Friday, June 11, 2010

Simplifying & Minimalism :)

My friend Marke just shared this website with me, and it is GREAT!

http://mnmlist.com/

According to mnmlist, it is "uncopyrighted. Its author, Leo Babauta, has released all claims on copyright and has put all the content of this blog into the public domain.
No permission is needed to copy, distribute, or modify the content of this site. Credit is appreciated but not required"

SO. I'm going to cut and paste 2 wonderful posts, taken directly from mnmlist.com. These are NOT written by me, although reading them made me feel so RIGHT inside.


1. I COULD NEVER GIVE UP

I’ve found that when I talk about simplifying or minimalism in general, people are generally positive … but when you get down to specifics, they’re not always so enthusiastic.

When I talk about giving up unnecessary shopping or clothes or shoes, many people balk. When I talk about giving up a car, or getting a smaller home, or not drinking sugary coffee drinks, or giving up junk food … I always hear a lot of people who say, “I’d love to be a minimalist, but I could never give up my ____.” (You can fill in the blank.)

I thought the same thing, many times, when I’d hear about other people making changes. “I could never give that up,” I thought to myself.

I was wrong.

I said I could never give up my hamburgers or fried chicken, but now I’m a vegetarian.
I said I could never give up my cable TV, but I’ve been without it for 6 or 7 years now.
I said I could never give up my cigarettes, but I’ve been tobacco-free for nearly 5 years.
I said I could never give up my sweets, and now I only have a few bites now and then.
I said I could never give up my car, but I barely drive now and am going car-free next month.
I said I could never give up packaged foods, but now I almost only eat real food, unpackaged.
I said I could never give up my coffee, but I recently have.
I said I could never give up my running shoes, but now I run barefoot.
I said I could never get down to a handful of clothes, but I have.
I said I could never give up TV altogether, but I am.

If you think you could never do something … stop saying it. You just might surprise yourself.


2. THE JOY OF WALKING

Today I set out from my house and walked. And walked.

I didn’t have a specific destination in mind, but wanted to walk a bit before finding a quiet place to write. So I walked, out of the town where I live and along the tropical, white-sand coastline, to the next town over.

As others drove cocooned in their cars, I walked, and emitted nothing but my breath.

As others spent their lunch hour pounding down fat-laden burgers and greasy fries or some other cheesy fried piled-high dish, I walked, and burned calories.

As others rushed and stressed, I walked, and took my time.

As others sat at their computers, I walked, and got my blood flowing.

As others held power business meetings and made deals, I walked, and had time to think.

As others were productive and got tasks done, I walked and got nothing done, and cleared my head.

As others had the comfort of shelter and air-conditioning, I walked and worked up a light sweat and was buffeted by the wind.

As a white gull floated serenely above a calm bay, I walked, and watched, and loved it.

I walked for an hour, then wrote and read, and then walked for another hour to get back home, tired but happy.

I can’t walk this much every day, but I walk as much as I can, because you need nothing to walk, you spend nothing, you consume nothing, you emit nothing.

And yet you have everything.

9 comments:

Jennifer said...

Great post! I am in the 'started to downsize, but still have too much stuff phase,' so this is a great encouragement.

I've been following your blog for a long time (a year, maybe?). I spend my summers in L'Anse, Michigan, which is sort of between Marquette and Houghton.

You were a great (and early) inspiration to me to get started on my RV journey!

Jennifer

FALIA REVIEWS: said...

Jennifer - I also found it very inspirational and encouraging, even to myself! It really gives you a sense of "I can do this!" :) I've been to L'Anse, I went to college for several years in Marquette. BEAUTIFUL up there! Are you there now? I'll be heading up that way I think at some point near the end of the summer perhaps.

Laura Anne said...

i love this. "you need nothing to walk, you spend nothing, you consume nothing, you emit nothing.

And yet you have everything."

inspiring.

FALIA REVIEWS: said...

Laura Anne - I agree. I find it very beautiful. perfect. inspiring.

Atom Farm said...

great great great. bookmarked.

FALIA REVIEWS: said...

Atom Farm - so glad you enjoyed this!

Christ's hippie said...

That second one is especially great! Having a big dog that needs lots of walking has helped me realize the same thing in my life.

FALIA REVIEWS: said...

James - cool! Walking is so ... simple and wonderful. I loved this post too.

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