I often find myself in conversation talking about what it means to have a simple life. And what a beautiful space to spend time with my friends who happen to be cityhome colleagues talking about the same. Annie, Kelly and I chatted at The Maryland building about our clients, ourselves and the consensus that no matter where we find ourselves living, the aim to be less complicated, less occupied with things that take us out of our enjoyment of life, matters. A lot. I find that many of us have realized over the years that what we are striving for in our living environments is also what we are striving for in our overall way of being. That perhaps more is not better, that quality over quantity in friendship, clients, and home, all stem from a realization that...
in order to know how to live well, we actually have to know ourselves well.
What it means to live a simple life is not one size fits all, but there are a few underlying truths in my experience. When we know what lights us up, we can prioritize that in our house. If we enjoy reading or writing, can the tiny nook become a sacred space for penning letters. Or can the books be filled floor to ceiling so that all other activities need to find a new space. Can our life be contemplative enough that we know what our needs are in the home and can we cultivate enough self respect and care that we make changes to our living environment that supports and honors who we are becoming and who we truly know ourselves to be?
Free thinkers everywhere are asking real questions about what actually makes us happy.
When it comes to the space at The Maryland, we saw simplicity everywhere. Not too many rooms, the right allocation of space for public enjoyment and quiet privacy. We saw intelligent design and quality galore. We saw attention to detail and spacious volume in the layout and the design. We saw ourselves already living in more integrity, the way one does when we architect our lives mindfully and meaningfully. Satisfaction that does not come from more consumption, but instead, from more appreciation for what we have. To bask in the beauty and the sturdy structure of our bodies, our brains, our families, and our friends.
To live simply, might just mean we love more, and let more of what is not that go to the next highest bidder.
