How to Simplify and Lighten Life

Xuefeng

January 13, 2024

The following are merely my personal views, for reference only.

Wearing a 3 yuan electronic watch versus a 30,000 yuan mechanical watch, which one simplifies and lightens life? Obviously, since the purpose of wearing a watch is to keep track of time, and since the time displayed by a 3 yuan electronic watch and a 30,000 yuan mechanical watch is the same, why spend 30,000 yuan to wear a mechanical watch?

Carrying a 97 yuan bag or a 970,000 yuan Hermès bag? If you want to carry a 970,000 yuan Hermès bag, can life be simple and relaxed?

The most expensive necklace in the world costs 95 million yuan. If you want to wear it, will your life be simple and relaxed? Can’t you live without wearing a necklace? Why wear a necklace? Isn’t it beautiful without a necklace?

The above three points tell us that once a person seeks vanity, life cannot be simple and relaxed.

There is a director who, in order to maintain his position and for the sake of promotion, what will he do? Flattering and fawning over superiors is inevitable, intrigue among peers is inevitable, fooling subordinates is inevitable, can his life be simple and relaxed?

There is a rich man who has a family treasure, has millions of dollars in the bank, and also runs a factory with thousands of employees. Compared with an ordinary teacher or doctor, is his life simple and relaxed, or is the life of a teacher or doctor simple and relaxed?

There is a moral celebrity who is praised by society for his harmonious marriage and happy family. He is a good person, a moral role model, and a role model for people. Is his life simple and relaxed? In order to preserve his reputation, what will he do? Will he pretend to be a gentleman?

The above three points tell us that once you have something, whether it is status, wealth, or fame, life will inevitably not be simple and relaxed.

A person was hired to work in a certain government unit, and a month later he was dismissed because he found loopholes in the management of the unit and suggested that the person in charge of the unit plug these loopholes.

A person went to a factory to work. During the work, he always kindly pointed out the shortcomings and deficiencies of the workers around him, often warned them to be careful, and if anyone did not improve their words and deeds according to his suggestions, he would get angry at them. After a while, he couldn’t get along, because the people around him ignored him, he couldn’t stand the loneliness and solitude, so he had to leave.

There is a rural person who, due to his frugality and good housekeeping, lives a decent life. One year, he noticed that many families in the village had bought houses in the city, so he felt that he was falling behind, not keeping up with the times, so he smashed the pot and sold the iron to borrow money and also bought a house in the city. After buying the house, he found that he needed to decorate, pay property fees, and repay the loan plus interest. At this time, he realized that the stable days of the past had disappeared, and he needed to rack his brains to make money to maintain the basic life of the family, and life could no longer be simple and relaxed.

The above 3 points tell us that once a person blindly worries, meddles in other people’s business, and compares with others, life cannot be simple and relaxed.

Well! Just the above few points, we find that once a person loves vanity, has status, money, fame, worries about things that should not be worried about, manages things that should not be managed, often compares with others, then, his life will definitely not be simple and relaxed.

So, how can one have a simple and relaxed life?

Give up vanity, everything is based on practicality and usefulness.

Live an ordinary day, do not seek status, power, money, fame.

Do not compare with others, do everything within your ability.

Don’t worry about things that shouldn’t be worried about.

Don’t manage things that shouldn’t be managed.

Don’t think you’re always right and argue with others.

Do not participate in gambling, stock trading, financial management, and other speculative businesses.

Everything has a price, don’t want to take any advantage, don’t try to fool anyone with your cleverness.

Although simply following the above suggestions may not necessarily lead to a completely simple and relaxed life, at least it will bypass some dangerous beaches and traps, and make one’s life simpler, more relaxed, and more comfortable.