I recently found out that I'm what some might call a minimalist.
A minimalist, in it's most basic form, is someone who attempts to live with as few material possessions as possible in order to focus time and energy on things that have greater value. It means not getting caught up in the gnarled version of today's American dream: over-consumption. A minimalist is someone who is no longer encumbered by the desire to have the latest 'it' gadget, car, clothing, and so on.
In some cases it may mean changing the entire focus of your life. For some it means leaving a six figure career in order to help orphans. For some it means giving away numerous possessions that previously were a burden (financially, emotionally, physically). In some cases it just means simplifying how you live your live. For me I've always had the tendency (or desire anyways) to purge myself of unwanted possessions. The fewer items I had surrounding me the better I felt. I never knew it had a name or that it was a movement of any sort. But the journey to simplify over the last few years has focused on 3 areas of life.
1. Material Possessions
When my wife and I moved from Indiana to South Carolina we had to downsize from a 3 bedroom house with a semi-furnished basement to a two bedroom apartment. In order to make this happen we had to sell, throw away, and donate about 50% of our possessions so that we didn't have to make monthly payments on a storage unit. I was surprised how easy this was (for me) and how freeing it felt to no longer have all this 'stuff', most of which we weren't using anyways. And since our move, roughly 2 years ago, I have steadily reduce the amount of material possessions I own. While I won't touch my wife's things (though I subtly suggest that certain things should go) I have managed to reduce the amount of clothing, movies, books, and games that normally would blanket our home. For Lent this year I made it a goal to sell, give away, or throw away one thing every day. So far it is has been an amazing experience to see things that once I never thought I could live without (such as cable TV, some of my Steelers gear) be removed from my life and yet I seem to be...happier. Who knew?
2. Eating
Maybe it's just the way that minimalism has come about, or perhaps the people who have brought it to the forefront, but it seems that numerous minimalists are vegetarian. This never was a possibility for me, and after reading recent studies that suggested that vegetarians have a higher chance for mental disorders and other health issues I was glad to avoid this type of change. However, I have been working to reduce the number of processed foods that I eat. Essentially my eating strategy is this: if it comes from an animal (meat), grows in the ground, or grows on a tree it is fair game. Anything else should be eaten sparingly if at all possible. Now I still love a good Coca Cola (with sugar and not corn syrup) but I have noticed that my body has responded in very positive ways. At some point I'll begin to add more grains into my diet and see what the right ratio is for me. What I have noticed is that grocery shopping is super easy, quick, and I have fewer boxes to recycle. I also now know exactly what is going into my body instead of looking over a food label and thinking "Uhhh, what exactly is that??". While I do have to shop a bit more to obtain fresh fruits, veggies, and meats, it has well been worth it so far.
3. Exercise
If you're like me then exercise is one of those things that we attempt to avoid if at all possible. Yet, because of the society/culture we live in (at least in the United States) a lack of exercise slowly saps the body of any real strength, endurance, or the ability to live in the way it was designed. I've exercised on and off for years with differing results, but just like with my eating I've started to simplify the way I exercise and why I exercise. Now I get up first thing in the morning and alternate each day with either resistance training or a cardio workout. The exercises I engage in are focused on the largest muscle groups, and I differ my cardio workouts as well. Thankfully I live in an apartment community that has a small gym...but I wonder if it is possible to get the same results in a way that doesn't involve any kind of equipment? No longer am I exercising just to lose weight but do so to feel healthy. I'm not looking to run a marathon, enter into a Mr. Universe contest, or even try to keep up with the CrossFit crowd. I'm simply looking to put small changes into effect now that I can keep up with even when I'm 80.
Each of the areas above effect numerous other areas of my life, and it's been interesting to watch how these ideas of simplifying have trickled down into my work, my hobbies, and my relationships. As things progress I'll post more updates and will share any new revelations that I come across.
-Mike
