Mindset – Minimalist Moment

Due to a recent acute, but short-term illness, I’d been forced to not only take a few days off, but also to not run any errands or normal things I’d do on a day off. This post is a bit shorter, but that’s because there is something important that YOU need to have time to do at the end. We’ll get there in a minute. Back to my sick day.

I do not usually lack any kind of agenda for the day. But apart from symptoms of the illness, I actually enjoyed the complete lack of schedule. It did last long, but for the short time I was otherwise unavailable, it was enlightening.

It is very hard for me to lack an agenda for a day. It’s a disorienting and yet, refreshing moment. It makes you evaluate what you wish you could be doing, the effort it takes to do things, and the things that you would be doing if you were in a normal day. Sometimes things you would be doing aren’t what you would choose to do on a normal basis, but having that privilege withdrawn makes them more appealing.

Ahhh, you want what you can’t have.

But it does make you reevaluate your priorities, your dreams, your hopes. Even though you can’t actively pursue them in that moment.

Maybe that’s a good thing too.

You need that time to get the full picture. Time to process and fill out the edges of dreams. Ideas come and go and with time they take shape, gain focus and clarity.

Example:

A home, Id like a home.

Where?

What does it look like?

…

The furture…

A future- who is in it?

What does an everyday look like?

…

There’s music.

I’ve always wanted to make music.

What kind of instrument could I play?

When would I practice?

…

The weather is nice.

I’d like to take more walks.

Would I be taking walks if I wasn’t sick today?

What would I be doing instead?

Why are there so many things that I don’t like, that I choose to do over things I admire?

…

These are some of the thoughts that floated in my mind as I indulged my illness.

As much as I hated being ill, I found I was grateful too. I never would have stopped and evaluated my daily choices otherwise. There are things I do to relax that I neither value, nor admire. I tend to watch TV shows and view that as my “relaxation” time. I see no benefit in it. I have other options, like take a walk if the weather is nice, play an instrument if not. Refresh my home with a project, or learn a skill. Even reading a book seems more redeeming than the mindlessness of a screen. I’m sure you could think of many, many more things. All these other options are things I admire in other people, bring value to life and improve the future.

I suppose I view it like this: Imagine the currency of the world is time. You pay for services or items in minutes and hours of your life. You receive items in return for your time. It’s similar to what we do now. You donate 8 hours of your life (day) and receive vouchers (money) for items and services. Now, why would I surrender a half hour of my life for a TV show? There is no medical benefit. No skill acquisition or long lasting benefit. It doesn’t leave me happier, healthier, richer or wiser.

So, Id encourage you to set aside some time to evaluate:

What are you trading your time (your life) for?

You ARE spending it on something.

Set an appointment at a place where you can think and reflect, which may not be a quiet place, depending on your personality.

Don’t be afraid of what you may find.

Any discovery simply means you have more information, more power to decide. This is your life remember? Maybe take a step, make a small change and redeem your time, bit by bit.

We can do this.

Thanks for visiting!

If you’re living with someone who doesn’t ascribe to a minimalist lifestyle, don’t despair! There are plenty of folks in this same situation, coexisting peacefully. Is it tough sometimes? Yep. And, no, its not ideal. But c’est la vie. Here are 2 key points to keep in mind and some bonus tips! Lets get practical.

1. You can’t change someone else.

Classic psychology, eh? But its true, and generally people resent being forced into anything. (Imagine if they tried to make you a maximalist?) Not everyone has to be a minimalist. WOW. It may seem strange, especially if you’ve reached the point where you feel that minimalism is a great way to live. But everyone has a different way of going about things. If your loved one comes to a realization that minimalism is the best method for them- awesome! But remember that you had to reach a particular point in your life before exploring it, and maybe they do too.

2. You can (casually) display a different way.

Just do your thing. Seeing a simpler way (when its not being pushed down your throat) can really appeal. For example, after seeing how little I pack for trips, my husband was intrigued and started asking me for packing advice. Of course I was delighted! And all it took was packing my bag. Another small example is my bedside table. I keep it pretty minimal. Over the past few years my husband’s bedside has also become more and more minimal.

Bonus Tips

Enjoy your own journey instead of stressing over someone else.

I will admit that I did not exercise as much self control as I should have when I first started learning about minimalism. Guys, its so exciting, you just want to share all of the new and fascinating information! Its ok if you did this too. Just try to be cognizant that your roomie may be a little freaked out by what might seem like a radical way of living. I have an advantage in having a great husband who is always open to learning. He is also very patient as I’ve explored minimalism and talked out my personal developments and journey. Maybe that helps too though, because it makes it more about what I’m learning and growing in and less about lecturing or nagging him to do the same. Give them time.

Use minimalism to their advantage.

Example: I offered to go through my husbands receipts. They build up a bunch and he hates sorting through them. I put together a system of a couple different jars for him to make it easier. Eventually we stopped saving any receipts except work expenses, but he felt grateful and was open to more change after he saw minimalism working for him. Find a painful clutter area and offer to fix it (then use minimalism.)

When they ask, offer alternatives.

Maybe you don’t need fill-in-the-blank. If they express frustration with something, offer to help with a minimalist alternative. One of the best choices (and most tentative) was getting rid of our printer. It was a pain for us to go out and get the cartridges at the last minute and though we used it multiple times a year, it really wasn’t often enough to justify the space it took up and the cost of the cartridges ($70 each! Crazy!) I knew it was a big stress for both of us, so I presented him with an alternative idea: printing at Staples. It was scary to get rid of at first, but now I can’t imagine why we kept it so long. Staples, Office Max, Office Depot or any print shop can do the job easily and its now cents to dollars a year instead of double or even triple digits per year for those little ink cartridges.

Offer your benefits.

I found a great toothbrush that utilized reusable batteries, was electric, very small, easy to travel with and the stand doubled as a case. Since I was getting one for myself I casually offered to order my husband one too. I explained the benefits and he liked. Now we both have one and I have gotten rid of our old brushes, travel cases, and chargers. Ha!

In another situation, I started using shampoo bars for easy travel and less plastic. When he expressed interest, of course I offered to let him to use them anytime. Now I’ll be ordering more, but in peppermint since he likes the scent. No more ugly plastic bottles!

Now you have some great tips and tricks under your belt, have at it! Enjoy your journey and respect others. We can do this.