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Looking a little deeper into Value

I have seen lots of different kinds of minimalists in the past couple of years. It seems to be a stereotype that minimalists are strait laced neat freaks with plain clothes and small apartments. Well …….. this IS one type of minimalist, but there are many others. Lets go back to the very definition of Minimalism.

Minimalism is creating a life of focus and intention, by discarding all the excess that adds little or no value to that life.

VALUE is the operative word here. Different people have different values according to their passions. One persons junk is another persons treasure.

I recall not too long ago running into an old friend who lives in a very small place with very few possessions, that just so happens to be a hard core video gamer. Not many other possessions, but lots of game consoles and games. My first thought (as a Minimalist of a different kind) was “What a waste of time. All this time playing  games could be spent productively. This is a false reality that is stunting his growth as a person, and ultimately leading him nowhere. I.E. the few possessions he has and time he is spending is adding no value whatsoever.”

But then I watched him “in action”, In his element, and gave the matter more serious thought.

Much of the gaming is online in collaboration with other players. So there is very much a social element to this gaming. Not only that, but this collaborative effort is in the form of teamwork and competition. Video gaming very much exercises ones problem solving skills as well. So it seems that this can be very valuable to ones growth.

False reality?…….really? How do we define reality? Is it only real if it is God (or nature) made/planned? Well, then all the society constructs we have, such as finance and politics are false realities, and we are all idiots for taking part in them. So NO, that is not a good definition for “reality.”

Is it only real if is big, detailed, intelligent, and physical? Then finance still doesn’t exist, because it’s not physical. It’s just as digital as the video games. Take out “physical” from the definition and suddenly video gaming qualifies as a reality.

Is it only real if there are enough other people that follow/believe in it? ……… Ok I buy that. How much is “enough” though? I can tell you that as of 2015, 155 million Americans regularly play video games. Every year there are many gaming conventions all over the country that pack in literally thousands of gamer’s who collaborate in this subculture. Is that real enough for ya? People not only make a great living in the gaming community, but make money just reporting news on the community.

The truth is this: Only the individual can determine what adds value to their life. Perception is reality. As long as they are maintaining their health, creating/maintaining strong relationships, and are growing as a person (in whatever facet they choose), they are doing just fine.

There are a lot of subcultures out there (with their own sub-realities). Ones for video gaming, card gaming, board gaming, film, sci-fi, pottery, knitting, cycling, comics, and thousands more. I think we all should be a little more open minded about the value of what people choose to do with their time.

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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.