# Why I Live a Simple Life - My Story ![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YE6bDb13MWs/hqdefault.jpg) ## Moving to the North - Sanara lives in an old farmhouse in a small countryside village in the far [[North | north]] of [[Finland]], where she creates photographs, videos, and music inspired by the wild Nordic nature [(00:00:27)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE6bDb13MWs&t=27s). - She previously lived in a city in southern Finland, studying her dream career at a university, but felt overwhelmed by the city environment and working places, which led to feelings of depression and anxiety [(00:01:25)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE6bDb13MWs&t=85s). - Despite trying to cope with her struggles through traveling and spending time in nature, Sanara realized that she was trying to fit into a life that wasn't meant for her, which made her physically sick [(00:03:40)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE6bDb13MWs&t=220s). - She eventually decided to leave her job, family, and friends to move alone to a small cabin in the far north of Finland, a place she had never been before, in search of a simpler life [(00:04:10)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE6bDb13MWs&t=250s). ## Embracing a Simple Life - Sanara faced challenges in her new life, including harsh weather conditions, isolation, and the need to learn new skills, but she eventually fell in love with the simplicity and beauty of her new surroundings [(00:05:07)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE6bDb13MWs&t=307s). - Through her experiences, Sanara learned to appreciate the value of living a simple life, surrounded by nature, and found a sense of peace and fulfillment that she had been missing in her previous life [(00:06:18)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE6bDb13MWs&t=378s). ## Finding Creativity and Community - Spending time alone allowed for the realization that being highly sensitive was the reason for feeling overwhelmed by situations that others found normal, especially in city and work life [(00:07:07)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE6bDb13MWs&t=427s). - Moving to the vast nature of [[North]] helped to find creativity, something that had been present in childhood but was thought to be lost, and allowed for the freedom to express oneself without judgment [(00:07:54)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE6bDb13MWs&t=474s). - Writing about nature and life in a blog, photographing beautiful surroundings, and eventually having photography exhibitions and starting a web shop to sell prints of photos helped to find a voice and channel for creativity [(00:08:21)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE6bDb13MWs&t=501s). - Finding friends in the North who shared the same interests and values, and overcoming the same challenges together, led to forming close relationships and a sense of community, known as the [[Lapland (Finland) | Lapland]] family [(00:09:38)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE6bDb13MWs&t=578s). ## Finding Love and Belonging - Meeting a soulmate and best friend in the North, who shared the same love for Nordic nature and its harsh Arctic conditions, helped to feel a sense of belonging and understanding [(00:10:23)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE6bDb13MWs&t=623s). - Buying a house and getting married to the soulmate, and sharing a mutual understanding of a simpler life, allowed for living life as desired [(00:11:14)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE6bDb13MWs&t=674s). - Realizing that roots are alive and can be grown, rather than being tied to a specific place or life, helped to find a sense of belonging and growth [(00:12:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE6bDb13MWs&t=720s). ## Prioritizing Well-being - Embracing a simpler life, being back in nature, and having space and silence helped to find balance and prioritize physical and mental health [(00:12:54)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE6bDb13MWs&t=774s). - Having more time, despite working less and earning less money, allowed for feeling and processing emotions, and going through overwhelming situations [(00:13:49)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE6bDb13MWs&t=829s). ## The Essence of a Simple Life - A simple life is chosen to feel rooted and stable in all situations, with nature and the right people around for support and help in struggles [(00:14:15)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE6bDb13MWs&t=855s). - The decision to live a simple life was made to heal, find, and feel like oneself again, which was a process that didn't happen overnight or consciously [(00:14:42)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE6bDb13MWs&t=882s). ## Listening to Your Inner Voice - The phrase "listen to yourself" is considered overused but valuable, as spontaneous ideas, dreams, and thoughts may come from a wise inner voice that knows what one needs to thrive [(00:14:57)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE6bDb13MWs&t=897s). - This inner voice is worth listening to, as it could lead to the beginning of one's own story and provide ideas and inspiration for personal growth [(00:15:20)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE6bDb13MWs&t=920s). ## Sharing the Story - The story of choosing a simple life is shared to give others ideas and inspiration to listen to their own wise inner self [(00:15:33)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE6bDb13MWs&t=933s).