--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How to live simply? It is a big question…" description: "\"How to live simply? It is a big question. Let the answer come into the empty space that one must create in oneself. Trying to live simply is not the wa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7aa/michel-de-salzmann-75727_activity_how-to-live-simply-it-is-a-big-question_594494.jpg" --- # How to live simply? It is a big question. Let the answer… ![“How to live simply? It is a big question. Let the answer come into the empty space that one must create in oneself. Trying to live simply is not the way - we don't know how. Trying to fix it is filling the space with activity, when what is needed is to empty oneself and allow an answer to appear.” quote by Michel de Salzmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7aa/michel-de-salzmann-75727_activity_how-to-live-simply-it-is-a-big-question_594494.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7aa/michel-de-salzmann-75727_activity_how-to-live-simply-it-is-a-big-question_594494.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7aa/michel-de-salzmann-75727_activity_how-to-live-simply-it-is-a-big-question_594494.jpg) > “How to live simply? It is a big question. Let the answer come into the empty space that one must create in oneself. Trying to live simply is not the way - we don't know how. Trying to fix it is filling the space with activity, when what is needed is to empty oneself and allow an answer to appear.” Michel de Salzmann ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Simplicity arises when we clear mental clutter, allowing inner space for insight rather than filling it with activity. **In simple terms:** Empty the mind to find simplicity. Key Takeaway Create mental space. Themes simplicity mindfulness inner peace Mood calm reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - meditation - creative work - decision making - stress reduction Key Concepts emptiness presence self‑inquiry Questions to Reflect On - What does “empty space” feel like for you? - How can you practice letting go of mental clutter? A Different Perspective Emptying can be uncomfortable and may feel like inactivity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Big questions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-questions/) [Empty space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empty-space/) [Live simply](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-simply/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) ## Related quotes > [“All my life, I've been trying to fill an emptiness inside. But that emptiness...I've built myself around it. Filling it in would be like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-charlton/all-my-life-i-ve-been-trying-to-fill-an-emptiness-inside-but-that/) [Blake Charlton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-charlton/) > [“He’s filling empty space with the substance of our lives, confessions of his bellybottom strain, remembrance of ideas, rehashes of old blowing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/he-s-filling-empty-space-with-the-substance-of-our-lives-confessions/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“Actors had a habit of filling all the space around them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/actors-had-a-habit-of-filling-all-the-space-around-them/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [It's a transformative experience to simply pause instead of immediately filling up space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/it-s-a-transformative-experience-to-simply-pause-instead-of-2/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [There are people who take on different objectives and missions in life. When you grow older, there's a a void - and right now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/skepta/there-are-people-who-take-on-different-objectives-and-missions-in/) [Skepta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/skepta/) > [Journalism is the ability to meet the challenge of filling space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/journalism-is-the-ability-to-meet-the-challenge-of-filling-space/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [“Each blank page is an invitation to write; filling the space, however, is a challenge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-ricardo-zargolin/each-blank-page-is-an-invitation-to-write-filling-the-space-however/) Paulo Ricardo Zargolin > [The blank space can be humbling. But I've faced it my whole professional life. It's my job. It's also my calling. Bottom line: Filling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/twyla-tharp/the-blank-space-can-be-humbling-but-i-ve-faced-it-my-whole/) [Twyla Tharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/twyla-tharp/) > [“Love is about filling up the space, not making more holes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-san-angelo/love-is-about-filling-up-the-space-not-making-more-holes/) Sara San Angelo > [I'm interested in bridging and filling in space that hasn't already been filled, so when it comes to making music, I've just always wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelela/i-m-interested-in-bridging-and-filling-in-space-that-hasn-t-already/) [Kelela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelela/) > [“Sometimes there are just too many words filling up space and not enough emptiness left for thinking. I keep a little emptiness inside for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-pinborough/sometimes-there-are-just-too-many-words-filling-up-space-and-not/) [Sarah Pinborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-pinborough/) > [Filling a space in a beautiful way - that is what art means to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georgia-o-keeffe/filling-a-space-in-a-beautiful-way-that-is-what-art-means-to-me/) [Georgia O'Keeffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georgia-o-keeffe/) > [A big part of what I do is about being that person I never had growing up, and filling that space for myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-flip/a-big-part-of-what-i-do-is-about-being-that-person-i-never-had/) [G Flip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-flip/) > [Journalism: an ability to meet the challenge of filling the space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/journalism-an-ability-to-meet-the-challenge-of-filling-the-space/) [Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/) > [Think twice before leaving a space in someone's heart, because it's difficult to imagine the pain, when you see someone else filling your space..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/think-twice-before-leaving-a-space-in-someone-s-heart-because-it-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Michel de Salzmann > [Can I liberate myself from all my concerns and enter the mystery?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-salzmann/can-i-liberate-myself-from-all-my-concerns-and-enter-the-mystery/) Michel de Salzmann > [Attention: a sacred energy coming into me. Be sensitive to it. Recognize again and again that it is there](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-salzmann/attention-a-sacred-energy-coming-into-me-be-sensitive-to-it-recognize/) Michel de Salzmann Explore all 3 Michel de Salzmann quotes ## More Activity quotes > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [And also I think the rise of other, you could say, destinations for international jihadis mean that Pakistan isn't necessarily the place where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/and-also-i-think-the-rise-of-other-you-could-say-destinations-for/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-evoke-in-oneself-a-feeling-one-has-once-experienced-and-having/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Fighting's fun, man. It's a great activity, it's a great sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mitrione/fighting-s-fun-man-it-s-a-great-activity-it-s-a-great-sport/) [Matt Mitrione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mitrione/) > [There were books everywhere in my house. Books were very present. I just loved books. I never understood reading as anything but a pleasurable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lucas/there-were-books-everywhere-in-my-house-books-were-very-present-i/) [Lisa Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lucas/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [The only activity a cynic will find contagious is yawning, that is, with other people, at other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-only-activity-a-cynic-will-find-contagious-is-yawning-that-is/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [For the longest time, neuroscientists were forced to be passive observers of brain activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gero-miesenbock/for-the-longest-time-neuroscientists-were-forced-to-be-passive/) Gero Miesenbock > [Enjoyment is not a goal, it is a feeling that accompanies important ongoing activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/enjoyment-is-not-a-goal-it-is-a-feeling-that-accompanies-important/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [Once an activity has been socialized, it is impossible to point out, by concrete example, how men in a free market could better conduct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-read/once-an-activity-has-been-socialized-it-is-impossible-to-point-out-by/) [Leonard Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-read/) > [“Fun is not an activity, it is a state of mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/fun-is-not-an-activity-it-is-a-state-of-mind/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [I have to consider everything I eat; I consider every activity I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kimball/i-have-to-consider-everything-i-eat-i-consider-every-activity-i-do/) [Charlie Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kimball/) > [Almost all good businesses engage in 'pain today, gain tomorrow' activities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/almost-all-good-businesses-engage-in-pain-today-gain-tomorrow/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) Browse all 3,263 Activity quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "How to live simply? 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