Being minimalist forces you to, take responsibility for your environmental footprint,
be more aware of the money you spend, and to hold yourself accountable
for the consequences of your behavior. I've been on this journey for a few years now
and... most things, other than the necessities, are gone. And, more importantly,
I'm no longer buying or acquiring new things. My partner and I share a laptop, a camera, a car
and a bed to sleep on. Plus, of course, the minimum tools for cooking and eating.
And that's pretty much it. I mean, that is it. My own journey towards minimalism started a
few years ago. I just met the love of my life and that meeting really changed my trajectory.
It changed a lot of the ways in which I was looking at the world. We decided that being
mindful of the present moment, being here, now, in this moment, with unconditional love, that
was the most important thing. It was immensely healing, but with that also came a responsibility.
Just because you've seen the truth, doesn't mean that all your problems are automatically solved.
Given the momentum of your former and less awakened life, you have to face the former neglect
and take responsibility of all your previous bad habits. And actually make the change.
Or the changes, in my case. So my journey to physical minimalism really began after
we moved back to New Zealand, which is where I'm from. When we arrived in New Zealand I realized
just how much stuff I had. I had everything! My parents had kept every piece of evidence of my
existence since the time I was born. It was actually insane. Every piece of homework or art
I'd created, every certificate or award from high school. If I had acquired anything in my lifetime,
you can bet my parents had held on to it... So over the next two months, my partner and I started
going through all this stuff. Toys, drawings, clothes. And it literally took us two months.
And that's another reason why I don't want more stuff: It takes time. So we gave it away,
sold it, recycled it, and we tried our very best to throw very little of it away. But unfortunately
with this stuff, a lot of it has no use but landfill. Which is just another reason why I
don't want more of it! And with major changes of course there's going to be backlash.
There always is. People feel so threatened by those who face their own greatest inadequacies
and fears. They don't want you to go forward because they don't want to go forward,
having to face their fears. My sister said to me, I think it's a real shame you're giving
away your boxes of stuff, your childhood is important, what about family? My parents said,
why are you cleaning? We like our stuff. Isn't this something you're supposed to
do when we're dead? But what that really is, is a denial of love and a denial of ethics,
and most sadly, it's denying yourself the clarity and peace of mind that you deserve.
Dad, mum, if you're watching this, after you're dead I really don't want to spend another six
months going through the amount of stuff you have as another booby prize for being your child.
Please take responsibility for your things. It's probably not worth half as much as you think it
is. Study the dharma or get over your ego and attachment to death and do something real, do
something that is good for people. Sell your stuff and invest the money. I think your kids would like
that a lot more. In the end we made over two and a half thousand dollars from selling my possessions.
One of the unexpected benefits of minimalism is the clarity and peace of mind that comes with it,
which also directly relates to meditation. My mind used to be sort of
split and always taking stock of what I had, where it was, and what I needed. Whether I was
taking responsibility or not I felt like I had it and that was consuming a lot of my mental energy.
Every time something goes it feels good and when it's sentimental stuff I'm getting rid of
I lose attachment to ideas about who I am. Getting rid of things feels good, it feels freeing,
and it's addictive. And it has made me really conscious about what I take into my care.
How necessary or plainly wasteful a new item is. When there is less stuff there is more space.
The less things the more I have to be here to enjoy life. And every thing makes a difference.
I'm also completely physically free. If I want to go to the other side of the world today I can fit
everything I own into a single suitcase, and that is just a very practical benefit of owning less.
At its best minimalism is about reducing your waste in the world. It's about taking
true responsibility and ownership and learning the skill of being present about your actions
and consumerism. It's about understanding that you can't just go and trash all your old stuff
to buy a sweet new monotone productivity wardrobe. Take the responsibility to get to know the true
cost of your consumption. On the environment and on your time. Radical disconnection
from consumerism and materialism has made a tremendously positive impact on my life.
A world in which we aren't wasteful, we consume with intention, we focus on the quality of our
life rather than the stuff in, it imagine the possibilities. Imagine if your mind was
consumed not by stuff but permeated with love and compassion. I'm not saying it will be easy,
I'm not saying it will even be instinctively fun, but I am saying that it can become
very fun and very rewarding over time. Minimalism or owning less is a natural step in living a more
conscious life and that is definitely something worth considering. You make your own mind up,
but do give it a thought. Think about where your belongings are coming from,
what resources were used to create them, and do you really need more?
Oh and please don't make your children have to clean up your mess. You've been
telling them to do it your whole life. Stop being a hypocrite and wake up.