It has long been believed that the stress associated with being poor and struggling to make ends meet will vanish like mist before the morning sun when we move up the social ladder and earn more money. Not so, say the experts − and here’s why…

Climbing the success ladder

A higher-paying job with more money and perks, a house in the right suburb, nice clothes and a smart car or two do relieve some of the stress associated with struggling to make ends meet. However, being at the top of the social, success ladder, as with everything else in life, comes at a price.

Researchers have found that the mental and physical health benefits associated with affluence actually start decreasing as we move higher up the status ladder. In fact, those at the top often find their footsteps dogged by a new member of the stress family named “high-status stress”.

Stress relief techniques

There are many ways in which to try and manage the stress we are all exposed to such as exercising, getting enough sleep, meditation and learning to manage our time and resources better. There is, however, an alternative way to reduce stress and live a meaningful life − it is called simplicity or living the simple life.

Lost art of simplicity

Simplicity is both a practical as well as a spiritual way of living a better life. It’s a way of living that tries to help us maintain a work-life balance, as free of anxiety and stress as possible, in a healthy environment. However, it also has a spiritual component because each individual must make the voluntary choice to live a life that is outwardly more “simple” but inwardly richer and of a higher quality. And, it is only when we realise that less (of everything) is actually needed to live well and that the high-impact of our consumer culture is elevating our stress levels that we can truly embrace the simple life.

To be able to live the simple life we may need to:

    • Work less; to limit working hours so that we have time for our families and to help our communities. This does not imply that we do not work at all or do not do what is expected of us at work or “steal” our employer’s time, it implies accepting a lower income for a less stressful job if needed.
    • Buy less: minimise expenditure on consumer goods and services and only buy what we really need. This does not imply living in poverty or denying ourselves every pleasure but rather that we spend our money wisely and de-clutter our homes of unused and unwanted “things” and gadgets. It is actually amazing with how little we can survive and still be happy.
    • Do less dashing around; re-centre our lives, directing our free time and energy towards pursuing non-materialistic pursuits such as artistic, spiritual and intellectual projects; reading, relaxing and spending quality time with our loved ones, especially out in nature.
    • Stress less: by developing our own code of ethics to guide us through life and its difficult moments. We should take time to decide which personal core values such as honesty, kindness, responsibility, compassion, tolerance, etc we will embrace and use as our compass in life and then stick to them.
    • Owe and own less and learn to enjoy what we already have. We should be especially careful of any “buy now, pay later” schemes that try to enslave us and get us into debt, which is a mayor stressor. Also, get into the habit of giving things away, your belongings, money and especially your time and attention.

Simplicity and simple living must start in the heart for, without a heart for simplicity, the freedom from stress and other negative effects of our modern-day lifestyle will be lost. Simplicity is actually an inner state of peace, a gratefulness and acceptance of the way things are and of what we already have − right now! When we realise that trying to keep up with the Joneses is going to cost us and that happiness is not found in the stuff of the world, we will be able to embrace a simpler more stress-free life.

 

Sources
Alexander, S. 2011. Less can be more, Simplicity Institute Reports. 2011. Retrieved from: http://simplicitycollective.com/less-is-more
Apperlee, M. 2011. Testing the faith, practicing simplicity. Retrieved from: http://testingthefaith.net/2011/04/13/practicing-simplicity
Simplicity is a stress reducer, 2010. retrieved from: http://www.gentle-stress-relie.com/stress-relief-techniques.html
Stress relief techniques: like water off a duck’s back. 2011. Retrieved from: http://www.doctor-recommended-stress-relief.com/Stress-Relief-Techniques.html
Warner, D. 2012. High-status stress. Time, vol. 179, (10) p.52