This book opens a window into their world of tranquility--a stark contrast to today's times, a kind of visual chicken soup for the soul.

Gail Fraser and Art Poulin share their tenets of purposeful living shaped from experiences on a farm and private enclave in upstate New York. Art's vivid illustrations accompany Gail's suggestions for simple and happy living, which include: Plant Seeds in the Earth, Know Where Your Home Is, Honor Friends and Family, Lose Yourself in a Small Town, and more.

Optimism had been a mainstay since the post-World War II days. Few of us expected the economic slowdown would be more than a pause. A SIMPLICITY REVOLUTION: FINDING HAPPINESS IN THE NEW REALITY is a commentary on Americas Boom and Bust decade and the Corporatocracy, that caused it. The book is divided into chapters full of practical advice to assist readers on their personal lifestyle journeys. We now can see that Americas desire to supersize everything was unsustainable. What economists refer to as Americas New Normal, Author Sue Schell calls our New Reality. She writes, After millions of people lost their jobs and some ultimately their homes, we had heightened anxiety over the possibility that Americas best days may be behind us? Would our American Dream survive for future generations? What was to become of the vanishing middle class? Anthropology Professor Dr. Robert Launay, of Northwestern University, penned the forward to the book. He writes, The challenges we are facing are new, and so the solutions and values we forge to meet them must also be new. Here, Sue Schell has hit the nail on the head. A Simple life is not about frugality. It is about living an authentic life that lets you live the life that you dream of living. A life that is rooted not in the stuff you own, but in your relationships with family and friends. This may very well prove to be the silver lining we find in this Great Recession. By M.W. Carlson (U.S.) -Feeling lost and disillusioned after the financial crash and never-ending recession? Maybe you lost your job, or are working at a job you hate? You're not alone. This book helped me sort things out and clarify what's most important for long-term happiness. According to this author, there are four "guideposts" to a simpler life: (1) protect our environment; (2) always be financially responsible; (3) use thoughtful consumption; and (4) community involvement. This all makes perfect sense, you say, yet it does need reinforcement, which author Schell does effectively with her own life stories. You get the feeling she is a person with compassion for others, something we need more of these days. No matter what stage of life you're in, you will benefit from reading this book. It may give you some new ideas about how to approach life, how to get more satisfaction from your life, or it may reinforce what you're already doing. Either way, GET THIS BOOK AND READ IT - you'll feel more hopeful, thoughtful and even peaceful after reading it. It's funny too! You'll enjoy the related quotes from famous historical figures (Thoreau, da Vinci, Confucius, to name a few). After all, simplicity isn't new, but we need to be reminded during these difficult times. By the way, my 80-something-year-old mom read this and liked it too.

“A profound and accessible guide to an ecological civilization of peace, material sufficiency, and spiritual abundance for all.” —David Korten, international-bestselling author of When Corporations Rule the World Consumerism drives the pursuit of happiness in much of the world, yet as wealth grows unhappiness abounds, compounded by the grave problems of climate change, pollution, and ecological degradation. We’ve now reached both an environmental and spiritual dead-end that leaves us crying out for alternatives. Elegant Simplicity provides a coherent philosophy of life that weaves together simplicity of material life, thought, and spirit. In it, Satish Kumar, environmental thought leader and former monk, distills five decades of reflection and wisdom into a guide for everyone, covering: · The ecological and spiritual principles of living simply · Shedding both “stuff” and psychological baggage · Opening your mind and heart to the deep value of relationships · Embedding simplicity in all aspects of life including education and work · Merging science and spirituality for a coherent worldview. Elegant Simplicity is a life guide for everyone wanting off the relentless treadmill of competition and consumption and seeking a life that prioritizes the ecological integrity of the Earth, social equity, and personal tranquility and happiness. “Satish Kumar embodies the elegance of simplicity . . . follow his path to make your life simple, elegant, and inspiring.” —Deepak Chopra, New York Times–bestselling author “In this moving and eloquent book, Satish Kumar takes us through his own journey to a simpler, happier life with a low ecological footprint.” —David Suzuki, award-winning geneticist, author, broadcaster, and environmental activist

Make Slow Living Part of Your Everyday! “Slow Living is a work of art…I observed a sense of calm within myself as I read its pages and appreciated the beautiful pictures.” —Andrea Henkels, author of Herman Heals His Heart Living peacefully is within reach if you slow down your life. With Slow Living, you too can embrace simple living and mindfulness for peace-induced days! Looking for peace and happiness? Book a personal reading hour with Slow Living, your guide on how to slow down your life and live peacefully. Helena Woods, author and creator of popular YouTube channel Simple Joys, reveals the wisdom she has learned by moving abroad from the US and living a slower life in France. With beautiful prose and original photography, she provides inspiration and guidance to create a simple living environment wherever you are. Slow Living is for anyone looking to simplify life. Personal growth books for women tend to leave out men and children, but this book was intentionally crafted with everyone in mind! If you're looking for how to improve yourself and how to get into simple living, then this is the guide for you! For many, a slow European lifestyle seems out of reach, but with the direction in this book, readers are able to craft this lifestyle for themselves anywhere, anytime. Inside, you’ll find: Ways to value quiet moments, which bring simple joys to your life How slow living takes root when less becomes more in your home A guide on how to simplify your everyday life for mental clarity How to create routines that enrich your mind and feed your soul If you like books for homebodies or if you enjoyed Slow, Essentialism, or Simple Pleasures, you’ll love Slow Living.

Are you at a crossroads? Do you feel that there has to be more to life? The sole purpose of this beautifully simple book is to reconnect you to what truly matters. Each chapter is a step towards letting go of what no longer serves, and liberates you to create a life of authenticity and meaning.

" ... How to simplify your physical, emotional and spiritual self ..."--Cover.

Strobel and her husband are living the voluntary downsizingNor smart-sizingNdream and here she combines research on well-being with numerous real world examples to offer practical inspiration.

Finding Gratitude introduces the concept of gratitude and the power of positive thinking in everyday life with simple reminders, beautiful photography, and easy-to-digest research on the topic. Gratitude is the feeling of appreciation or thanks, a concept that has been strongly associated with greater happiness and believed by many in the wellness industry to improve overall health. Join the growing number of people who are improving their health and outlook on life with appreciative thoughts. The powerful women behind this book, Bex Lipp and Nicky Perry, are part of AwesoME Inc, an organization that inspires their audience to use gratitude and positive thinking for mental and physical wellness. This timeless book contains short reminders that happiness can be found in the simplest things. Beautifully designed pages are accompanied by simple explanations that communicate the many reasons we can have to find gratitude each day. Finding Gratitude will help you improve your life—or the life of a family, friend, or co-worker—through conscious changes and environmental awareness. Soon, you will see more, enjoy more, and appreciate more.

Ten laws of simplicity for business, technology, and design that teach us how to need less but get more. Finally, we are learning that simplicity equals sanity. We're rebelling against technology that's too complicated, DVD players with too many menus, and software accompanied by 75-megabyte "read me" manuals. The iPod's clean gadgetry has made simplicity hip. But sometimes we find ourselves caught up in the simplicity paradox: we want something that's simple and easy to use, but also does all the complex things we might ever want it to do. In The Laws of Simplicity, John Maeda offers ten laws for balancing simplicity and complexity in business, technology, and design—guidelines for needing less and actually getting more. Maeda—a professor in MIT's Media Lab and a world-renowned graphic designer—explores the question of how we can redefine the notion of "improved" so that it doesn't always mean something more, something added on. Maeda's first law of simplicity is "Reduce." It's not necessarily beneficial to add technology features just because we can. And the features that we do have must be organized (Law 2) in a sensible hierarchy so users aren't distracted by features and functions they don't need. But simplicity is not less just for the sake of less. Skip ahead to Law 9: "Failure: Accept the fact that some things can never be made simple." Maeda's concise guide to simplicity in the digital age shows us how this idea can be a cornerstone of organizations and their products—how it can drive both business and technology. We can learn to simplify without sacrificing comfort and meaning, and we can achieve the balance described in Law 10. This law, which Maeda calls "The One," tells us: "Simplicity is about subtracting the obvious, and adding the meaningful."