The New York Times has a great series called Happy Days. Inspired by how the severe economic downturn has forced many people to reassess their values and the ways they act on them in their daily lives, Happy Days is a discussion about the search for contentment in its many forms and shares stories of those striving to come to terms with the lives they lead.

Today’s piece by Pico Iyer is about simplicity. Iyer shares his story of leaving his comfortable job and successful New York City to a quieter life in a small apartment in Kyoto, Japan. This statement from Iyer’s article really struck me: If you’re the kind of person who prefers freedom to security, who feels more comfortable in a small room than a large one and who finds that happiness comes from matching your wants to your needs, then running to stand still isn’t where your joy lies.

I love that line, running to stand still isn’t where your joy lies. I always thought I was a person that loved a super busy life, but I’m learning that a overly busy life just distracts me from peace and clarity. So lately I’ve been trying to simplify things (trying to consume less media, trying to move slower, trying to own fewer things I don’t need) and my lack of funds has actually helped me (although it still sucks at times). Being broke forces me to not be as social which has helped me get more focused on me, my career, my hobbies, my closer, quality relationships, and my spiritual and mental health. I go to bed earlier because I can’t afford late nights out at bars. I eat better because I cook at home more often. And even when money does come I don’t want to go back to running through life, I much prefer to stroll.