Sam Spurlin - Living the Simpler Life.pdf

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Living the Simpler Life
Living the Simpler Life: 8 Essentials To
Practice Everyday
written by: Sam Spurlin of thesimplerlife.net
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Living the Simpler Life
Who Am I?
My name is Sam Spurlin and in 2006 I started reading about minimalism, personal
development and simplicity. I was a sophomore in college and I felt like just another cog in
the machine of society. Since then I have been trying to articulate what it means to live a
conscious and value-driven life.
Upon graduating in 2009, I tried to find a full-time job in my chosen field of education. Much
to my chagrin, I was unable to find a
teaching job and suddenly found myself
with a surfeit of free time. Instead of
wallowing in misery about having to move
back home with my parents and four
younger brothers, I decided to do something
productive.
In October I started the blog, thesimplerlife.net . I had been blogging personally and
intermittently on education theory and issues b ut I had never started a project that truly
lasted. This time I was committed to making it work.
For the past 7 months, I have written 2-3 articles a week on topics spanning motivation,
focus, flow, inspiration, simplicity, minimalism and nearly everything in between. I try to filter
all of my thoughts, experiences and advice through a lens of simplicity because I believe
that is the core of true personal development.
My college degree may be in secondary education but I have discovered a new avenue for
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Living the Simpler Life
my passion for teaching: my blog, and now this ebook. I hope they help you, but regardless
of how successful this project is it has already given me value enough by forcing me to
articulate and clarify my thoughts on all the topics that follow.
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Living the Simpler Life
What You Are About To Read
1. Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 5
2. Essential #1: Accurate Self-Knowledge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 7
3. Essential #2: Purging the Unnecessary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 12
4. Essential #3: The Willingness to Say “No” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 19
5. Essential #4: A Focus on Conscious Consumption . . . . . . . . . Page 24
6. Essential #5: Cultivating Patience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 28
7. Essential #6: Mindfulness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 33
8. Essential #7: A Desire For Less . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 39
9. Essential #8: An Attitude of Gratitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 43
10. It's a Journey, Not an Event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 49
11. Resources That Have Helped Me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 50
12. Credits, Thank You, and Photo Credits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 52
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Living the Simpler Life
Where I'm Coming From
In a world of infinite information and constant stimulation, it can be easy to float
through life instead of piloting it in the direction I want. Cutting through the discord
and evaluating what really matters will create a simpler life – a life that lets me decide
where my time and attention will be spent without shutting myself away from the
world.
We live in fast and exciting times. Modern technology makes possible that which couldn't
have even been dreamed twenty years ago. Living a simpler life doesn’t mean that I have to
give up the amenities of the 21st century. I don’t have to become a monk (although I can). I
don’t have to throw away my T.V. and turn off the internet (but some choose to do so). Living
a simpler life can be done in many ways but the basic principles, the essentials, remain the
same.
A beautiful aspect of the simpler life is that it means something different to each person. For
some, it may be similar to Thoreau’s experience at Walden Pond – limited technology and
surrounded by nature. However, for most of us it's unreasonable to strive for that level of
asceticism when our lives, jobs, and families are all demanding our attention. Instead, I can
strive to simplify my life to focus on what I truly value. For Thoreau, that meant living with
sparse possessions in a cabin he built for himself. For the busy professional it may mean
figuring out a way to finish the day’s work early so she can spend time with her family. Or
write the next great novel. Or read a book. The key is that living the simpler life is different for
every person.
Through my own experience and the observation of those around me, I have devised the
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