The Minimalists: Everything That Remains

"Imagine a life with higher standards. Imagine a life with less clutter, less stuff, fewer distractions. What would that look like? Imagine your life with less--less stress, less debt, less discontent. What would it feel like? Now imagine your life with more--more time, more contribution, more elation. Imagine better, more interesting relationships. Imagine sharing meals and conversations and experiences and smiles with people who have similar interests and values and beliefs as you. Imagine growing with your peer group and your loved ones. Now imagine cultivating your passion until you can't imagine a day without pursuing it. Imagine creating more than you consume. Imagine giving more than you take. Imagine a consistent commitment to growth. Imagine growing toward your limits and then past your limits and waving back with a smile. Imagine still having problems, but better problems, problems that fuel your growth and excitement, problems you want to face. Imagine getting everything out of the way so you can love the people closest to you. Imagine the myriad ways you can show your love, not just say it, but really show it. Imagine holding hands and exchanging hugs. Imagine making love with the man or woman you love, unencumbered by the trappings of the noisy world around you. Imagine making your priorities your Real Priorities. Imagine real success. Imagine feeling lighter, freer, happier. What you're imagining is a meaningful life. Not a perfect life, not even an easy life, but a simple one."

The second novel I read by The Minimalist was Everything That Remains. This book continues documenting Joshua Millburn's pursuit of embracing simplicity and getting himself out of debt. The message of getting rid of excess stuff can be liberating. I definitely admire individuals that are able to become minimalists instantly. For me, it has been a slower process, but the end goal of living more deliberately is still in my sights.

So far in 2017, I have had two big "donating" trips to Goodwill. Below are photos of some of the things that I was finally able to part with, because they no longer served a purpose, and I could no longer justify keeping them in my apartment. Also, below are some advice from the book that showcases how minimalism can be a life choice.

• American Tragedy
• Important topics/issues/concerns that should be discussed when in a relationship:
• children, short-term goals, long-term goals, interests, values, beliefs, and desires.
• I don't want this life. I want something different, a deliberate life, not some nightmare that I've been sold as the American Dream.
• Open Windows
• How Colin Wright became a minimalist and said goodbye to his old life, and said hello to traveling the world.
• Being a minimalist is not just having very little with you; it's actually about owning very little. Because the act of ownership is what stressed me out, kept me from feeling free.
• Having this realization is one thing, making the change is another.
• Keywords "becoming a minimalist," "living with less," and "minimalism" yield results for three different websites: Becoming Minimalist, Be More with Less, and Zen Habits.
• Be More with Less
• Runs Project 333, a minimalist fashion challenge that invites people to dress with thrity0three or fewer items for three months. Many have found immense benefit in slashing their wardrobe, reducing their closets down to the essentials.
• Zen Habits
• Website about finding simplicity in the daily chaos of our lives; delivering easy-to-digest messages about clearing the clutter so people can focus on what's important, create something amazing, and find happiness.
• I hadn't focused on what I'm passionate about. I haven't made writing a must. Instead it's been a gigantic should in my life. I should write, I frequently remind myself. I should, I should, I should. I've said it more times than I can count--just shoulding all over myself.
• What do you do?
• What we are really asking is:
• How do you earn a paycheck?
• How much money do you make?
• What is your socioeconomic status?
• And based on that status, where do I fall on the socioeconomic ladder compared to you? Am I a rung above you? Below you?
• How should I judge you?
• Are you even worth my time?
• Passion isn't followed, it's cultivated.
• Strong Moves Slow
• I started, small, asked myself: What if you removed one material possession just one, from your life each day for a month. What would happen?
• What we're not told is that decluttering by itself doesn't solve the problem, not long term anyway.
• Discussing how to get rid of our stuff answers only the what-side of the equation, but not the why; the action, but not the purpose; the how-to, but not the significantly more important why-to.
• Each of my belongings--my kitchenware, my furniture, my clothes, my car--has a function. As a minimalist, every possession serves a purpose or brings me joy.
• The Sound of Minimalism
• Those three delicate words: just in case. I know them too well. For the longest time I had an intimate relationship with just in case. I held on to hundreds--maybe thousands--of things, just in case I needed them.
• Personal anchors--all the circumstances that keep me from realizing real freedom.
• ex: material possessions, mortgage, car payment, bills, all debt, relationships
• As a kid we use to ask " what if" with so much optimism (What if we could fly), but now the only time we seem to ask it is out of fear.
• What if has become disempowering.
• Clarity
• "Follow your passion" is crappy advice.
• What's important to consider, then, is this question, "What is my mission?
• Like passion, one's mission is not preexisiting. And it's not always easy to find or pursue. Ultimately, I believe that anyone can be passionate about virtually anything, so long as it aligns with his or her values and beliefs.
• A well-curated life
• Deciding to live with no goals for a while
• Breaking free from goals changed my life in at least three ways
• I am less stressed
• I am more productive
• I am happier
• Success=Happiness + Growth + Contribution
• Encourage you to take five-steps towards a meaningful Christmas
• Avoid holiday doorbuster sales
• Gift your time
• Gift experiences, not stuff
• Ask for better Christmas gifts (raise funds for your favorite charity)
• Soup-Kitchen Christmas (local soup kitchen, homeless shelter, foodbank, or any place that needs volunteers)

Yes, this is a container for Pringles chips. When I was in elementary school, I use to put chips in my lunchbox. And I have kept it ALL these years.

The kitchen is a room that I am constantly re-evaluating the items in it. Have I used them yet? Are there other items that have multipurpose that can get rid of items that have only purpose. In addition, I found so many items that I just used once or never used and they still had price tags on it.

The dream of having a Beauty and the Beast library has been seared in my head since I was a little kid. However, rarely do I reread books, and books take up a lot of space and are heavy to move. Therefore, I finally parted with more books that I have already read, and know I will not reread. I still have 100 books on my 4-shelf bookcase. However, I am deliberately reading more books from my shelves, instead of borrowing constantly from the library; therefore, the decluttering of my personal collection of books will continue throughout the year.

This round of decluttering, I removed canvases and pictures from my walls of my apartment that no longer brought me enjoyment. In addition, I tackled my DVD collections and got rid of so many DVDs and TV series. Also, in this photo are a lot of "just in case" items that I was holding onto for that sole reason.

When you get rid of 12 pair of shoes, you will also be able to get rid of a shoe rack. Ta-da!