“If you give up worry, there’s nothing to worry about.”
—Joshua Fields Millburn
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Constructing a Simplicity Framework
Words by Carl Phillips
“A few strong instincts and a few plain rules suffice us.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson
Life can get complicated. Full of friction.
We can choose to live another way. A simpler way.
We can construct a simplicity framework around what we do and how we choose to live. A lens through which we can see the world, unobstructed by the noise that surrounds us. A tool we can leverage to design the lifestyle we wish to live.
What would such a framework look like?
It could start with something as simple as two lists. One list of things we want to remove (or reduce) from our lives, and a second list that contains things we wish to make space for.
I offer the following ideas to help give you a running start.
Need Less:
- Busyness and busywork
- Rushing
- Stress/worry/anxiety
- Toxic people and/or negative energy
- Debt
- Clutter
- Confusion
- Comparisons
- Spending on things that do not bring joy
- Regret and recrimination
Need More:
- White space (time for reflection, time for hobbies and passion projects)
- Self-care routines—time to reset and recharge (meditation, box breathing, a long walk, spa/massage—many ways work)
- Connected time with those we care about most (turning up fully present and invested)
- Time for travel and adventure
- Positivity
- Movement practice (strength training, walking, hiking, yoga, swimming—lots of options here)
- Work that excites us, that we can find meaning in
- Living in the present
- Acts of kindness
- Gratitude
Such an approach, if we get it right, is simple but powerful. It can really serve us. It keeps us accountable and focused. It also acts as a guide to help bring us back to clarity and calm.
Build your own simplicity framework. Invest energy in building personalized “need more” and “need less” lists. Commit to designing a life you wish to live. Fill that life with what (and who) matters most. Remove the rest.
Consumerism to Minimalism
Words by Sushrut Kumar Mishra
For the longest period of my life, I had been the type of guy who did everything to please people. I had the urge to even please people whom I hated. I wanted to be accepted and respected everywhere, and for that, I ended up cluttering my mind, closet, and house. I also had the fever of consumerism. I had to have all the latest products and possessions. The so-called social status I achieved was for others. I benefitted nothing from it, and nobody cared what I had.
One day while surfing through the internet, I came across the term “minimalism.” The moment I understood the concept, I instantly decided to pursue it for the rest of my life. Transitioning from a people pleaser and a possession lover to a minimalist was not easy.
I had to let go of things; I had to de-clutter my closet and my mind. How did I do it?
I started watching videos and reading articles. I tried imitating the lives of some minimalists, like Joshua Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, Ronald L. Banks, and Joshua Becker. I threw away excess items from my room and resorted to three colors for my closet. White, black, and green. I kept clothes of these colors and donated the rest. I started wearing green at home, then black and white outside. I did whatever I could. Slowly and finally, I got rid of the trap of consumerism. I wiped out my habit of buying and spending irrationally.
And as I achieved the minimalist mindset, my happiness quotient increased. Now, I only have the things that I truly need and love. All the things I own are my favorite. The only people I care about are my favorite people. So all I do is gather different life experiences rather than collect things and increase my possessions.
How can you do the same? How can you become a minimalist? How can you know if you even want to become one?
Start asking “why” in everything you do. Question your deeds and habits. As soon as you start getting answers, choose, decide, and stick to it. Eradicate all the confusions and further questions. Minimalism has no definite meaning. Define your own meaning of it. Find what minimalism means to you. As soon as you find the meaning, you’ll figure most of the things out. The only important thing is to stay true to yourself.
I have learned the art of minimalism. I have learned to not be chained by possessions. And as I move ahead with my minimalist lifestyle, I want you to dive down the path of minimalism with me.
Against possessions, for experiences.
A Little More of Less
A few other articles we think you might enjoy…
→ What Running Taught Me About Living by Emma Scheib
→ How to Deal with Paper Clutter by The Minimalists
→ 10 Simple Ways to Bring More Calm into Your Home by Joshua Becker
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