Simplicity

A friend queried me this week concerning my ongoing goal to reduce the number of my possessions to one hundred. He pointed out that I first publicly declared this goal back in 2013 and as he had predicted, I had failed. Nothing could be further from the truth. While after eight years I still have not achieved my goal but that does not mean the quest does not continue.

Minimalistic living is a choice and it is a process. Like mastery, it is not a destination. It is not about the actual number of possessions I own, it is about living mindfully and not consuming thoughtlessly. I continue to reduce my possessions but even more importantly, I no longer recklessly accumulate.

The books I read are either borrowed from the library or they are electronic. The music I listen to is streamed. My money goes toward experiences, not things. Yes my garage still has two motorcycles in it but it stores less and less every year.

Living simply allows me to simply live. I do not have to work to pay off debt. I do not have to work to earn money to support and maintain my trinkets. Each day is about maximizing my awareness of the present moment and understanding that the source of my happiness is in how I spend my time, not how I spend my money.

“The best things in life are not things.” - Unkown