“The life we receive is not short but we make it so. We are not ill provided but use what we have wastefully.” ―Seneca
My life looks very different today than it did six years ago. Minimalism was the catalyst. It brought intentionality to my surroundings and my pursuits. And I recommend it to everyone.
But deciding to own less brought more changes to my life than cleaner drawers and closets. It also prompted a new lifestyle that questioned the presence of certain assumptions. As a result, it introduced me to a better way to live centered on more essential pursuits.
Looking back now, I have the benefit of comparison.
I loved watching television. I played hours of video games. I rarely exercised. I drank lots of soda. I ate too much fast food. I slept in late whenever possible. I did all the things I thought I wanted to do.
I was living the dream, or so I thought. But I am beginning to notice how my previous way of life was not improving my life—it was actually detracting from it. The life I was living wasn’t even close to the best one possible. Worse than that, in many ways, it was keeping me from it.
I think this is what makes the unexamined life so dangerous. We often think we are living life to the fullest, but we aren’t. Often times, we are exchanging long-term purpose for short-term pleasure.
When we eat unhealthy, we miss opportunity to fuel our bodies properly.
When we watch too much TV, we miss opportunities to interact with people in the real world.
When we buy more than we need, we miss opportunity to live free and unburdened.
When we neglect to exercise, we miss opportunity to enjoy adventures available to those with physical stamina.
When we stay up late and sleep through the morning, we miss capitalizing on the most productive period of our day.
When we focus too much on vacations or entertainment, we miss opportunity to discover the joys sitting in front of us each day.
When we spend more than we earn, we burden ourselves with the bondage of debt.
When we spend too much money on ourselves, we miss opportunity to find greater joy by being generous to others.
When we choose leisure over work, we miss opportunity to contribute and benefit society with our skills.
When we work too much, we miss opportunity to refuel, recenter, and rest.
Again, with each of the decisions above, we think we are enjoying our lives and living them to the fullest. I sure thought I was enjoying my previous lifestyle. But in reality, we are only trading a better life for a more available, easier accessible one.
So how do we objectively evaluate our lives? How do we gauge if we are sacrificing the important for the urgent? How do we recognize if our choices are detracting from our lifestyle?
Here are 5 steps that have been helpful for me:
1. Embrace humility. We admit that we don’t have all the answers and open our hearts to hearing truth.
2. Seek input. We seek family members, friends, and mentors—people who know us and love us. And we humbly invite them to speak boldly into our lives.
3. Look for the root. We ask ourselves questions—hard questions. Why do we make the decisions we make and live the life we live? Is it because our habits contribute to our best life possible? Or are there others reason present in our thought-process?
4. Experiment. Try living differently for a month, see if it changes your outlook on life. Give up television, sugar, or alcohol. Exercise, write, or leave work at 5 every day for a month. Notice how it impacts your overall well-being. 30 days will provide enough time to see if the change is worthwhile.
5. Learn from others. Successful people are curious people. They possess the humility to learn from others. Identify people living their lives with purpose and goals. Then, study and learn from them.
We all want to live our life to the fullest—to enjoy and accomplish all that we can with all that we have. Let’s work hard to make sure we are making the best decisions with it.
Carol G says
Amen to all the great motivators for living! I can’t find a better feeling yet than the one I get from bringing a smile to someone’s face because of simply giving them a kind word of encouragement, pieces of my time or lessening their burdens. For years I had been an accumulator of “stuff” that only brought a few short minutes of excitement or happiness. Luv what you are promoting!
Valerie says
I like the idea of experimenting with less social media. Sometimes I think I care too much what my Facebook friends are doing, and then I realize that most of them are “virtual friends.” I don’t really know them, so why care what they think or what they are doing? It’s nice to have different viewpoints and such, but do these “virtual friends” really enrich your life? Their “drama” is often distracting. And would it be so bad if I slipped off the Facebook grid for a while? Would anyone notice? Would I care? So that’s what I am going to do…Thanks for a great article, Joshua!
Kevin says
I’m on day 4 of an experiment to not eat anything from a box or package (or drive-thru…). Really a challenge, and it’s always amazing to me what I learn about myself, and the world, when I try a new experiment.
Virginia Johnson says
Bingo! Exactly where God has been leading me. Really glad to find your blog!
Michelle C says
This post really resonates with me, from start to finish. Thanks!
Brooks Palmer says
Joshua, I find I do better by limiting my time on the internet. The internet is exciting. But it’s like candy exciting. I don’t feel good afterwards.
I think it’s helpful to not find fault for what we did before that we end up seeing was not a beneficial activity. My experience is whatever I did that wasn’t beneficial, at the time I thought it would be. I grow up when I get clarity and make a change in my life.
Valerie says
I feel the same way, Brooks! Sometimes after I’ve chatted with a Facebook friend for too long, or looked at too many posts, I feel bad. Like I wasted time that could be used for more productive ventures.
But it does no good to look back on unproductive ventures….just make sure that everything moving forward is productive and life-enriching.
Brooks Palmer says
Yes!
Gaylene says
P.S. If you and Kent Julian ever get to Butler, Pennsylvania, please stop in at Butler Community Alliance Church!
Gaylene says
Wonderful post! I got my husband to read your book so that we could be on the same page.
John Meldrum says
Hi Joshua, Love what you have to say and the overall philosophy but have to take issue with one choice of phrase. “When we choose leisure over work, we miss opportunity to contribute and benefit society with our skills.” In western society we often demonize leisure and glorify work yet neither are good or bad in and of themselves. Leisure in the truest sense is the freedom to choose something that intrinsically motivates us. This seems like the core of what you preach. Likewise for many people work is not meaningful or in some cases, the retired, students un/underemployed or those who choose to stay home even a part of their lives. I think the real issue is the choices we make with our leisure not leisure vs. work. Go back to the old Greek guys (Aristotle etc) and they saw leisure as freedom to engage -with issues, to examine life and to make society a little better. Today we often see leisure as disengagement from life, as you talk about with TV video games etc. If one is to truly live an examined life they need to embrace leisure, value it and make choices in it that benefit the person and society. We need to value the time to think without direct economic outcomes. I think we are both on the same page but important in our society not to make work and leisure opposites I think. Love what you do keep it up!
joshua becker says
Thanks for the opportunity to clarify John. I use the word leisure based on its current connotation and denotation: 1) freedom from the demands of work or duty; 2) time free from the demands of work or duty, when one can rest, enjoy hobbies or sports, etc.
I disagree that we demonize leisure. America’s fascination with early-retirement stands as Exhibit A —as if the goal of work is to quickly make and save enough money so that I no longer have to do any more of it. And in the context of the article above, I don’t believe living a life completely dedicated to leisure is the fullest opportunity. For when we do, we miss life-giving and life-fulfilling opportunities to contribute. Of course, this can occur in countless avenues of service both paid and unpaid.
I am also quick to point out that neglecting leisure altogether is also not a wise decision.
Joanna says
FANTASTIC ARTICLE!!!