How Would You Complicate Your Life By Leo Babauta

Joining the Conversation
Living simply is a hard concept to do. I don’t think I’ve lived the simplest life that I could but I definitely don’t use up tons of energy. The idea of living simply isn’t to appealing to me because it’s different than what I’m used to. Doing the experiment of living simply for a weekend in class was quite difficult. However, on the days were I am live more simple I feel more relaxed and less stressed. Some people, like Thoreau, wanted to get away from the beaten path because he wanted to be happy with his life. Others, like Kingsolver, understand the fact that we are using too much and live simply because they can make an impact on the Earth.
Thoreau was a guy who went to the extreme to live simply. He went to the woods, built himself a house, planted beans, and lived in nature. Thoreau wanted to live simply and enjoy life with the basic necessities. Thoreau said, “My greatest skill has been to want but little.” I never would be able to live like Thoreau did, to go without everything I’m used to and
enjoying doing on a daily bases. I probably fit into what Thoreau says about being like everybody else, “Young men who had ceased to be young, who had concluded that it was safest to follow the beaten path”, but I’m okay with that because I live simply in my own ways even if I follow the footsteps of others. I don’t think one has to go as far as Thoreau did to live simple and thankfully there are others who think that too.
Kingsolver is similar to Thoreau in her view points about living simply. What makes me agree and stand with Kingsolver’s ideas over Thoreau’s is how Kingsolver is simpler and not as hard core about how we should live simply. Kingsolver says, “My life is riddled with energy inconsistencies: We try hard to conserve, but I’ve found no way as yet to rear and support my family without a car, a computer, the occasional airplane flight, a teenager’s bathroom equipped with a hair dryer.” I try to live simply and not have a complicated life filled 24/7 with electronics, fast food, and energy but living without electricity, heat, hot water, clean clothes, a bathroom, etc. would almost be impossible. It’s hard to try and start living more simply because I’m so used to current habits and routines. I guess, according to Kingsolver, I don’t have to take one giant step and start living without things right away. She says, “Our quest is only to be thoughtful and simplify our needs, step by step.” Like Kingsolver, simplifying life is an important part of the life of Leo Babauta.
Leo Babauta is the writer of the article “Simple Living Manifesto: 72 Ideas to Simplify Your Life” where he lists 72 ideas about living simpler and discusses what it means to live a more simple life. Leo says, “A simple life has a different meaning and a different value for every person.” I agree with this because many people will want to eliminate everything and others, like myself, will do what they can, go slow, and do the little things to live a more simple life. Leo also says how living simply won’t be for everybody, “If you’re interested in simplifying your life, this is a great starter guider, if you’re not interested, move on.” I like that he says this sometimes I’m one of those people who isn’t interested in living simply and will sit down and be a couch potato but other times I will try to relax and take a few things out of my
life. Thoreau, Kingsolver, and Babauta have lived or are living simply in their own ways that each make an impact on their personal life or the world. I feel I have done a poor job of living simply after I read about Thoreau, Kingsolver, and Babauta. I will never live as simply as Thoreau did, going into the woods with almost nothing, but I do feel like I can take little steps to make an impact in my life and the world like Kingsolver and Leo Babauta have done.