Thoughts Of Minimalism

[Olly]

Anybody think Minimalism is a good idea? I've tried it and seen the benefits! It focuses on removing all the material junk from your life so you can focus on what matters most. The only downside with this is that you become less exposed to new ideas with this philosophy. 

Let me know if any of you guys have tried this!

[Icanom]

I've been trying to minimize my stuff, but I think it's important to also look at the people, thoughts and activities in your life. Make sure they all match your life goals.

[Guest]

I also tried this. When you switch to minimalism, life seems boring and empty at first, without all the distractions and all the stuff. But then it gets amazing. You have so much more time and space for the things that are truely important, mainly activities and things you gotta do. Also, by removing all the junk from your life you are creating space for new, amazing things to come into your life. It's one of the laws of the universe. Give away and you shall receive.

I removed a lot of material things, people and nonphysical things like music. Also i removed shitty habits and stupid activities. It works wonders  

Edited February 11, 2016 by The Alchemist

[Olly]

@The Alchemist What about when it comes to internet and content from Leo? If i'm minimizing my life, that will also mean I would have to eliminate internet as that literally takes over a lot of my life!

[ElenaO]

I am a big fan of minimalism. I think it's a great subject. I am still working on it and trying to remove all unnecessary things that "clutter up" my life: such as distracting yourself with work all the time, focusing on so many personal projects, trying to meet everyone, etc. I am sure I will figure it out at some point, but for now it's a learning process.

Would love to hear how others are practising minimalism

[Psychonaut]

I have been doing this for years now. For material things "if it doesn't have a function and just takes up space" it won't be bought and if I have things I dont need I throw them out or sell them. I don't buy anything ever that I can also have in a digital form. I don't have books, CD's or DVD's.

I have removed almost all activities that don't serve me. I have to still find some other activities to have a bit more variety. But I mostly just eat, sleep, shower and do stuff I really want to do. Like programming and modelling parts to 3d print.

It makes you really appreciate what you have instead of just trying to accumulate more and more stuff. Fe. I printed a spinning top a few days ago, I'm playing with it like it was the greatest thing ever. It's a bit distracting if you spin it all the time and have to spin it every 30 seconds. But I think most people would get bored after a few spins. Maybe I'm still a child inside a far too old body and maybe I'm still a child, that shouldn't have gotten an iPhone for his birthday. Who knows.

[Olsson]

Been living as a minimalist bascially all my life without "wanting" to or thinking about it. Though I buy things sometimes I need, like a bicycle that I later sell when move to a new country. 

I don't like that it's hard to accumulate books not having a steady place where you live (don't like e-books altough I have had to get used to it).    I didn't "choose" to become a minimalist, it's just the way I am. I have never seen the need for unecessary stuff and am very comfortable with the simple things.

Now I'm back to my home country after some years outside and I will actually get some stuff that I need. Things I bought recently: desk, a chair, a lamp, a bed, some books, some kitchen stuff, and some other stuff. I'm ready to leave all these things behing at any moment.

I think minimalism is a way of seing life. When you can see beyond or never have understood the guys bragging about their latest cell phone or new car or something, then you really are a minimalist. You simply don't have the need or understanding for why you would want it or why people go around wanting silly things that doesn't statisfy you. Of course you could understand logically that it could improve your social worth and this could in turn get you some benefits from society, like getting good looking girls easy. Status is also nice as a kick but doesn't last you.  Personally I prefer deeper relationships and girls can be fixed in other ways than high social status.

 

Just my thoughts on the whole thing.

 

 

 

 

 

[Rosie]

i am also on the same route as everyone else here. i gave away a lot of clothes and try to only have the important ones. stopped buying shoes . threw away a lot of material stuff.its much easier even if it seems hard at the beggining.also easier to clean

[vizual]

I always strived for minimalism in my life. The less junk in my life the better. But the most important aspect of application is the minimalism of mind. We want to use minimalism to declutter our lives, our lives start with our minds, throw away all the useless junk in there.

I think one of the reason I looked for minimalism outside of myself is because it was such a damn cluttered mess inside of myself. Once I fixed that(or at least lessened it) my outer life went to a more balanced state, as opposed to as minimalistic as possible.

[Frankie]

Minimalism rocks.  I.e. I can say, that I own only three pair of shoes:

One pair of leather boots which I wear all year long and two pairs of running shoes (there are two because I wanted to trash one pair but walking with this shoes seems still possible so they are in grace period yet). It makes things easier. Just have only one single item of a special category which is doing the job great is absolutely enough for me.

In addition I like to trash or sell one thing when I come home with a new one (irrespective if it's a new computer hardware, a piece of clothing or something else).

[Guest]

I think minimalism is a facet of more general principle for happy life. Namely: focus over distraction and experience over materialism.

 

Here are some sources that really put the idea into that broader context:

 

 

Cal Newport's book: Deep Work

Winifred Gallagher's book: Rapt: Attention and the Focused Life 

[Soulbass]

I noticed that when I'm seeking for minimalism in my physical environement, it's because I'm seeking for minimalism in my head. I've finally figured out that it's another way to procrastinate, when the real change can happens in your mind.

I can't wait for a video on Kaizen on Actualized

Edited February 21, 2016 by Soulbass

[Guest]

Minimalism changed and shaped my life enormously.. Especially clearing out the emotional clutter changed the way I appreciate life.

[FindingPeace]

37 minutes ago, Maria Neumann said:

Minimalism changed and shaped my life enormously.. Especially clearing out the emotional clutter changed the way I appreciate life.

Likewise.

All my life I dragged 'stuff' I had collect from one place to the other. It all had sentimental meaning to it. Except that most of it either didn't see the light of day or I stopped noticing it. The problem is, it all become a liability and a stress. The more stuff you have the more you have to store, maintain and protect it. The more you have to worry about loosing.

I recently went through all my stuff and ruthlessly started throwing out and selling it. Strangely, as I did this, I felt an emotional weight being lifted.

The concept that helped me do this and let go of 'stuff' was from one of Leo's videos. When I considered the concept that the past was not real anymore, that only the 'present moment' is, I had an epiphany. I analysed what all this 'stuff' that I had meant to me - I would look at something and reminisce about it, where it came from, who gave it too me etc. I would also realise that 'things' would conjour up feelings from the past of happiness and contentment. I realised that all I was doing was trying to 'recreate' a past experience in the present moment by 'engaging' with the item. I was effectively feeling that this 'past moment' was more fulfilling than the present moment and so the object would help to preserve that past moment.

I made a decision to let go of the past altogether. And I no longer cling to it. Nor do I develop sentiment attachments anymore. It is such a relief. As a consequence I have more space, and it is easier to maintain. I also have less to worry about and protect.

So minimalism is my new philosophy. Life is so much more peaceful when you aren't filling your world with 'things'. These things don't make you happy anyway, in fact if anything they provoke sadness or cause stress.