Soulful Simplicity Quotes

“Getting rid of everything that doesn’t matter allows you to remember who you are. Simplicity doesn’t change who you are, it brings you back to who you are.”
― Courtney Carver, Soulful Simplicity: How Living With Less Can Lead to So Much More

“I finally figured it out. Instead of working so hard to make ends meet, work on having fewer ends.”
― Courtney Carver, Soulful Simplicity: How Living with Less Can Lead to So Much More

“Diamonds Are Not This Girl's Best Friend
Diamonds are not my best friend but they used to be. It wasn't just jewelry but all the things I bought to lift me up, prove my worth, and demonstrate my love. As I became more and more me and started experiencing the world from this new stuff-less place, I realized that diamonds are not this girl's best friend. My best friend is a magical rooftop sunrise. My best friend is the ocean. My best friend is a hike in the mountains. My best friend is a peaceful afternoon. My best friend is a really good book. My best friend is laughter. My best friend is seeing the world. My best friend is time with people I love. Diamonds have nothing on my best friends.”
― Courtney Carver, Soulful Simplicity: How Living with Less Can Lead to So Much More

“Start to think about what really matters to you. If you aren’t sure at first, don’t worry. Sometimes you have to get rid of the things that don’t matter to let the things that do rise to the surface.”
― Courtney Carver, Soulful Simplicity: How Living With Less Can Lead to So Much More

“Take a deep breath. Get present in the moment and ask yourself what is important this very second. —GREG MCKEOWN, Essentialism”
― Courtney Carver, Soulful Simplicity: How Living With Less Can Lead to So Much More

“If organizing your stuff worked, you'd be organized by now.”
― Courtney Carver, Soulful Simplicity: How Living with Less Can Lead to So Much More

“We dismiss opportunities every day by telling ourselves we can’t do it. We give in to fear. It’s good to think things through, but trust yourself to try new things too.”
― Courtney Carver, Soulful Simplicity: How Living With Less Can Lead to So Much More

“Take a little walk. In Italy, in almost every town, village, and city, people come out for the evening stroll called la passeggiata. It means “little walk.” They aren’t out to burn calories or build muscle tone or even to reduce stress. They take a little walk to see and be seen and to be a part of their community. They linger over one another. The next time you finish dinner, instead of rushing to get the dishes done or to get the kids ready for bed, or finish your”
― Courtney Carver, Soulful Simplicity: How Living With Less Can Lead to So Much More

“Love is reflected in your daily choices. When you choose crappy food for lunch, that isn’t loving. Neither is choosing work over sleep or anger over gratitude. They are all choices. Not easy ones, but choices nonetheless.”
― Courtney Carver, Soulful Simplicity: How Living With Less Can Lead to So Much More

“When we focus more on fitting it all in instead of making time for what counts, we lose sight of how to create a meaningful life.”
― Courtney Carver, Soulful Simplicity: How Living with Less Can Lead to So Much More

“After a while, I wasn't saying no because I was so busy, I was saying no because I didn't want to be so busy anymore.”
― Courtney Carver, Soulful Simplicity: How Living with Less Can Lead to So Much More

“Let the people in your life find their own way, just as you are finding yours. If you want others to see the joy in less, live joyfully with less.”
― Courtney Carver, Soulful Simplicity: How Living with Less Can Lead to So Much More

“you have to do things you don’t want to do so you can do things you want to do and have the kind of life you really want.”
― Courtney Carver, Soulful Simplicity: How Living With Less Can Lead to So Much More

“Outward actions are directly connected to internal reactions.”
― Courtney Carver, Soulful Simplicity: How Living With Less Can Lead to So Much More

“We dismiss opportunities every day by telling ourselves we can’t do it. We give in to fear.”
― Courtney Carver, Soulful Simplicity: How Living With Less Can Lead to So Much More

“All of that time consumed with listing the things to do and feeling bad about the things that were left undone contributes to the lack of time you have to do them. Instead, keep one master to-do list. Before you go to sleep, pull one to three items that you’ll do tomorrow. When you finish them, revisit the list or take a walk.”
― Courtney Carver, Soulful Simplicity: How Living With Less Can Lead to So Much More

“Ban the word busy and see what it feels like to talk about your life differently. “I’m so busy” is usually a complaint. You roll your eyes, shrug your shoulders, and often sigh when rambling about your busy day. Instead, talk about your day with gratitude.”
― Courtney Carver, Soulful Simplicity: How Living With Less Can Lead to So Much More

“My favorite topics always come from the question “Wouldn’t it be crazy if we . . .” We are living our lives with purpose and it makes for a happy marriage and meaningful life together.”
― Courtney Carver, Soulful Simplicity: How Living With Less Can Lead to So Much More

“Does this really matter to me?” “Is this love?” “Is this contributing to the life I want, to my health, or to the way I want to treat people?” “Am I holding on for the right reasons?”
― Courtney Carver, Soulful Simplicity: How Living With Less Can Lead to So Much More

“When I think about spending on something new I don’t really need, or am trying to decide if I should keep something or let it go (physical object, commitment, work project . . .), I ask this one simple (yet really big) question: Is this love? Does this support love in my life the way I want it to? If the answer is no, I walk away.”
― Courtney Carver, Soulful Simplicity: How Living With Less Can Lead to So Much More

“We have to do things we don’t want to do to be who we want to be and feel how we want to feel. And once we push through that tiny bit (or really big chunk) of resistance, we usually find we are doing exactly what we want.”
― Courtney Carver, Soulful Simplicity: How Living With Less Can Lead to So Much More

“it’s become very clear to me that you have to do things you don’t want to do so you can do things you want to do and have the kind of life you really want.”
― Courtney Carver, Soulful Simplicity: How Living With Less Can Lead to So Much More

“So often we want to jump into action. We want the road map or step-by-step instructions, but part of making you is making the map.”
― Courtney Carver, Soulful Simplicity: How Living With Less Can Lead to So Much More

“This goes for almost anything you suffer from. Without love for yourself, and love for how you live, and who you spend your time with, the drugs aren’t going to be helpful for very long, if ever. And saying or thinking you love yourself is not enough either. Love is reflected in your daily choices. When you choose crappy food for lunch, that isn’t loving. Neither is choosing work over sleep or anger over gratitude. They are all choices. Not easy ones, but choices nonetheless.”
― Courtney Carver, Soulful Simplicity: How Living With Less Can Lead to So Much More

“One of the reasons we keep our lives so complicated is so we won’t have to listen to our inner voice telling us what we need to do to make our lives work better.”
― Courtney Carver, Soulful Simplicity: How Living With Less Can Lead to So Much More

“simplicity is about more than making space in your home. It’s also about creating more time in your life and more love in your heart. What I learned is that you can actually be more with less.”
― Courtney Carver, Soulful Simplicity: How Living With Less Can Lead to So Much More

“If you don’t have time to linger or think you are too busy to slow down, connect with loved ones, and take care of your heart, or whenever you are thinking about how you spend your time, author Laura Vanderkam suggests, “Instead of saying ‘I don’t have time’ try saying ‘it’s not a priority,’” and see how that feels.”
― Courtney Carver, Soulful Simplicity: How Living With Less Can Lead to So Much More

“We cannot selectively numb emotions; when we numb the painful emotions, we also numb the positive emotions.”
― Courtney Carver, Soulful Simplicity: How Living With Less Can Lead to So Much More

“I forgot who I was. For a really long time, I forgot who I was. It looked like I knew from the outside. I even believed it myself most of the time, but by the way I was building and living my life, it’s clear I had forgotten. There are times when I wonder if things would have been better if I hadn’t made the mistakes I made, but I rarely go down that road. I’m confident that because I got lost, disconnected, and turned upside down, I was able to come out even better on the other side and experience the kind of gratitude you just can’t tap into unless you know what it’s like to live outside of your heart. Not being yourself is exhausting and breaks you down from the inside out.”
― Courtney Carver, Soulful Simplicity: How Living With Less Can Lead to So Much More

“I didn't think I was ready to let go. In an effort to hold on tight, I thought, 'It's not hurting anything or anyone to keep this stuff.' Then I remembered that I want my quality of life to be more in line with 'How is this helping?' instead of 'How is this not hurting?' I wanted to create an environment that allowed me to be fully present.”
― Courtney Carver, Soulful Simplicity: How Living with Less Can Lead to So Much More