On the recent minimalism thread, some challenged that the concept of minimalism is not interchangeable with the concept of simple living and vice versa. Minimalists may be simple livers but not all simple livers are minimalists.
Wikipdeia describes simple living as:
Simple living encompasses a number of different voluntary practices to simplify one's lifestyle. These may include, for example, reducing one's possessions, generally referred to as minimalism, or increasing self-sufficiency. Simple living may be characterized by individuals being satisfied with what they have rather than want.[1][2] Although asceticism generally promotes living simply and refraining from luxury and indulgence, not all proponents of simple living are ascetics.[3] Simple living is distinct from those living in forced poverty, as it is a voluntary lifestyle choice.
Adherents may choose simple living for a variety of personal reasons, such as spirituality, health, increase in quality time for family and friends, work–life balance, personal taste, financial sustainability, frugality, sustainability or reducing stress. Simple living can also be a reaction to materialism and conspicuous consumption. Some cite socio-political goals aligned with the environmentalist, anti-consumerist or anti-war movements, including conservation, degrowth, social justice, and tax resistance.
This particular forum, the Simple Living Network, is a child of a website that was about simple living in a broad sense, but which had a genesis in the concepts and practices of Your Money or Your Life--the book about financial independence and achieving "enough." (for some of our newer members who may or may not be familiar with this book).
So... how do YOU define simple living? And what aspects of simple living drive you? Is it financial independence? minimalism? sustainability?
My definition of simple living bends towards spiritual simplicity along the lines of Richard Gregg:
Voluntary simplicity involves both inner and outer condition. It means singleness of purpose, sincerity and honesty within, as well as avoidance of exterior clutter, of many possessions irrelevant to the chief purpose of life. It means an ordering and guiding of our energy and our desires, a partial restraint in some directions in order to secure greater abundance of life in other directions. It involves a deliberate organization of life for a purpose..
Also, for me a big part of simple living is about living lightly on the earth, a la Jim Merkel
What does simple living mean to you? How would YOU define it for yourself?