Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Jeffrey Tang.
“I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life…” – Henry David Thoreau
Some people look at the minimalist movement and see a bunch of ascetics and misers, a group of modern monks who willingly deprive themselves of the material pleasures in life.
That’s not what I see.
In my eyes, minimalism isn’t about depriving yourself or about undergoing sacrificial suffering. It’s not about being miserly with your money or your time or your space.
Rather, minimalism is about becoming a high connoisseur of life. Being willing to burn away the chaff in order to enjoy the wheat of life, like a sommelier who discards a thousand cheap imitations in favor of a single bottle of fine wine, or like the biblical merchant who sells all his belongings to purchase a pearl of surpassing beauty.
Think about it:
- When you clear the clutter from your closet, what are you doing if not making room for the enjoyment of the few quality items you keep?
- When you sell off unneeded books and gadgets and toys, what are you doing if not highlighting the usefulness of the ones that remain?
- When you create space in your life, when you empty your schedule, or your inbox, or your to-do list, what are you doing if not making room for better experiences, better communication, better work?
In Rework, Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson write: “Be a curator. You don’t make a great museum by putting all the art in the world into a single room. That’s a warehouse. What makes a museum great is the stuff that’s not on the walls … it’s the stuff you leave out that matters.”
Jason and David were writing about the art of business – but their advice applies to the art of life as well.
Be a curator of life. Edit. Leave out the junky parts. Don’t be afraid to say no – but when you find something worth saying yes to – treasure it. Enjoy it. Hang it on the walls of your museum and be proud of it.
When you look back in 20, 30, 60 years, what would you rather see? A life filled with stacks of stuff and a ton of obligations and a lot of scurrying around from errand to errand? Or a life centered around carefully gathering valuable experiences and items and goals?
Because that’s the other half of minimalism. The half where less gives way to more: more experiences, more enjoyment, more purpose, more connections, more laughter, more independence, more passion, more great work. The best kind of more.
We can let the world label us misers, or we can show them that we’re connoisseurs. Which do you prefer?
Jayme says
This might be the best one yet. : -) I’m a relatively new reader, and I do read each and every post – but haven’t commented yet. I’m new on this journey, and loving every minute. Today’s work? Cleaning out the kitchen to the bare minimum. I have two four-cup measuring cups. Why is it so hard to let one go? Rest assured, by the end of the day, I’ll only have one – and a few boxes by the back door to donate to the thrift store. Thanks for all of your insightful blog posts.
Monica says
What a great article!
Eva Z. says
Great post! I love the idea of minimalism and would like to put it into practice. This article resonated with me because I too refuse to live like an ascetic and miser (I like beautiful clothes and art too much) but it will not be necessary if I just let go of stuff I don’t love and keep only the best. I recently moved and thought I did not have much…until I started to pack and the stack of eight boxes of books (just books, not to mention other stuff) was eye-opening. As for the books, any advice what to do with ones that you own and are not available in digital version and want to keep or read again some time later (I do that often)? “Lend” to friends? :)
Lau_ra says
I suggest that you take those books to the library – you can always find them there + other people will be able to enjoy them too! Thats exactly what I’ve done today with my books that I’ve already read.
Linda MacRae says
Joshua and Jeffrey,
This is such a great thoughtful post! I cannot look back at the last 62 years and say ,”I haven’t been nice to myself or someone else, even including my own family!” I deprived myself of my family through employment and social obligations, I lived the life to acquire more and then more! In the end I gave it all away or sold it!! Now I travel out of my backpack, spend an enormous amount of time traveling from coast to coast with my daughters and their families. Because I am not buying all the time I can eat in a fabulous restaurant once in a while, and I have become choosy over what I buy to wear. I’m free of stuff I can’t live without, I’m the connoisseur of my own life and I do not think I live or feel like a monk. I eat healthy and have lost 110 pounds since taking on the Minimalist lifestyle! At 62 years of age I am the happiest I have EVER been in my life!!!. I do not care if someone calls me a miser, just because I save my money to travel and be free to do what I want to do.
The funniest thing is, my daughters used to ask me, “Where is our Mother and what planet are you from?”. Now they have also started to live a more easier lifestyle and at times come to me for more information or ideas!!! I LOVE BEING A MINIMALIST!!!! Thank you Joshua for bringing me to this point in my life! I love it!!!
Kate says
Wow!!! My hat is off to you!
There is a part of me that thinks about doing something like this. Then there is another part that reminds me of my lovely garden and the woodlands around my abode, and my dog. They all bring me such peace and beauty.
I’m so torn. But it may be that I need to think of doing this in stages, move gradually to living like this permanently or I could make it a one time fling and see if that gets it out of my system. I wonder how you came to your decision? Anyway, thanks for sharing and Happy Trails to You!
Dianne says
Linda, you are inspiring! I am 46 and just getting started. I have gotten rid of so much in the past year! It has inspired me creatively, given me more time, and I have been able to bless others in need.
Leanne says
So love this post. Thank you!
Love leanne
Colleen says
LOVE this!!! Best I have read yet!!!
Lynn J says
As someone who is just beginning to ‘pare down’ toward minimalism, I find this very inspiring. I have been aware for many years now that my stuff is not only unnecessary, but weighing me down… and honestly, I think I have a lost less stuff than most Americans do. Thank you so much for being willing to share your feelings and experiences on this seldom-chosen path.
Susan says
I love this post. It describes my form of minimalism. A minimalism that isn’t about having the least amount of things, or even only the bare necessities, but that’s about consciously valuing things according to my values, verses just mindless accumulation. Great post, Jeffrey. Thanks, Josh.
Ben Tremblay says
Years ago a close friend moved to a neighboring city (Vancouver). That summer I visited him in his new apartment. “Spartan” would describe the decor … as an under-statement.
He had moved things in 1 thing at a time, exercising extreme triage. The first thing was a tea set, which also happened to be his most recent acquisition.
When I visited again, the next year … the term that comes to mind is “impressionistic” … perhaps also “symphonic” … almost stark, but not quite. Not by intent, but what he had actualized was quintessentially Zen, c/w wabbi sabbi. It was was quite wonderful!
Matt Manfred says
Weirdo
Annabelle says
Let’s not be rude. Do and say unto others as you would have them do and say to you.
finallygettingtoeven.com says
I hardly feel like a miser (but i have been called one plenty).
It is so true that when one pares down their belongings what is left does become more precious. You start to look at that item in a whole new light. When you have 20 of something (t-shirts for example) none of them are all that special. Remove them all but 3, now those 3 are like the greatest gift in the world. You treasure them more, care for them more, appreciate them more.
If people would just stop the over consumption and start to take care of the items that they already own then i think the world could be a happier place. It’s not about deprivation, but only those of us that have figured this whole thing out really understand that. Unfortunately the ones that have everything, they are truly the deprived ones.