Life really does feel overly complicated at times. Things that are meant to be simple, inevitably end up causing us stress. And the important stuff gets lost in a fog of frustration.
We put off and put down the things that really matter to us, whilst wading through the chaos. And we become accustomed to the disappointments, telling ourselves that that’s just how life is.
Only, who said that we have to accept the hand we’re dealt? What is stopping us from saying ‘No thanks, I want more out of life?’ Or rather, less.
Less drama. Less demands. And less distractions to pull you away from what’s really important.
How Can a Simple Life Help You to Focus on What’s Important?
Our lives are filled with ‘Why can’t the self-scan checkouts just work at Walmart?’ And ‘Why does the road diversion have to go on a 15km joyless ride?’ It’s exhausting.
Whilst the odd ‘Argh!’ moments are part and parcel of life, it’s safe to say that most of us would rather things were just a bit more simple. That things slotted into place a little easier. And we could focus on the things that really matter.
Like that book, you’ve been trying to finish, preferably before you forget what happened at the start. Or that trip you wanted to take, but haven’t yet found the time for. Or even that cookery class you once looked at, and then dismissed, because who has time for things like that?
Make time. Make time for the things that matter to you. That fills your life with happiness and reignites that spark you thought was long gone.
It’s time to cut ties from everything that’s been weighing you down. If you don’t need it, or it doesn’t make you happy, let it go. Pour your energy into only what’s important. And leave the pot fuller, so that you can get more out of life.
These simple life quotes focus on finding happiness, and the simple steps you can take to get there. So read on, find your favorite quote, and use it as a stepping stone to your simpler, happier life.
75 Simple Life Quotes to Focus on What's Important
- “To realise the soothing power of simple life is to find the secret of happiness!” – Mehmet Murat Ildan
- “Think how joyous each and every day could be when you are making the most of what you have.” – Chrissy Halton
- “You simply can’t effectively focus on 2 important things at once.” – Gary Keller
- “Don’t make your life complicated, live simply.” – MJ Jabican
- “The purpose of our lives is to be happy.” – Dalai Lama
- “More was never the answer. The answer, it turned out, was always less.” – Cait Flanders
- “If you look at what you have in life, you’ll always have more. If you look at what you don’t have in life, you’ll never have enough.” – Oprah Winfrey
- “When the living gets unburdened with needs and desires, the life becomes simple and easy to carry.” – Shashi
- “Money and success don’t change people; they merely amplify what is already there.” – Will Smith
- “My new deliberate and slower pace has created a higher quality in my experiences.” – Lisa J. Shultz
- “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.” – Melody Beattie
- “Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” – Marcel Proust
- “Life is really simple, but men insist on making it complicated.” – Confucius
- “Slow Down” – Unknown
- “Learn to live with less so that you appreciate more.” – James Ryan
- “The first step in crafting the life you want is to get rid of everything you don’t.” – Joshua Becker
- “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” – Mark Twain
- “It Is Not How Much We Have, But How Much We Enjoy That Makes Happiness” – Charles Spurgeon
- “Childhood means simplicity. Look at the world with the child’s eye – it is very beautiful.” – Kailash Satyarthi
- “If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things.” – Albert Einstein
- “There are often many things we feel we should do that, in fact, we don’t really have to do. Getting to the point where we can tell the difference is a major milestone in the simplification process.” – Elaine St. James
- “Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” – Robert Brault
- “The simplest things are overlooked. And yet, it is the simplest things that are the most essential.” – Thomas Lloyd Qualls
- “Life is as simple as these three questions: What do I want? Why do I want it? And, how will I achieve it?” – Shannon L. Alder
- “Cherish the things you love. Cherish yourself.” – Marie Kondo
- “When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.” – Paulo Coelho
- “The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them.” – Paulo Coelho
- “I was rich, for there was nothing else that I needed or wanted.” – Mark Warren
- “Life is like a camera. Just focus on what’s important, capture the good times, develop from the negatives, and if things don’t work out, just take another shot.” – Unknown
- “How we spend our days is how we spend our lives.” – Annie Dillard
- “If It Costs You Peace, It’s Too Expensive.” – Unknown
- “Have the courage to build your life around what is really most important to you.” – Joshua Becker
- “Take a step back today. Look at all those beautiful things you have.” – Unknown
- “That’s been one of my mantras – focus and simplicity. Simple can be harder than complex: You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple. But it’s worth it in the end because once you get there, you can move mountains.” – Steve Jobs
- “The world is run by worn-out people, and our soul is often lost beneath the piles of our everyday life.” – Emily P. Freeman
- “The key is not to prioritise what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” – Steve Covey
- “Our souls are not hungry for fame, comfort, wealth, or power. Our souls are hungry for meaning, for the sense that we have figured out how to live so that our lives matter.” – Harold Kushner
- “I’m someone who loves to enjoy life and tries to focus on real things and real friendships. That’s why I live very simply.” – Cameron Diaz
- “We’re so caught up in trying to do everything, experience all the essential things, not miss out on anything important… Life is better when we don’t try to do everything. Learn to enjoy the slice of life you experience, and life turns out to be wonderful.” – Leo Babauta
- “When you’re clear about your purpose and your priorities, you can painlessly discard whatever does not support these, whether it’s clutter in your cabinets or commitments on your calendar.” – Victoria Moran
When you’re clear about your purpose and your priorities, you can painlessly discard whatever does not support these, whether it’s clutter in your cabinets or commitments on your calendar.” – Victoria Moran
- “One very important aspect of motivation is the willingness to stop and to look at things that no one else has bothered to look at. This simple process of focusing on things that are normally taken for granted is a powerful source of creativity.” – Edward de Bono
- “Real luxury is not working like a maniac to take an expensive vacation – it is living a life you enjoy every day.” – Kathy Gottberg
- “Simplify, Be Inspired, Be Original, Work Hard, Enjoy.” – Unknown
- “You can’t reach for anything new if your hands are full of yesterday’s clutter.” – Louise Smith
- “Focus on something that you have a passion for and hone that skill; it will make you feel confident about your ability.” – Victoria Justice
- “Be as simple as you can be; you will be astonished to see how uncomplicated and happy your life can become.” – Paramahansa Yogonanda
- “A person must be selective with their time and energy because both elements of life are limited.” – Kilroy J. Oldster
- “My choice of a lighter lifestyle has brought me a greater sense of well-being. In a world that often seems stressful and chaotic, that’s a feeling I cherish.” – Lisa J. Shultz
- “I meditate. I breathe out what I can’t control and focus on the positives.” – Deepika Padukone
- “Manifest plainness, embrace simplicity, reduce selfishness, have few desires.” – Lao Tzu
- “Life is better when we don’t try to do everything. Learn to enjoy the slice of life you experience, and life turns out to be wonderful.” – Leo Babauta
- “When we are content, our daily actions are infused with a quiet satisfaction that we share with those around us. We become aware of and responsible for other people’s well-being and they, in turn, for ours.” – Louisa Thomsen Brits
- “Organize Your Life Around Your Dreams And Watch Them Come True.” – Unknown
- “Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus.” – Alexander Graham Bell
- “Live life to the fullest, and focus on the positive.” – Matt Cameron
- “A simple life gives birth to more clarity, inner peace and meaningful relationships.” – Margo Vader
- “Simple pleasures are the last healthy refuge in a complex world.” – Oscar Wilde
- “Stay focused, go after your dreams and keep moving toward your goals.” – LL Cool J
- “Give yourself a gift of five minutes of contemplation in awe of everything you see around you. Go outside and turn your attention to the many miracles around you. This five-minutes-a-day regimen of appreciation and gratitude will help you focus your life in awe.” – Wayne Dyer
- “If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, if the simple things of nature have a message that you understand, rejoice, for your soul is alive.” – Eleonora Duse
- “Deciding What NOT To Do Is As Important As Deciding What TO Do.” – Charles Spurgeon
- “Everyone’s time is limited. What matters most is to focus on what matters most.” – Roy Bennett
- “Saying yes to happiness means learning to say no to the things and people that stress you out.” – Thema Davis
- “What you focus on expands. So focus on what you want, not what you do not want.” – Esther Jno-Charles
- “Humans are not wired to be constantly wired.” – Cal Newport
- “The role of genius is not to complicate the simple, but to simplify the complicated.” – Criss Jami
- “I don’t focus on what I’m up against. I focus on my goals and I try to ignore the rest.” – Venus Williams
- “Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth.” – Henry David Thoreau
- “My key to dealing with stress is simple: just stay cool and stay focused.” – Ashton Eaton
- “I feel that the simplicity of life is just being yourself.” – Bobby Brown
- “If It Doesn’t Add To Your Life, It Doesn’t Belong In Your Life.” – Unknown
- “Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four hour days.” – Zig Ziglar
- “Nature teaches us simplicity and contentment because in its presence we realize we need very little to be happy.” – Mark Coleman
- “Focus is a matter of deciding what things you’re not going to do.” – John Carmack
- “Make life simpler: missing someone? Call them. Want to understand? Ask questions. Want to be heard? Speak clearly. Object to something? Say no. Like something? Say so. Want something? Ask. Feel hurt? Tell them. Feel happy? Share it. Love someone? Tell them. When you need to communicate, don’t rely on telepathy.” – Ralph Smart
Final Thoughts on Leading a Simple Life
Whilst it’s important to say ‘Yes’ to opportunities, it’s equally important to say ‘No’. No to the unnecessary demands put on you. No to those stressful situations. And no, to ignoring your own needs and well-being. Leading a more simple life can relieve these extra pressures, giving you more time to focus on what’s really important. You only have one shot to live your life, so make sure you do it your way.
If you’re needing a little direction, check out these 9 spiritual principles to find meaning in your life.
And if you want more eye-opening life quotes, be sure to check out these blog posts:
- 75 Positive Energy Quotes to Attract Good Things in Your Life
- 67 Self-Sabotaging Quotes to Stop Derailing Your Life
- 37 Slow Down Quotes to Enjoy Your Life
Finally, if you want to use these quotes to make a lasting change to your life, then check out and recite these 57 affirmations for success.
Rebel Jones has been writing from a young age. She first used poetry to organise words – the rhythm and flow brought peace to her chaos. But as she developed (both as a person and as a writer), she embraced her offbeat thought process and found her own style and tone. Writing is definitely her happy place and one that she’s happy to share with the world.
