I always like to write this kind of stuff on the weekends as a reflection to our 'busy' life.

A simple life is a happy life.

Don't get me wrong – I'm not asking you to settle for less.

A simple life is more than just living on a small salary. You can be a millionaire and yet live simply, free from common worries.

You can be the president of a big and competitive company yet live in complete simplicity. You can be a dogged salesperson targeting high sales quotas and still live simply.

A simple life is abandoning most unnecessary vanities. It means you will have to give up some things in life that you really do not need. A favorite smart term in business today is "prioritizing." Abandoning is more than just prioritizing. Abandoning is like disposing of garbage because you do not need them.

You do not include your garbage in your priority list - you throw them away for good.

As long as you have a purpose, a simple life is a meaningful life.

You'll have your own goal -- not a goal set by others for you. You see, you're thriving to achieve what you want, but not what have been set for you to achieve.

In our so-called busy days, we have forgotten how simple "simple" really is.

One key to happiness is being downright simple. That's it. Simplicity is often times so profound to other people that they do not believe it unless someone complicates it for them because it's hard to accept simplicity with...

The Never-Ending Race

Somewhere in the silly rat race between you and your colleague or neighbors, you find yourself in the middle of mountains of pressures which isn't necessary at all.

People purchase expensive things or do 'weird things' because these make them the centers of attraction. These things get better everyday because of competition. And that's bad news if you wasn't to keep up. The good news is, you don't need to be influenced with any of these because you have YOUR OWN GOAL AND PURPOSE!

The pressure given by others to you is actually unreal. It's how you have defined them to be. For instance, I have friends who makes 10x my income. But then again, I have friends who make just 10% of my income.

So really, who's successful?

Depends on your own benchmark.

There is real pressure to be more 'successful' if you're working in a company but then again, what's your purpose? Will being promoted in your company going to help you achieve your goal? And how does that applies?

You have to think for yourself to be happy. But being simple can never goes wrong if that's what you're trying to achieve – Happiness.

There are a few ways to have a simple life that can ensure happiness.

Eliminate Self-Importance

Self-importance is the basic culprit or cause of vanity. Vanity is craving more than what meets your DESIRE. It entails selfishness and self-centeredness when we're blinded with vanity. It is mere egoism. It is mostly doing something to prove a point or to prove your self - to feed the ego. As long as you're out to prove something, you're susceptible to pressure. Proving something means you are competing - with who is better or has something better.

*Note: Because this is a short article, you must be able to distinguish what is vanity and a burning desire to be successful yourself.

Don't Be A Perfectionist -- It never pays off

Being a perfectionist sounds good a reputation to earn, but it is actually just an ego booster trying to prove that you are the best. It only makes distress an everyday meal for you. Some would insist that being a perfectionist is a good attitude to have, to make sure that your work quality is always top of the line. But if you're being a perfectionist just to earn admiration, you are locked into the trap of self-importance. The worst part is, you can't 'see' it.

Strive to be perfect by all means, but only in character, especially on how to become more loving, forgiving, patient, understanding, meek, and simple. Do not be a perfectionist - trying to perfect your accomplishments to prove your worth because this will lead to more frustration in life.

Trying to improve your stand, YES you must. Trying to PERFECT your standard to prove your capability, DON'T.

Perfectionists live a life of distress due to frustrations and undue pressure. They easily get angry when some details are ignored.

LOVE EVERYTHING.

When you focus on love as the rule of your life, everything becomes simple. It becomes very easy for you to let go, to forgive and forget. Nothing in this life is as important as character.

People living simple lives often have enough quality time to meditate on life and realize that this philosophy is true: That there is nothing more important and sublime than to love.

The adage goes that love conquers all and never dies.

Simple people who have mastered loving people will simply let go and think positively. They give everybody a chance to try better next time. They're more forgiving. The way they conquer is to always find something positive in everything, thwart unnecessary distress, and free everybody of pressure.

I mean if you're choosing between hate or love, which one would you choose?

So why not start loving now.