Category: Essays

The many philosophies of minimalism.

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A life of intention, of purpose

It occurs to me that perhaps there are those who don’t live a life of intention, mainly due to lack of purpose (Lord knows that was me right after college), and not so much due to excess clutter. This is a much bigger issue than clutter itself, as a person without a self defined purpose is looking for a purpose (even if they don’t know it), and will be easily swayed by the pressures of the society, the culture we live in.

Of course this is a culture that covets material possessions, and a “bigger” lifestyle, so it’s neigh inevitable that a person without a self defined purpose will turn to a life of excess, and get a false sense of purpose in that; A sense of emotional security. But I think we know that is just filler, or a place holder, where real fulfillment should be.

For those people, I wish I had an fool proof formula for finding their purpose; I really do.

However being a person of purpose and intention myself, and knowing many others with purpose/intention, I believe I can point them in the right direction:

  • Serve Others – No matter what we are driven to do, we will only get long term fulfillment out of it, if it is in the service of others. This comes from an instinctual need as we grow older to contribute to the world.
  • It feels good – The actual act of carrying out our purpose must be in some way pleasurable to us, not just the result. Otherwise it will just feel like work, and in time we will burn out; then our passion for it will fade.
  • We have a way to put our own signature on it – A lot of people do what we are gonna do. How are we going to do it in such a way that we can make our own personal mark.
  • We are motivated to do it – We must have the internal drive, the spark that keeps us moving forward.
  • We can surround ourselves with people that fuel our fire. – No matter how much we are motivated, we all need support. Keep people around that believe in our passion, and give support. Also, eject from our life those who drag us down. Get rid of all negativity keeping us from moving forward.

All these criterion must be met in order for one to have a passion worthy enough to be their life’s purpose, their intention. After that, just look to where our talents and humanity meet. We will find our purpose somewhere in that intersection.

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Using time intentionally

Time is the most important resource we have. Mainly because it’s the most necessary, and the most  limited. There is both an unlimited amount of money and space to be had out in the world, and one can attain much more of both than they can make any valuable use of, pretty easily. Time however ……. our supply is very limited, but there is no limit to how much good use we can make of our time.

It is for this reason that the best kind of minimizing one can do, is to minimize wasted time. Get rid of time clutter. Every bit of our time should be spent intentionally. That is, every bit of our time should be spent toward a path of growth; working forward in our passions.

Let this not suggest that we must be busy busy busy all the time. Nothing can be further from the truth, that’s just ridiculous. There is always a time for mindless recreation, and relaxation. Recreation and relaxation are very much “value added” activities as they take the load off for a bit, so we can get back to center, and re-approach our passion focused and fresh. So recreation is great …… in moderation. After all “All work and no play makes Jack a dull dog.” What I AM saying here is that even play time must be intentional, possibly even planned. Planning it makes us mindful of how much time we spend doing it. And when we mentally compare it to all the other time we spend doing other activities, we get a better picture of whether or not this is value added time, or if it is just excess (and therefore draining value from our lives. Mainly because it is now robbing us of time better spent doing other things).

Intentional time does not have to be planned, it just can’t be idle time; time spent doing a lazy default activity (the couch is popular for this).

Intentionality should start with listening and obeying our bodies needs. If we are hungry …. eat. If we are tired ……. sleep. If we are hyper/energetic …… go for a run (or any physically exerting activity). Time spent following your health needs is NEVER wasted time.

Next, we should be spending our time toward growth. This is done either through pursuit of an interest/passion, or building relationships.

Lastly, unwind, relax. Make some time intentionally (not accidentally) to chill out and take in some entertainment. Just be careful that we only get just enough of this to bring us value; enough to bring us the levity we need. Once we are at the value “max” it’s then going to just rob us of time better spent on Health needs, personal goals, and relationships.

If we can do activities that COMBINE some of the above, now that is the most valuable time I can think of.

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New York Nights and the Amber Lights

Everyone should have a place they can visit regularly where they feel truly at peace. A place where they can get some thinking done. Where they can relax and let themselves take in all the sensations around them, and feel content.

As a minimalist, I am big on living in the moment. I am also into textures, scents, and sensations. This is one of the reasons I like living in upstate NY so much. We have seasons. Very diverse and distinctly different seasons, each with its own smells, feels, and even moods.

For me, my “go to” place for peace and contemplation, is the streets of my sub-urban neighborhood at night. I love to see the light of the amber street lamps shine upon the pavement. I love hearing the sounds of traffic and the rustle of the train. I love feeling the breeze in my hair. I often spend some time walking the streets. I’ll even squat down on the sidewalk under a street lamp to sit down for a bit, and let my fingers graze the asphalt. This may sound strange to some, but this is a small slice of heaven to me. I let all of the sensations wash over me, and it puts me at peace.

While that is my “go to” place for peace and/or contemplation, there are others that are not so readily available to me. I do have some rare treats I enjoy once or twice a year. These are:

  • Deep Tissue Massage at the spa.
  • The beach.
  • A train ride.

All of these experiences have the sounds, sights, smells, and feels I desire so much.

These are some of the real riches life has to offer. Riches that so many of us fail to notice in the race for excess, the race of consumerism. We miss so many of the wonderful sensations that the world just outside our front door has for us.

What places and settings do it for you?

Make it a point to immerse yourself in them regularly.