July 12 is celebrated as National Simplicity Day. Until today, I
never knew such a day existed. My morning news feed introduced me to it.
National Simplicity Day emerged through grassroots lifestyle movements,
educators, and cultural platforms to honor the birth anniversary of Henry
David Thoreau, born on July 12, 1817.
In July 1845, Thoreau moved into a self-built cabin at Walden
Pond to begin his famous two-year experiment in deliberate and simple living.
Nearly a decade later, on August 9, 1854, he published Walden—a
book that became the foundational text of the modern simplicity movement.
What amazes me is that a book written over 170 years ago feels even more
relevant today than ever before.
Some of Thoreau's timeless thoughts continue to resonate:
"Our life is frittered away by detail.
Simplify, simplify!"
"As you simplify your life, the laws of the
universe will be simpler; solitude will not be solitude, poverty will not be
poverty, nor weakness weakness."
"I went to the woods because I wished to live
deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life..."
"You must live in the present, launch yourself
on every wave, find your eternity in each moment."
"I do believe in simplicity… simplify the
problem of life, distinguish the necessary and the real."
Reading these words made me pause.
Today, we are surrounded by endless notifications, opinions, reels,
breaking news, and the constant fear of missing out (FOMO). We often believe
that staying connected to everything is the only way to stay relevant. But is
it really?
Do we truly need to consume so much information every day? Does being
updated every minute make us wiser, or does it simply leave our minds more
cluttered?
Perhaps the real challenge today isn't accessing more information—it's
learning to filter it.
For me, simplicity isn't about owning less or giving up modern comforts.
It's about being intentional with how I spend my time and attention.
It could be as simple as:
- Starting the day with a peaceful morning routine instead of rushing
into emails and notifications.
- Taking a 30-minute walk in the open, away from screens and
distractions.
- Spending a few minutes before sleep reflecting on the day gone by
instead of endlessly scrolling through Instagram or listening to yet
another podcast.
- Sharing at least one meal a day with family, with phones kept away
from the table.
- Dedicating weekends to quality time with loved ones instead of
filling every hour with commitments.
- Cooking traditional meals & engaging children in the process of preeration.
- Disconnecting from social media during holidays and truly being
present in the moment.
None of these require extraordinary effort. Yet together, they can make
life feel lighter, calmer, and far more meaningful.
Maybe that's what Thoreau was trying to teach us all along.
Simplicity isn't about doing less. It's about
creating more space for peace, for presence, and for the people and moments
that truly matter.
Not every moment needs to be shared,
Not every silence needs a sound.
Sometimes the richest parts of life
Are found where no screens are found.
A slower step,
A quieter mind,
A grateful heart
The rest, we leave behind.
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