Sometimes the stories that feel the simplest are the ones that leave the biggest mark.
The Life List, Netflix’s 2025 heartwarming drama starring Sofia Carson as Alex Rose, is one of those stories. It begins with a simple premise: complete a childhood bucket list to unlock an inheritance. But what unfolds is a journey of rediscovery, healing, and ultimately, a lesson in simplifying life to find what truly matters.
Today, I want to explore how this movie beautifully echoes the philosophy we follow here on The Simplified Life — where living simply isn’t about doing less, it’s about living with more purpose.
🎬 The Story of The Life List: A Quick Overview
Alex Rose is a young woman caught in the race of modern life — chasing career success, surviving in a busy city, and living in a way that seems “successful” from the outside but feels disconnected inside. When her estranged mother passes away, Alex learns that she must complete a Life List she had written as a child to receive her inheritance.
At first, the tasks seem random and even childish:
- Ride a horse.
- Perform at an open mic.
- Fall in love.
But as Alex embarks on completing the list, she realizes that each item pushes her to step out of her routine, confront her fears, rekindle forgotten dreams, and reconnect with people and feelings she had buried under years of busyness.
In the end, it’s not the list itself that changes her — it’s the simplification of her emotional and personal priorities that transforms her life.
✨️ What The Life List Teaches Us About Simplifying Life
Your Younger Self Knew What Mattered
Alex’s childhood list wasn’t filled with material goals or status symbols. It was full of experiences — simple, joyful, human experiences.
As adults, we often layer our lives with ambitions that don’t necessarily come from within but are picked up from society’s expectations. Simplifying life sometimes means reconnecting with what we once knew deep down: the joy of creativity, adventure, love, and presence.
Emotional Decluttering Is Essential
Throughout the movie, Alex isn’t just completing physical tasks — she’s forced to face unresolved emotions: her complicated feelings toward her mother, her own fear of vulnerability, and her hesitation to fully live.
In minimalism, we talk a lot about decluttering homes — but emotional decluttering is equally powerful. Letting go of old resentments, guilt, and unrealistic expectations clears up space for authentic living.
A Full Life Isn’t a Busy Life
At the start of the movie, Alex’s life looks “full” but feels hollow. Completing the Life List teaches her that doing fewer things, but doing them more intentionally, brings real fulfillment.
This ties directly into the message of The Simplified Life:
You don’t need a packed schedule or a giant list of accomplishments.
You need a life where your actions and your heart are aligned.
Love and Connection Are Simplicity’s True Rewards
One of the most powerful moments in The Life List is when Alex realizes that falling in love — with others, with life, and with herself — was the true purpose all along.
In a simplified life, relationships, kindness, and connection are no longer afterthoughts. They become the center. They are the “life list” that matters most.
📝 A Call to Action: Your Simplified Life List
Inspired by Alex’s journey, here’s a gentle challenge:
Create a Simplified Life List — not a bucket list filled with achievements to prove something to the world, but a personal, heartfelt list that celebrates what makes you feel alive.
Here’s a template you can start with:
| Category | My Simplified Life List |
|---|---|
| Connection | Reconnect with an old friend I truly miss. |
| Creativity | Finish a small creative project just for myself. |
| Well-Being | Spend one entire day offline and outdoors. |
| Adventure | Visit a place in my city I’ve never explored. |
| Growth | Read a book that nourishes my soul, not just my mind. |
Tip: Keep it short. 3–5 items are enough.
The goal isn’t to “complete” life. It’s to experience it more deeply.
💬 Final Thoughts
The Life List isn’t just a charming Netflix movie; it’s a reminder that life isn’t about accumulation — it’s about connection, feeling, and simplicity.
When we strip away the noise, the endless chasing, and the clutter (emotional and physical), what remains is a beautiful, meaningful life. A life where your days are made of small but profound moments — singing out loud, laughing until it hurts, telling someone you love them, sitting quietly under the stars.
And that’s the life we celebrate here at The Simplified Life.
🤝 Let’s Stay Connected
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Here’s to living lighter, loving deeper, and finding joy in the simple things.
Pratik Akkawar
The Simplified Life
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I watched this movie, a lovely watch.