I have become noticeably happier since I stopped reading women’s magazines.

I rarely go shopping, and if I do, I don’t spend more than I can afford. I try not to shop from boredom or a sense of unworthiness (buying things to make me feel more socially acceptable, or cool, or professional).

I care a great deal less about my appearance. I hardly ever wear make up. I wear flat shoes all the time. I have embraced leggings with alarming zeal.

My daily routine is basic and I usually eat at home.

I invest my spare time hanging out with my husband and kids, organising my garden festival, and watching TV.

I am, by all accounts, a very unfashionable woman living a dull life.

And yet, here I am, happy at last.

I lust after unbroken sleep, a holiday in a warm place, and a garden of my own. But that’s about it. I have everything I need and almost everything I want.

I wish I could see my friends and family more often, and when I do see them, I wish I had more energy to enjoy it (so often, intensive socialising leaves me exhausted).

I am deeply skeptical of social media influencers or anything that seems overly tricked up (notwithstanding special effects in movies – I cannot get enough of CGI).

I think the key to happiness for me is staying very close to the ground, living a humbler and quieter life than before. Aspiration fatigues me, and leaves me feeling uncertain of my abilities. I love working and I like being left alone to get on with it, without the pressure to be more than I am.

What about you guys? Have you shifted gears into a more peaceful way of life?