Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Running outside to blow the stink off of you. Lemonade stands and jump rope for summer entertainment. A box of crayons and some paper.

Growing up, mom and dad liked to keep things simple. I can't help but admit that sometimes this simplicity had me whining the words, "I'm bored," but my parents had good heads on their shoulders and would quickly scold me with, "there's no such word as bored, Maggie!"

A simple lifestyle allows us an opportunity to be grateful for the little things. Ice cream for dessert, going to the movies, traveling, getting a new outfit, or going out to dinner. The more we are handed these things in life, the more we just expect them.

Embracing a simplistic lifestyle gives us room to build gratitude and appreciate what we have.

I think we are all more materialistic than we think. We often think we need this and that in order to survive and be happy. But, happiness comes from the untangiable things in life. The memories, the relationships, and the experiences.

It's a matter of deciphering between our wants and our needs. When we start to weed out more of the wants in our lives, the more room there is left for us to discover the things in life that truly matter.

Simple is good. It may appear boring on the surface, but I promise this boredom is just an invitation to find joy in the little things.

Take math for example. A subject that personally makes me want to pluck my eyes out. The simpler the fractions, the simpler the answer, the simpler the problem, the easier and less horrifying the numbers look. Two plus two, and one fourth, are way more warm and inviting than the derivatives and complex fractions.

While I am a firm believer in the simplistic lifestyle, I also am a firm believer in the "treat yourself" way of life. Every now and again, we need to thank ourselves for what we've done and to love ourselves with a little retail therapy. In moderation, these splurging days can help us see why being simple is so glorious because simple gives us the smaller, longer lasting joys that a complex lifestyle might not provide us with.