2022 is the Year of Simplicity

/ Charisse Says/

I am claiming 2022 as the Year of Simplicity. If you missed it, 2021 was the Year of Renewal, and 2020 was the Year of Connection. You’re in for a real treat this year!

Simplicity means “the state of being easy to understand or do, uncomplicated or uncompounded,” according to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary. And, I like the Collins definition: simplicity is “freedom from intricacy or complexity” as well as “the absence of elegance, embellishment, luxury; plainness.” 

On the surface, simplicity might seem counter to pursuing a wealthy life. But, I believe that a truly wealthy life is a result of its simplicity. 

My December trip to Charlotte inspired the simplicity theme this year. My husband, daughter, and I packed a few bags in the car and drove to North Carolina to spend two weeks in a Vrbo. Given the ongoing state of COVID, my husband and I work remotely on a full-time basis, and thus took advantage of the opportunity to work from a warmer climate. Instead of paying for our regular at-home daycare provider, we hired a babysitter to take care of our daughter. We lived without our normal stuff, and I realized that it was nice to not have all the stuff or our normal comforts. We focused on each other and enjoyed our quality of life. I am taking the simplistic living into 2022 with me, and I encourage you to do the same. It is this simplistic living that makes me feel quite wealthy because I am. I agree with ‎Meik Wiking, when he says in Little Book of Hygge : Danish Secrets to Happy Living that collective wealth is really well-being.

Simplicity

Here’s my charge to you for 2022: 

Embrace simplicity, live simply, and get your wealth

And if you need more inspiration, the words of American writer Laura Ingalls Wilder, mostly known for writing the Little House on the Prairie series, might provide some direction:

“I believe we would be happier to have a personal revolution in our individual lives and go back to simpler living and more direct thinking. It is the simple things of life that make living worthwhile, the sweet fundamental things such as love and duty, work and rest, and living close to nature.”

Here’s how simplicity might show up in your daily life:

  • Every day, prioritize the people you love and adore, and make everything else is secondary

  • If you don’t feel like doing something at the moment, stop and come back to it later. Get a cup of tea or whatever you need to reset yourself.

  • Only buy what you need in terms of groceries for your household so that food doesn’t go bad or you limit the unnecessary indulgences. You can get more at the store or through your Instacart driver on the next trip. (Note: research suggests extra stuff and clutter can lead to sleepless nights and unproductivity)  

  • Keep filling your water bottle to keep you hydrated 

  • Have a financial check-in with yourself or your spouse once per month - put in on the calendar like a date

I want you to do whatever it takes for you to embrace simplicity this year. With the world going into its 3rd year of living with COVID, it’s more important than ever to find ways to simplify your life. I hope you join me on the journey this year. 


A Wealthy Girl Corner 

I will have my 1-year book anniversary for A Wealthy Girl: 7 Steps to Prosperity, Peace, and Personal Power on Feb 10, 2022. If you have feedback, reviews, or comments you want to provide related to the book’s impact on your life, please drop me an email or leave a review on Amazon. 

In the meanwhile, many Charisse Says members are coming back to the book as the new year resets. Given our focus on simplicity, I want to encourage you to read, or re-read, the bonus chapter called “Enjoy Your Wealth,” to get you set on the right path for 2022.