify what it is that we believe. We can refer to them often to help us stay on track.
Defining our philosophies clearly will also help us to pass them along to our children and family members.
Spelling out our philosophy of life helps us to keep things simple by creating focus and clarity. It gives us a lens to examine the world by and make decisions.
Five simple little philosophies that I use to guide my life
I took a little time recently to write out my philosophies. I looked back and asked myself what are some of my core beliefs that have successfully guided my actions over time?
I came up with these five nuggets.
1. Do the right thing
Integrity is the essence of everything successful.
~ Richard Buckminster Fuller
Be honest. Don’t cheat. Be faithful. Be kind. Do the right thing! I firmly believe that doing the right thing is a less complicated way to live.
When you break the rules, you often invite complications and mess into your life. You then wind up spending more time on something that you didn’t want to do in the first place.
Keep life simple and enjoyable by just doing what you know is right!
2. Do your best
Doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment. ~ Oprah Winfrey
Always put your best foot forward. Why give less than 100%? I believe we always know deep in our hearts whether we did our best at something or not.
It is when we did less than our best that we feel regret. Life is too short to waste it by living below our full potential. If something is worth doing, then it is worth doing well.
You will always be happier when you know you gave your best!
3. Treat others like you want to be treated
No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. ~ Aesop
The Golden Rule is golden for a reason. It is valuable. It encompasses things like, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say anything at all”.
This philosophy encourages us to give others the benefit of the doubt and to forgive them when we feel we’ve been wronged.
Relationships are key to a good life. The Golden Rule is a simple, but wonderful guide to good relationships.
4. Enjoy the moment
Celebrate the happiness that friends are always giving, make every day a holiday and celebrate just living! ~ Amanda Bradley
Drink deeply of those simple moments where you find true joy. It could be a few minutes of conversation with a friend or child. It could be watching the sun rise or set. It could be a hug from a family member.
Whatever or where ever you find bliss embrace it. Over the years, I have come to realize that these moments, however brief, are the true, deep pleasures of life.
Pause in these moments and do not let them escape you!
5. Give back
There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward.
~ Kahil Gibran
Taking is not enough. We must give back to find fulfillment. Invest yourself in something worthwhile and significant. Make a difference.
It can be donating money. It can be giving your time. It can be just listening as another human being expresses their dreams, desires and hopes.
Find a way to give of yourself in an unselfish way and you won’t regret it!
Philosophies do not have to be complicated to be meaningful
Obviously, the statements above are not rocket science. In fact, they are pretty simple. I think the simplicity adds to their beauty and value.
Have you ever taken the time to write down your philosophies? They are so woven into your life that you probably don’t give them much thought. I encourage you to jot them down and share them with someone else. You’ll be glad you did.
What philosophies guide your life? Did I miss anything important?
Photo by rightee
3, 4, and 5 are the biggest in my life. I always try to treat others the way I want to be treated. It doesn’t always happen, but it does more times than not. Never in my life have I struggled to enjoy the moment. I’m always conscious of how great a moment can be, and I soak it all in. Giving back is still tough for me, I wish it came naturally but it doesn’t. This one I need to work on.
@weakonomist – I certainly don’t execute each of these perfectly all the time either, but I try. I use these philosophies as boundaries to guide my life. They are ideals I strive toward. Ultimately, I believe they help me live the best life possible.
Thanks for the comment!
What an EXCELLENT post Jeff! Simple yes, powerful absolutely. I think that the most effective life skills are just like this, they can change the course and quality of your life in a very short time.
To expand on enjoy the moment, enjoy your life. Take advantage of everything you can and have no regrets, even the mistakes you have made. Enjoy your company and do your own thing that makes you happy.
@Jonathan – Thanks for the feedback! I love to keep it simple and I’m glad to hear that you find it powerful.
@Craig – We only get one chance to live. Why not enjoy it as we go along?
Thanks for adding your thoughts!
Jeff, I really liked this. The power of simple. I recently wrote a blog article with the first sentence asking this question:
“Do you ever notice how the most simple ideas are often the most profound?”
You captured that principle beautifully in this article. Those are truly simple and yet profound ideas to guide one on his journey through life.
Read Stephen – Rat Race Trap´s latest article – Achieve Success by Building Trust
[...] Simple Living: Five Philosophies to Keep Your Life on Track is great! This is one of my favorite posts from My Super-Charged Life. I love the end thought that “philosophies don’t have to be complicated to be meaningful.” [...]
This is an awesome post! I am a firm believer in the power of simplicity, I think that the simple answer is usually the best answer. And I couldn’t agree with your philosophies more. By following such a great set of guidelines, I’m sure you make the world a better place every day. Kudos to you!
Read Jay Schryer´s latest article – So I Quit My Job Today
I just read the philosophies today and I hope to use them to change for the better by Allah’s grace.
[...] – Simple Living: Five Philosophies To Keep Life On Track [...]
Hi Jeff,
I was writing an article this morning on Simple Living when I came across your blog. I like the fact that you don’t pretty it up, you tell it in plain simple terms. Your five philosophies are a good start for anyone who consciously decides to live a much simpler lifestyle. I’ll be back to visit more often.
Judith P.