“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” 
Leonardo da vinci

“Simplicity gives means to function on less and eliminate the rest. Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex…it takes a touch of genius – and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction. Breaking a problem down and getting to the core is the journey that makes simplicity more rewarding and intelligent.” 
Albert einstein

Less of distraction gives you more clarity
Less of complexity gives you more flexibility 

My take on simplicity is the love of craftsmanship, handmade things that comes from the heart. It started life as an idea, but was then sculpted into something beautiful. No rules, just imagination, creativity and function. Simplicity is a masterpiece. It alone can give so much history, emotions, meaning and joy but is still not complicated. A balance that is hard to master. When you have a great idea, with the right materials and ingredients complimenting each other in a symbiotic manner, then we are heading into a minimalistic artform that packs a deep, richful taste. 

Old machines screams simplicity. They were made simple so they can be serviced, fixed and restored to its former glory. Simple tools and materials were used, but it was made to last. The feeling of a relationship where it’s possible to take care of each other. The machine gives life to the owner and the owner gives life to the machine. The smell, the vibrations the functionality of the minimalistic way of handling what you need, not what you want. Nothing more, nothing less. 

Old machines often needs more upkeep and maintenance for it to run properly because it was made with less complexity. You need to fill in that gap if you want it to be reliable. The magical feeling of this is freedom “the freedom to be self reliant”. That is based on being skillful in the way you act, which includes not only your physical actions, but also your speech and the actions of your mind. It is through our intentions that we shape the world we experience, along with the amount of pleasure or pain we take out of that experience. 

To formulate intentions that really do lead to happiness, is a skill. And because it’s a skill, nobody else can master the skill for you - you can’t master the skill for anyone else. You can give other people advice, you can show them to some extent how to do things, but to find happiness it requires taking the issue of happiness seriously. One need to learn how to be skillful in order to find happiness. If you’re going to give someone reliable advice or set a reliable example, you yourself need to learn how to master the skill first.

Don't be afraid of problems. When you are competent enough to understand what you're doing, the solutions will come. That is the meaning of self-reliance in a minimalistic sense. Less is definitely more. The “more part” comes from you when you grow an understanding for the scenery around you.