As we have been forced into this situation, we have less of the luxuries of capitalism including going out to restaurants, outside entertainment and vacations. This naturally leads us to simplify our lives but is this a bad thing?
Do we really need 50 outfits, regular outings to bars and restaurants and far away vacations to name a few. Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying it is not nice to have these luxuries but am simply asking whether we need them. If you think about it we don’t need much more beyond the basic necessities of living including water, food, warm or shelter and the company of others.
As our luxuries are taken away, we learn to socialize through meaningful conversation with our loved ones at home or with our friends on the phone or through virtual communications apps. We learn to entertain ourselves through watching movies at home as a family, playing board games or reading books. We also learn the value of self-education through online learning platforms, which are now at the forefront of all levels of education.
We learn the value of going for long walks, spending time in nature and listening to the birds at dawn. This is when the beauty of simplicity opens up for us. You see, before the pandemic, humanity was caught in the chaotic whirlwind of modern society and was running from one thing to the next. We had no time to stop, contemplate and take stock of our lives but now, thanks to COVID 19, we do.
So whether you are still sheltered at home or starting to transition back to your prior life, as the restrictions lift, do not lose sight of the most important lesson that this pandemic has taught us which is the beauty of simplicity. Never lose sight of this and incorporate it in your daily life.
This could be through meditating, going for a daily walk, spending more time in nature, journaling or simply spending at least a few minutes a day in quiet contemplation. Find a way to simplify your life because, if the current pandemic has taught us anything, it is the importance of serenity and being grounded, which more of us are enjoying now in our lives.
Never lose sight of this valuable lesson that we are being taught about the beauty of simplicity and it will anchor your life in the universal flow, which had been lost to us in our chaotic and overwhelmed lives, which no longer serve us.
Nauman Naeem MD