2931: Minimalist Lifestyle - 5 Life-Giving Truths From Years of Living With Less by Joshua Becker of Becoming Minimalist

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[00:01:01] It's a minimalist Monday edition of optimal living daily episode 2931

[00:01:07] minimalist lifestyle five life-giving truths from years of living with less by Joshua Becker of becoming minimalist calm

[00:01:14] And I'm Justin Malik happy Monday if you're listening in real time and welcome to the podcast where I read to you

[00:01:21] covering mental health and self-help topics like mindfulness happiness

[00:01:26] productivity and

[00:01:27] minimalism often on Mondays and it is Monday, so let's get right to our minimalist Monday post as we optimize your life

[00:01:39] minimalist lifestyle five life-giving truths from years of living with less by Joshua Becker of becoming minimalist calm

[00:01:48] quote

[00:01:49] The process of living seems to consist in coming to realize truths so ancient and simple that if stated

[00:01:56] They sound like barren platitudes

[00:01:59] CS Lewis

[00:02:01] The minimalist lifestyle is about living with only the things you need

[00:02:06] Minimalists are free from the desire to buy and accumulate more instead. They find happiness in

[00:02:12] relationships and experiences

[00:02:15] Morial day weekend years ago. I got my life back

[00:02:19] Relived the scene a thousand times. I woke up with a simple job to do clean out the garage

[00:02:26] It's not a project out of the ordinary. In fact, I did it every spring

[00:02:30] But on this particular Saturday for the first time I'd be introduced to the truth that I didn't have to

[00:02:37] I'd be introduced to the minimalist lifestyle

[00:02:40] Our lives were typical work hard and make money

[00:02:44] Spend it on mortgage payments fashionable clothes nicer cars cooler technology and more toys for the kids

[00:02:51] But when everything from my garage was piled high in the driveway while my son sat alone in the backyard

[00:02:57] It was a conversation with my 80 year old neighbor that opened my mind to a new way of thinking

[00:03:03] She said it like this. Maybe you don't need to own all that stuff

[00:03:07] And a minimalist was born in that moment. I made a life-changing realization

[00:03:13] Everything I owned had not brought meaning purpose

[00:03:18] fulfillment or lasting joy into my life in fact

[00:03:22] Not only were my possessions not bringing me joy. They were actually distracting me from it

[00:03:27] We immediately began pursuing a minimalist lifestyle by removing the unnecessary possessions from our home and lives

[00:03:35] This journey towards this simple lifestyle has been far more life-changing and life-giving than I expected

[00:03:42] The possessions in our lives to find who we are on a far deeper level than we realize

[00:03:48] And as a result the process of removing them teaches us valuable truths about ourselves and the lives we live

[00:03:56] As I consider the years and all that I have learned the following life-giving truths reveal themselves as the most significant

[00:04:05] Life-giving truths about the minimalist lifestyle

[00:04:08] number one

[00:04:10] Desiring less is even more valuable than owning less

[00:04:15] Minimalism has many amazingly practical benefits into our lives. It costs less it requires less time and energy to maintain

[00:04:23] It brings freedom rest peace and calm into a hectic world

[00:04:28] And it provides greater opportunity to pursue our truest passions

[00:04:33] But I've found over the years the desire to own less is even more valuable than owning less

[00:04:40] Over time I've been able to remove myself from the incessant desire for more even in a society that

[00:04:46] Idolizes consumerism at every turn and when our life's desire shifts away from pursuing physical possessions

[00:04:53] We're finally free to pursue lasting worth with all our heart

[00:04:58] number two

[00:04:59] Allow the journey towards less inward

[00:05:02] Dropping off a handful of clothes at goodwill is not hard

[00:05:06] Dropping off a full van load of unused possessions is not even that difficult

[00:05:10] But pulling up to the goodwill drop-off for the fourth time with a van load of completely unnecessary possessions

[00:05:17] Initiates a lot of soul searching the journey toward minimalism runs through the heart and soul

[00:05:25] Correctly pursued it forces us to ask some hard questions in deep places about our most intimate motivations in life

[00:05:32] Why did I buy all these clothes?

[00:05:34] Why did I buy a house with rooms? We never use why do I still flip through the ads every Sunday?

[00:05:40] Even though I own so much already. Why am I still envious of my neighbor stuff?

[00:05:46] These are hard questions to ask with no easy answers

[00:05:49] But the darkest truth is that unfortunately far too many people will never even ask them

[00:05:56] number three the potential of minimalism lies in the addition not the subtraction

[00:06:03] Minimalism is not the goal

[00:06:06] Minimalism is after all less about the things you remove and more about the things you add

[00:06:12] The potential of minimalism lies in what you choose to pursue with your life in place of material possessions

[00:06:19] Choose contentment pursue gratitude and generosity

[00:06:24] invest in relationships grow spiritually

[00:06:27] discover truth a fine purpose

[00:06:30] Your life is far too valuable to waste chasing possessions and you'll discover this life-giving truth as soon as you stop

[00:06:39] number four

[00:06:40] Minimalism will always vary I

[00:06:43] Live with 33 articles of clothing, but Leo Babata lives without a toaster

[00:06:50] microwave or paper towels

[00:06:52] Sarah Wilson does the same in Daniel Swallow lives without money

[00:06:57] I'm very thankful for Leo Sarah and Daniel because I'm inspired by those who own less

[00:07:03] They caused me to reevaluate my presumptions and strive towards even greater intentionality

[00:07:09] But I've long since removed the comparisons. I am called to live a different life than them

[00:07:15] I have different values different passions and different pursuits as a result

[00:07:20] My minimalism is always going to look different

[00:07:24] Minimalism is the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of anything that distracts us from it

[00:07:31] And by definition this means minimalism will always look different

[00:07:36] And number five we can change lives

[00:07:40] We can change the world. I sat behind a computer screen years ago and started this blog with just a few keystrokes

[00:07:48] It was to be nothing more than an online journal of my journey towards minimalism

[00:07:53] But along the way something unexpected happened

[00:07:57] People started reading and found new life because of it

[00:08:01] The inspiration continues to grow both through this blog and in my life

[00:08:05] This is a far better way to live than most people realize

[00:08:09] It is available to anyone who hears the message of living with less and chooses to accept it with their whole lives

[00:08:16] May the invitation to a minimalist lifestyle continue to change lives and ultimately the world

[00:08:23] This is my hope

[00:08:25] You just listened to the post titled minimalism lifestyle five life-giving truths from years of living with less

[00:08:36] By Joshua Becker of becoming minimalist.com

[00:08:39] Thank you to Joshua a good point that owning less is one thing

[00:08:44] But actually desiring less is another totally different thing

[00:08:50] Diana over on our other podcast optimal finance daily says this a lot that it's not just about having a car

[00:08:57] That's over a decade old

[00:08:59] It's more about the fact that she doesn't even desire a new car

[00:09:03] That's sort of the next level of minimalism because we can declutter a ton

[00:09:08] But then if we're unhappy because we still want some type of luxury item

[00:09:12] We kind of missed the point. It's not about removing items is about removing those wants that cause

[00:09:19] unnecessary suffering because we're constantly looking for more or the next dopamine hit and

[00:09:25] Then as Joshua pointed out, it's gonna look different for everybody

[00:09:29] There's the Colin right type who at one point could stuff everything he owned in a backpack

[00:09:35] But then Joshua today's author lives with more as does corny carver and others with families

[00:09:42] It's really up to you

[00:09:43] But if you can come back to those wants and really opt out of it and wanting certain things just because

[00:09:49] You'll likely opt out of unnecessary suffering

[00:09:53] So thank you to Joshua for the reminder. Hope you have a great start to your week if you're listening in real time

[00:09:58] And thank you for listening. I'll see you tomorrow as usual where your optimal life awaits