r/simpleliving

I’m hoping to find some inspiration since I am feeling stuck or suffocated with my life. I work full time and that’s all I ever do. I don’t have deep and meaningful relationships at the moment.

I found some suggestions about volunteering and I was trying to sign up for an organization but I realized maybe it’s a huge commitment since they were asking for my schedule and references. I tried to book flights for a short trip but the tickets are pricier now. I tried to read self-help books but I realized I don’t like how most of them just kept on repeating the same idea or thoughts. I’m also looking for some habits I could apply in my life that would make me feel less down.

Any tips or advice would be appreciated. Thank you

i'm just tired. i don't want to use internet at all. i don't even want to own a phone.

laugh if you want, i don't care. i just needed to rant, hah.

Lately I’ve noticed even when I stop working, part of my attention keeps moving anyway.

Thinking about tomorrow

Checking random things

Half-resting while still mentally processing the day

So technically I’m resting, but it doesn’t fully feel like rest.

Feels less like “too much work” and more like my brain never fully exits the state of doing.

Curious if other people experience this too.

i’ve noticed this weird thing lately where even if i only check the news for a few minutes, it somehow stays in my head for hours afterwards

not even specific stories most of the time, just this background feeling like my brain is still processing things

and every time i try to stay “reasonably informed” it slowly turns into checking again later to see updates or reactions or whether something changed. sometimes i’ll even reopen apps an hour later almost automatically just to “see if anything happened”

but when i stop following things too much, after a while i start feeling disconnected in a different way

idk maybe people are just better at handling this than i am but it feels strangely hard to find a normal balance with it now

i like the custom of giving gifts for birthdays; it's nice to celebrate someone once a year, remind them we care about them, make life feel special. unfortunately, if you don't have a good idea in mind, this often leads to buying whatever we find, just to have something to give.

influenced by minimalism and anti-consumption [both ideas and subreddits i've enjoyed], i've also come to feel that giving material goods means we're also saddling the recipient with a commitment. this is not to say that all gifts are troublesome, it's just another angle to consider when giving an item. even when they really like it, there's often packaging to sort and discard, and it's one more item to be responsible for during a move, one more thing that adds to the clutter in the home-- which many people struggle with. if it's not their taste or doesn't work for whatever reason, it can feel like a burden to either keep or get rid of it.

experiences [concerts, shows, tours of significant or historic areas/buildings] are a great option, but they can be expensive, and are usually best for someone we know well.

i've been invited to a birthday party for a newer friend. i don't know them terribly well, but i'd like to give something thoughtful as an expression of my gratitude for and investment in this friendship.

TLDR: i'm poor, and seeking ideas for low-cost, simple yet thoughtful gifts that don't create much waste, take up much space, or cost much bandwidth for the recipient if they want to cherish it for a time, and then pass it on to someone else or thoughtfully discard.

here are ideas i have already to get the ball rolling:

• plant cutting in glass bottle with water. why this is great:
  • basically free: snip a stem from a plant you already own, or ask to take a cutting from someone. i love using old olive oil and vanilla bottles-- Trader Joe's sells beautiful green and brown glass bottles and i frequently stash a few under the sink for a gift or other projects. clean the label and goo off bottles you already have by soaking bottles in boiling water. filling the kitchen sink with a kettle usually works great. once the water cools, remove the label and gently scrub the bottle to a smooth finish. this takes a few minutes, but the glossy smooth finish is super rewarding and well-worth the effort. i like using steel wool, or a wire brush. the bits of goo and paper from the labels are annoying, i try not to wash too much down my drain but it happens.
  • incredibly low-maintenance: not everyone can care for potted plants. they take work, and i always end up with gnats or struggle with pests. a lucky bamboo, cast iron plant, or umbrella plant can thrive in JUST water for years. these are the only ones i've found so far that do great with just water and a little sun-- i've had several cuttings from these plants in vases over 2 years now. i think i've changed out the water two times? topped off the water maybe two or three times. i basically neglect and ignore them, and they look great. once or twice a cutting yellowed and i had to replace it, but it was so simple to snip another cutting and plop it back in the bottle. NOTE: these examples are not pet-friendly. i keep them in sconces on the wall that used to hold candles. great decor!
  • easy to dispose of if the plant dies or recipient no longer wants it. just recycle, regift, or reuse the bottle, and toss the plant remains outdoors, into a garden or compost. [of course being mindful of the ecosystem where you toss]
  • plants can benefit mood and air quality
  • you put this together yourself, and that's a nice touch.
  • very customizable: for a NO-maintenance gift with the same aesthetic benefits use dried flowers, [bonus if you gather and dry them yourself] or make flowers from paper, cloth, or even beach glass or stained glass if you're a serious crafter.
• 2D gifts, handmade or purchased. why this is great:
  • inexpensive; small; low-responsibility for recipient. a 2D gift doesn't take up much space in their home. find a frame at a thrift store or just give the paper artwork itself and they can easily regift, reuse, or recycle if they like.
  • unique, personalized-- signifying their birthdate, year, or other personal detail.
  • examples: cards or postcards featuring a city the person loves, birth flowers, birth stones, or even zodiac from egyptian or aztec or other less common traditions that include a write-up of advice and personality traits [who knows if they're accurate, it's just some fun!]. art from etsy or similar that features their favorite book or movie or cultural/historic figure in an unusual way. for example: search "art deco-style star wars" or "minimalist LOTR art" etc. photo gifts: magnetic sleeves are an inexpensive way to give a photo and they can easily replace whatever you give if it's not their taste, or regift the magnetic sleeve. CVS and other printers often offer a photo strip option. you can select 3-4 photos and give them in this fun and small format. to make it look cohesive i like to apply a similar filter to all photos, and/or choose photos that all include a common location or element, like plants-- or a certain color [of clothing, or objects included].

I come from a poor, rural third world background. M36. Been a bright student and that somehow designed my life. 14 years back, took a leap of faith as a researcher to central Europe. Been living there since.

After the research position, got myself into the corporate world in Finance. Worked in several position, and never compromised - there was always the inherent motivation of securing the future of my family. And challenges were all along.

Lost my father midway and got even more family focused. Compromised and compromised at workplace, over and over again. Overperforming, pleasing everything. In my current job since >5 years and hit the ceiling. However, recently my final birth family obligation released itself and at a moment where I could finally focus on my current life, family (wife and a 2year old daughter). In theory, would be the time to self-actualise, have fun, enjoy life

I feel these days absolutely no joy in anything. The work stagnancy and injustice I carry home mentally and my true life is just a day to day breathing. The problem is: I do not feel where to start the rebuild from. How to restart, where from, where to, what with - so clueless. All I feel is that the kid who used to dream limitless, he has no idea of life at all - which is ironic to the state of life we have now.

Im a very engaged dad (learned from the best, my father was my best friend, confidante). And would love to leave a legacy for my daughter. Simple, joyful, meaningful life - but Im so scared, so fearful, so lost within. Im always physically there and never there mentally. A spiral that only worsens.

A good colleague asked: who are you once you take away the batch of work? And the human being, who lived a basic, emotional, joyful life - has now no answer to this fundamental question.

I would love if someone would help me figure out, direct me towards a restart button or simply put - help break the spiral.

The joy of little things - where has it vanished, why am I crying inside in hopelessness most of the time?

I used to have a cabinet packed with mismatched mugs, novelty cups from work events, plates I never used, and three sets of bowls inherited from various moves. I'd avoid washing dishes because there were always more clean ones, then end up with a sink overflowing twice a week.

A month ago I boxed up everything except one mug, one plate, one bowl, one set of utensils for myself. The rest went in a closet, not donated yet, just out of sight in case I missed them.

I haven't opened the box once. The kitchen feels twice as big. Dishes get done within minutes of every meal because there's literally no other option. I drink my tea from the same mug every morning and it's somehow become a small ritual rather than a chore.

Not saying everyone should do this, but if your kitchen feels chaotic, the issue might not be storage. It might just be too much stuff.