![]() ![]() Let me explain that by highlighting the difference between needs and wants. ![]() But that was it.Īnd I learned another crucial lesson: Less isn’t always more. Sure, it was cool to be mobile and fit my life inside a backpack. Surprisingly, though, I neither became enlightened nor a happy minimalist. So I cleared out my entire apartment and moved to Portugal with only one backpack. I was desperate to get rid of everything in my life except the things that serve my most basic needs. Soon, I learned this lesson: Too much is always too much.Īnd as a result, my life radically changed. Watches, pizzas, coffee machines, furniture, and backpacks - lots of backpacks. TV shows, cheap white toasts, instant soups. Well, as reasonable as it can get for an 18-year-old.Īnd so, I gobbled down everything I wanted. There was a time in my life when I was a “maximalist.” I had just moved out from home and worked a student job with a reasonable salary. It’s a flashy mask that keeps you from doing the work. So, don’t try to call yourself a minimalist. “Let go of the thing that you’re trying to be (the noun), and focus on the actual work you need to be doing (the verb).ĭoing the verb will take you someplace further and far more interesting than just wanting the noun.” I love how Austin Kleon puts it in Keep Going: Instead, you could, you know… actually use the tools. ![]() In other words, the noun confines you to a tight box of expectations. The problem is, of course, that they’re also made for plumbers, stonemasons, woodworkers, artists, home decorators, and really anyone who wants to swing a hammer. It’s as if you propagated toolboxes were invented exclusively for mechanics. Or, to paraphrase Austin Kleon, it’s not a noun - it’s a verb.Īnd so, when you only chase after the noun (minimalist), you might waste your time proving that you are one: Rambling about your desk setup, bragging about your capsule wardrobe, and cluttering your Instagram feed with snapshots of your minimalist apartment. Simple.īut the most important lesson from this analogy is this: Using a toolbox doesn’t make you a mechanic. So, steal the tools you need and leave the rest in the box. And that’s fine - one doesn’t exclude the other. If you feel drained, simplify your daily decisions.įor instance, you might find that a minimalistic desk setup skyrockets your focus while a capsule wardrobe drains your self-expression.If consumerism is making you miserable, start decluttering.If you spend too much time on your devices, turn to digital minimalism.Instead, look at whatever problem you need to fix in your life and grab the tools that get the job done. You see, having a bunch of tools at your disposal doesn’t mean you have to use them all. I like to think of minimalism as a toolbox. “Do not try to use what you learn from Buddhism to be a Buddhist use it to be a better whatever-you-already-are.” (And no, selling your stuff is not one of them.) 1. Here are three simple ways to do that inner work. That’s why the real work for becoming a minimalist starts from within. Internally, you wouldn’t be ready for it. If you decluttered your entire life today, you’d probably feel an inner void because the external circumstances would change too drastically. Now, here’s the thing: This is an internal practice, not an external one. Do I really need to buy a new smartphone?.So the real goal of minimalism is to stop mindlessly floating through life - and to start making conscious decisions. The keyword here is “intentional.” Once you’re truly intentional about your actions, everything will fall into place. What you actually need is to spotlight the most essential components of your life. To get there, you don’t always need less (although that can help). The intentional practice of focusing on the things that matter most. Three Simple Ways to Become a Minimalist.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |