7 Simple Tips for Inner Happiness and Contentment

In this crazy, interconnected world, the most enduring happiness is that which comes from within, independent of external sources. 

This intrinsic happiness brings a deep-seated sense of contentment and well-being.

Aristotle said, 

"Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.” 

For him, true happiness is achieved through living a life of virtue and excellence. 

The Dalai Lama echoes this idea, stating, 

"Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions.” 

This perspective aligns with simple living, where the focus is on actions cultivating inner strength and resilience.

Intrinsic happiness is sustainable and universal. It provides a stable foundation that can withstand life's ups and downs, regardless of cultural or economic backgrounds. 

As Swami Vivekananda observed, 

"The goal of the world is happiness, and peace."

Cultivating this inner happiness and peace involves a shift in mindset and lifestyle away from mainstream pursuits of material goods, fame and fortune. 

It requires letting go of the constant need for the external validation these things bring, and instead focusing on personal growth and self-awareness. 

This shift can be immensely challenging, but is also extremely rewarding.

One effective way to cultivate intrinsic happiness is through mindfulness.

Mindfulness involves being fully present in the moment, without judgment or distraction. 

As Jon Kabat-Zinn explains, 

"Mindfulness is about being fully awake in our lives. It is about perceiving the exquisite vividness of each moment.”

Another powerful practice is gratitude. 

Expressing gratitude for the blessings in one's life can foster a deeper sense of contentment. 

As Melody Beattie notes, 

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more."

In the context of simple living, cultivating intrinsic happiness involves simplifying one's life and reducing external distractions. 

This can mean letting go of unnecessary possessions, simplifying one's schedule, and focusing on what truly matters to you. 

As Jun'ichirō Tanizaki explains, 

"In the darkness of the room, the light of the candle is all the more brilliant. In the silence of the night, the sound of the wind is all the more poignant."

To cultivate intrinsic happiness, the following 7 actions have proven to be beneficial:

1. Mindfulness Meditation: Dedicate a few minutes each day to practice mindfulness meditation.

2. Gratitude Journal: Keep a daily gratitude journal.

3. Simplify Your Life: Declutter your physical and mental space.

4. Engage in a Daily Practice: Participate in mental, physical, and spiritual activities that bring you a sense of purpose.

5. Practice Self-Compassion: Be kind to yourself and acknowledge your strengths.

6. Cultivate Strong Relationships: Build and maintain strong, supportive relationships.

7. Reflect on Your Values: Ensure your actions align with your core values.

In the words of Seneca, 

"As long as you live, keep learning how to live.” 

The pursuit of intrinsic happiness is an exciting lifelong learning experiment in self-discovery and growth. 

By embracing the principles of simple living and cultivating inner peace, you can achieve a state of happiness that is not dependent on external sources but rather rooted in the depths of your being.

As we continue our journey, we consider that true happiness is an inner state of being, not an external condition. 

By focusing on inner growth and well-being, you can lead a life of profound contentment and fulfillment, regardless of how much stuff you have.

It is a hard worked for happiness that is enduring because it can’t be taken away.

That is the best kind of happiness there is, a desirable state that is attainable by all regardless of circumstance.

 

Contemplation Crisis

We hear a lot about the polycrisis, a tsunami of crises, each one alone an existential wave about to wash us all out to sea.However, the Contemplation Crisis is never mentioned as one of them. 

Some call it an attention crisis, but that may be somewhat simplistic. Whatever we call it, it is something we might think of taking a look at, and soon.

Albert Camus said, "In order to understand the world, one has to turn away from it on occasion."

But really, who has the time, quiet space, or will to go there? 

The modern world is engineered for full-throttle living—24/7/365, no breaks except for the burnt out. Even rare downtime gets hijacked by "must-do" tasks or the endless spin of 24-hour news. 

And when we finally pause to pay full attention to our minds, strange and scary things emerge: discomfort, hidden pains, the raw self we've dodged. 

It takes courage to commit to that place.

One can never relax long enough to be contemplative because working yourself to an early death has been sold as a virtue as well as a requirement.

If we are to prioritize self-care, optimal health, and perhaps our very survival, it means making regular space for down time, in spite of an unrealistic and exploitative work ethic. 

And not only down time, but alone time as well. 

And not just alone time, but quiet alone time.

The reason it is so important is because quiet and solitude are precursors to something even more important—contemplation.

Thomas Merton, a modern contemplative, warned: "Contemplation must be possible if we are to remain human.” 

We have an instinctive need for harmony, peace, tranquility, order, and meaning—none of which define our current frenzy. 

Merton pointed out that our ancestors once lived more leisurely and spiritually. 

That kind of life is something I've been working on since retiring from teaching 24 years ago to embrace simplicity and intentional, contemplative space.

Merton's warning sounds serious. Is it possible that we are missing the real existential threat—our lack of time and ability for contemplation? 

In the relentless pursuit of getting more and getting it faster, we have lost our path and forgotten the vital importance of contemplative activities.

Perhaps we're afraid to confront ourselves there—horrified by the discomfort and pain it reveals. Yet humans that we are, we'll also find bliss, and eventually, an unshakeable contentment and peace.

We have been so distracted for so long that we have forgotten the wisdom passed down to us from contemplatives in the past. 

As Pythagoras urged: "Know thyself; then thou shalt know the Universe and God." 

Aristotle echoed: "Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom." 

The best path? Contemplation. Without it, we're lost.

So how do we start, in a world that fights our every pause? 

Begin small, with practices that honour simplicity and build that quiet alone time. 

Here are a few contemplative anchors to weave into your days:

Solitary Nature Walks: Step out alone, no phone or podcast—just the rhythm of your feet on earth. Let thoughts wander without agenda; Pythagoras might approve, as this "knows thyself" through the universe's quiet mirror.

Breath-Focused Sitting: Five minutes daily, eyes closed, savouring your breath like it's a three course meal. It's Merton's harmony in a micro-dose that counters the 24/7 grind with a pause of pure presence.

Journal Prompts in Stillness: In a dedicated quiet corner, scribble unfiltered responses to "What am I avoiding today?" or Camus's turnaround: "What world am I turning from right now?" Unearth discomfort, invite bliss.

Evening Unplug Ritual: Ditch screens an hour before bed for candlelit reflection—read a single ancient quote (like Aristotle's) and sit with it. Reclaim ancestral leisure, one flicker at a time.

Mindful Chores: Turn dishwashing, weeding, or just about any activity into meditation. Give full attention to the task's texture and tempo. It's contemplation disguised as "busy," proving even everyday tasks are sacred moments.

These aren't fancy retreats; they're easily accessible rebellions against the speed ethic, fostering the courage to go deeper. 

Start with one, and watch the contemplation crisis recede, wave by existential wave. 

Along the way, we will reclaim our calm, and our lives.

The Woods Are… OPEN

My worst nightmare is over. 

Finally, after weeks of being shut out of the Nova Scotia wilderness, our government has rescinded the directive to stay out of the woods.

The only fires I heard of, including one that was visible on the horizon from my home, were started by lightning. 

Too bad the government couldn't ban that.

It is true though, that this was a droughty, dry summer without any appreciable rain whatsoever for months. It was terrible, and I have never seen so many trucks hauling water pass by our home in the 11 years we have lived here. Nor have I ever had to be out in the garden watering almost every day, which was a nice problem to have.

But it was also a drought for the part of my soul reserved specifically for enjoying the wilderness. It was parched, cracked, and hurting after my multi-week hiking and biking dry patch.

I definitely did not break the mandate three times to slake my shrivelling soul because I am a good, obedient, and compliant citizen. All governments operate for the safety, health, and happiness of the people. And if you believe that, I have a mandate you might like.

As soon as I heard that the woods were OPEN mid-September, I got my act together pronto and hit the trails. 

I took the pictures in this post on a recent bike ride to a local lake. The route consists of several kilometers of old logging trails through the woods. While I did not see another soul over the two hour ride, I did have a great blue heron fly directly over me at the lake, and I flushed a spruce grouse on the trail.

Back in nature, elation followed against a fall pallet of reds, yellows, and browns splashed against a backdrop of clear, blue sky.

My heart soared, and I was finally able to satisfy the wilderness requirements infused into every cell of my being.

Open at last, open at last, thank God almighty we are open at last.

Zombified

We’ve been zombified in so-called developed nations because what has really been developed has been a slick, modern, shiny, unhappy compliance with the consumer economy.

How could it turn out any different with the massive push to infect us with the viruses of FOMO and instant gratification?

That is why I don’t blame the victims here, all of us that have been indoctrinated, marinated, obliviated, and manipulated into a robotic satiation of consumer cravings by a young age.

Data backs this up: in the U.S., retail sales hit $7.2 trillion in 2024, and the purchase of ‘experiences' (travel, concerts, etc.) grew 30% since 2019. 

Social media is the superspreader of this infection, with 60% of Gen Zers polled saying posts on sites like Instagram invite viewers to join the Consumer Zombie Nation and indulge in impulse buys. Better than brains - less messy and more fun.

Meanwhile, simple living, mindfulness, and minimalism trends are (feebly) rising as a pushback forms. Research shows that only about 10% of Americans actively practice minimalism. 

I get it - zombies want what zombies want. But eventually everyone has been zombified, the system is tapped out, and there are no fresh brains left.

The still zombified, or the zombie curious in newly consumerized nations, need compassion and understanding.

The kind and loving thing to do for yourself or someone you love, is to take a dose of the safe and effective simplicity solution. Its ingredients are minimalism, enoughism, discipline, gratitude and mindfulness. This solution has been tested over thousands of years and proven to be a robust treatment for consumer zombification.

Side effects include frugality, thrift, moderation, self-control, joy, and happiness, as well as improved mental and physical health.

There has to be a mass movement of people that wish to reclaim a more genuine life and purpose through mindful joyful living guided by the practices of simplicity and minimalism. Only then can we successfully de-zombify as cultures and civilizations.

What, or who, do you think’s driving the zombie-like cravings that continue to command so much time, money, resources, and attention? 

Is it social pressure, boredom, or something deeper? 

Let us know what you think in a comment below.

Smplf

Simplify! Simplify!

Simplify.

Simplify

Smplify

Smplfy

Smplf

Y m hv rcnzd th wrd n th ttl bfr y gt hr. Rght? 

If so, it was simple, but not too simple.

This is my thought experiment on simplification. 

Henry David Thoreau said, 

"Our life is frittered away by detail... Simplify, simplify.”  

Why didn’t he just say simplify?  

Wouldn’t that be smplr?

"Keep on going…" he seems to be stressing, because there is always more that can be done.

Albert Einstein said, 

"Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.” 

In other words, even simplicity contains a component of complexity, and by oversimplification, we ignore the reality of that which helps us understand the world around us more completely. 

We sometimes need more details to make informed decisions, or to notice finer things. 

Think about the difference between going to the store and buying vegetables versus buying seeds, preparing the soil, planting, watering, caring for, and finally harvesting and processing the vegetables you grew. 

In this scenario, which in the simple life, and which is more complex? 

Buying vegetables from the store is the simpler alternative, but by avoiding the complexity of growing your own, you also miss out on the joys of doing so, which are many.

As we traverse the complexities of our world, striking a balance with simplicity is crucial. 

This equilibrium helps us make well-informed decisions and cultivates a deeper understanding of ourselves and the amazing cosmos we all share.

Doing the most simple thing may not be doing the absolute best thing. 

Einstein reminds us that we can take joy in the complexities, too, and therefore soak up the full spectrum of experience.

Tht sms smpl engh. 

Wht d y thnk?

Break Free from Propaganda

Mark Twain nailed it: “It’s easier to fool people than to convince them they’ve been fooled.” That denial won’t change the fact that we’ve been fooled time and time again. 

From slick ads coercing us to buy things we don’t need and didn’t even know we wanted, to government mandates, our world is awash in manipulations designed to make us conform and comply without question. 

In post-COVID times, when blind obedience to “trust the science” or “follow the rules” has been challenged, it’s clear we need to rethink how we respond to propaganda. 

Simple living isn’t just about decluttering your space—it’s about freeing your mind from lies and outside control. Here’s why we’re so vulnerable and how to fight back.

Why We’re So Easy to Fool

Our brains are wired to trust, not doubt. Psychological research, like Paul Ekman’s studies on deception, shows we’re lousy at spotting lies. That is because we assume good faith, even when power, money, or control is at play. This makes us easy targets for those who exploit our trust. We’re also cognitively lazy. Critical thinking takes effort, and in a world of endless work and consumption, we often skip the mental heavy lifting, even when it’s critical. 

Over the last five years, we’ve seen how this laziness can lead to accepting directives without questioning their logic or impact. Finally, our psychological weaknesses—fear, need for belonging, aversion to conflict—leave us open to manipulation.

Governments and corporations know this, using propaganda to shape not just what we think but what we do. 

In recent years, we’ve seen how fear-driven narratives can push entire populations to comply with rules that, in hindsight, many now question.

The Propaganda Machine: Consent and Compliance

In 1928, Edward Bernays, the “Father of Public Relations,” wrote Propaganda, a blueprint for manipulating the masses. 

He declared, 

“The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society.” 

Bernays didn’t just engineer consent—getting people to agree—he mastered compliance, ensuring they acted as desired, often without thinking. Bernays used emotional triggers, media saturation, and trusted figures like doctors or celebrities to make behaviors feel natural. 

His 1929 “Torches of Freedom” campaign convinced women to smoke by tying cigarettes to liberation. If he could sell that, he could sell anything.

Today more than ever, Bernays’ tactics feel eerily familiar. From blanket mandates to media-driven fear, we’ve seen compliance weaponized on a global scale. 

Mask rules, lockdowns, and vaccine campaigns leaned more on social pressure and “expert” authority, backed up by The $cience. Questions were discouraged, then banned. 

Yet, as skepticism grows—fueled by revelations of inconsistent policies or hidden agendas—people are waking up like never before. 

Blind compliance isn’t just dangerous; it’s the opposite of living simply and authentically.

How to Fight Back

We’ve had enough of being manipulated, but compliance thrives when we stay silent. To live rebelliously and simply, we must reject propaganda and reclaim our autonomy. Here are four ways to stop being fooled: 1. Hone Your Critical Thinking: If something seems off, it probably is. Question The $cience when it’s inconsistent or agenda-driven. Do your own research, check primary sources, cross-reference, and think independently. 2. Be a Relentless Skeptic: Question everything—politicians, media, even “experts.” A simple living mindset means cutting through the noise to find the basic truths. Ask: Who gains? What’s the real motive? 3. Trust Your Instincts: Your gut is a powerful guide. If a narrative feels coercive or wrong, don’t ignore it. Your intuition often catches what your mind misses. 4. Resist Compliance: Propaganda banks on obedience. Push back, especially when compliance feels forced. In a post-COVID world, saying “no” to blind conformity is a radical act of freedom. Keep fighting for a world where truth trumps control.

5. Read This Blog: Question everything it says.

Join the Simple Living Rebellion

The world needs skeptics, thinkers, and rebels—people who refuse to comply with the lies. Simple living means rejecting mental clutter and standing firm against manipulation. 

A small group of determined individuals can dismantle this “Empire of Deception” and lead the way to truth and change.  According to Margaret Mead, those small groups of indiviuals are the only thing that has ever led to change.

At my blog, I’m not buying their stuff, or their nonsense demands and brainwashing. That’s the start. 

What’s one moment you questioned propaganda and the official narrative and found your own truth? 

Share in a comment below. 

Let’s build a community that values autonomy over compliance, and truth over the lies and deceptions of the sort that Bernays weaponized with his books.

100 Questions for Contemplation

I don’t have any answers. Sorry.

But I have plenty of questions. 

Endless questions. 

I guess you could say I am a very curious, inquisitive person prone to periods of prolonged contemplation.

A lot of my questions are included in the list below that I found during a search for images on intrinsic happiness.

Considering these queries one at at a time could form the basis of a daily mindfulness/contemplation practice that could eventually provide much needed and elusive answers.

My latest personal favourite that I have been asking myself during my daily time in my morning contemplation corner is, 

''What emotional and/or mental blocks are preventing me from becoming the best person I can be?''

In closing this post, I have a final question. Why only 100 questions when life confronts us with infinite questions daily?

Why not 200 questions? 2000 questions? Too much of a good thing, perhaps.

However, if we were to expand on this excellent list, what life changing question, or questions would you add? 

Share your contemplative queries in our comment section below.

50 Ways to Leave Your Stuff

With apologies to Paul Simon for butchering his song… maybe he is a minimalist.

"The problem is all inside your head," I say to you 
The answer is easy if you take it logically" 
I'd like to help you in your struggle to be free 
There must be 50 ways to leave your stuff

I say, "It's really not my habit to intrude 
Furthermore, I hope my meaning won't be lost or misconstrued" 
But I'll repeat myself at the risk of being crude 
There must be 50 ways to leave your stuff 
50 ways to leave your stuff

You just slip it out the back, Jack 
Make a donation plan, Stan 
You don't need that toy, Roy 
Just get yourself free
Put it on the bus, Gus 
You don't need to discuss much 
Just drop it off at the 1st second hand store you see, Lee 

And get yourself free

Consumer nations generally have a bad relationship with stuff - we carry lots of baggage. It is mostly easier to acquire than to get rid of. 

But, like Paul Simon’s 1975 song 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover, there are also many ways to leave your bad relationship with unwanted stuff behind you. 

Inspired by Simon’s song, I brainstormed some lyrics around getting rid of unwanted baggage, and setting ourselves free. Some are serious, others not so much.

1. Put it at the curb, Herb. 

2. Throw it away, Ray. 

3. Sell it in a pawn shop, Pop.

4. Put it on a rocket to space, Grace.

5. Regift that unwanted present, Kent.

6. Throw a yard sale, Gail.

7. Take it to the dump, Gump.

8. Bury it in the yard, Marg.

9. Do a declutter, Sutter.

10. Donate to Goodwill, Bill.

There are many more that come to mind, but you get the idea. 

I was going to suggest ‘'Put it in pile to burn, Vern'', but that is probably not the best alternative, as satisfying as it may be.

I hope this helps you in your personal struggle to be free of the tyranny of unwanted, unloved, and unnecessary stuff. 

Or at least helps you to have a laugh at it all, and gain a new, fresh perspective.

What are the ways you leave your stuff? 

Stuff, not lovers. Paul Simon already covered that one.

The Great Green Grift

For more on the Flying Hotel see my 1st ever dumb consumer item post here.

Welcome to the Great Green Grift—where noble intentions drown in a sea of hypocrisy and cash, and the planet’s salvation is just another lucrative market for the 1% that already own about half the world’s wealth. 

The climate crisis, soon to be an ‘emergency’, we’re told, is humanity’s existential threat, and CO2’s the villain, warming the Earth by 1.1°C since the Industrial Revolution (IPCC’s numbers).

It seems obvious that change is happening, but the solutions? 

They’re less about saving anything and more about fattening wallets. Welcome to the Great Green Grift, where hyperbolic eco-heros and corporate sharks team up to screw the rest of us, all while cloaked in superhero capes in shades of glorious green stitched together with vines of virtue. Take carbon credits, the indulgences of the 21st century. You pay a fee to offset your carbon “sins”—say, an international flight—and some company promises to plant a tree in Borneo. Half the time, those trees are already there, or they’re cut down for palm oil before you’ve unpacked your suitcase. 

The global carbon market’s worth over $800 billion, yet emissions keep climbing. Funny how the mansions of the rich are lit up like Vegas while they lecture us to unplug our toasters. It’s performance art for profit, with the greenwashing on the outside masking the greed on the inside. Then there’s the renewable energy racket. Wind turbines and solar panels sound great, until you see the strip-mined cobalt for batteries or the used turbine blades being buried because there is nothing else that can be done with them. 

They have been lying about everything else, what makes us think they are all of a sudden telling the truth about all of this?

Subsidies for green tech are a goldmine for corporations with about $1 trillion globally in 2022. Meanwhile, your energy bill spikes because “sustainable” grids struggle to keep the lights on. 

The 1% don’t care. Their Tesla charges just fine at their third vacation home. And the greenwashing continues. BP rebranded as “Beyond Petroleum” while spilling oil like drunken frat boys spilling beer. It’s a shameless move of optics over action.

It’s not about the planet; it’s about control and cash, just like the failed global COVID response (or worse, did it turn out exactly the way the wanted it to?). If so, what is their real agenda with the manufactured climate panic? Sure, CO2 traps heat—physics doesn’t lie. But the apocalyptic prophecies? Often overcooked models that ignore methane, solar cycles, or plain old human adaptability. 

The green grift, and others like it, thrive on fear, not facts, peddling panic to the masses while the 1% pocket the proceeds. 

So, next time you’re told to eat bugs to save the Earth, ask why Klaus Schwab’s still eating steak. The planet might warm, but the real heat’s coming from the great green grift burning a hole in our wallets.

Like all the movements prior, environmentalism has been long co-opted and transformed into yet another get rich scheme for the already wealthy.

If they were truly green, they would give up their riches and adopt voluntary simplicity, and how many of them that you know of are currently doing that?

Leading by example is a solid principle. People watch what you do more closely than what you say. Action has more impact than words.

Is the real existential threat a changing climate, or is it the grift and power grab of governments and the one percenters?

Calmcation + Quitcation = Simplification

A calmcation sounds kind of nice - a vacation where you actually get what a vacation was always supposed to give you - rest and relaxation so you can return to the grind feeling refreshed and ready to increase productivity for the benefit of shareholders. 

I am partial to staycations, but a calmcation is definitely preferred if the alternative is a busycation. 

The simple life can be a constant calmcation compared to a chaotic consumer life. It is a staycation that provides all the peace and calm that one would need, right where you are at. 

Calmcationers seek quiet and tranquility while on holiday, and travel providers are going with that until the next trend hits. They are putting together pre-made packages to spoon feed rattled workers on the brink of burnout.

It is a good idea, but if serenity, mindfulness, and being present are goals, getting off the treadmill permanently to craft a simpler life is an option that can be considered.

You could call it a Quitcation. 

That was the brand of break Linda and I took 25 years ago, after starting with a one year long sabbatical/calmcation (except we called it escaping the rat race) during which we traveled the world. After that it turned into a two year sabbatical so we could extend our epic calmcation, and when that ended, it turned into a quitcation to pursue the simple life more ardently.

Not that we never needed to work again, but since we left on this journey, we have been working to live, rather than living to work. That alone changed our entire perspective on life.

Stress levels returned to healthy, manageable levels as soon as unnecessary striving and struggling was eliminated. 

Begin with a calmcation to restore your peace, embrace a quitcation to break free, and transform that solace from modern life’s chaos into a lasting sanctuary in simplicity.

It worked for us, and it can work for you, too.

As Lily Tomlin said, ''for fast acting relief, try slowing down.''