The Bistrosaurus

Materialism. Consumerism. 

Desire. Need.

Obsession.

It can be a slippery slope into the obsessions with possessions. But it doesn't have to be. I recently got rid of a lot of material possessions that no longer satisfy my needs. But I didn't get rid of everything. Many people can misinterpret minimalism as an extreme lifestyle of asceticism, but this isn't necessarily so. I still have possessions. I still have a DVD collection (albeit much smaller and yet more intentional). I still have a few material objects in my small apartment sitting there for simple visual pleasure. But these small items of decoration don't clutter my home. They add to it. I make sure that everything has a meaningful place that matters to who I am.

On top of my refrigerator is a Stegosaurus skeleton (a gift from my girlfriend). It reminds me of her, but it also connects me to my childhood when I had boyish dreams of becoming a paleontologist. The bistro sign is an old item of my girlfriend's that I stole when she no longer wanted it. It and the Stegosaurus are some the only items of decor in my kitchen. They add character to my life in an otherwise simple room. And they also add a sense of who I am when people come over. Hopefully they get that I love dinosaurs (I can talk about prehistoric life for a loooong time). Small items like this can be a great conversation starter and a great thing to smile at and remember the things in life that make us happy.

The Maximalist

A good friend of mine recently said we were enemies because of my recent foray into minimalism. (This was a joke....I think).

He claims to be a maximalist.

What a great word! This seems (to me) to be the philosophy of keeping many things around you, that "more is more". The embrace of material possessions and the belief that happiness can come from them. A collector (ahem, hoarder!). I am not saying people who live lives of collecting more and more things are living the wrong way. It just doesn't follow my own beliefs. 

Minimalism can be a challenging lifestyle to many, one that seemingly protests against the system that society has built of always chasing after the bigger house, the bigger TV, the better car, the bigger movie collection. But we don't have to choose this lifestyle. It works for some, and many are perfectly happy living with the desire for more things, more stuff. But I have found that it doesn't work for me. Instead, living with less brings me more personal joy and comfort in how I live my life. For me, "less is more".

Josh and Ryan from The Minimalists put it quite eloquently:

The things we collect become elements of us; our collections become part of our identities; a slice of who we are. But what happens when we take away our collections? Are we not the same beautiful people?

I like this quote from Fight Club:

Reject the basic assumptions of civilization, especially the importance of material possessions.

I am not against people getting things they want. We all have desires. We can't help it. But let us instead question why we want the things we want, ask ourselves if they really add value to our lives. A minimalist doesn't need to have less than 100 things to live a proper minimalist lifestyle (is there such a thing?). We just need to have things that truly matter to us.

So what matters to you?

Expectations and Film Adaptations

A lot of the time when we get upset or frustrated or disappointed about something it isn't because said thing is bad in and of itself but rather that our expectations of said thing have not been met. We expect someone to treat us with respect and when they don't we get angry. We expect our spouse to have the dishes done when we get home and when they don't we are disappointed. We expect other drivers on the road to not break the rules and not cut us off and when they do we become frustrated.

Instead we should live without expectations and allow things to just be as they are. As the Dalai Lama said, "I am open to the guidance of synchronicity, and do not let expectations hinder my path."

I see this kind of dissatisfaction from expectations a lot when it comes to film adaptations of books. Most of us can relate to the saying "the book was better." This is directly related to us having expectations. When we read, say The Lord of the Rings and then watch the film version, we already have a mental image from reading the book of what Frodo or Elrond or Weathertop should look like. When these fictional characters and places show up onscreen and they don't match what we imagined, we become frustrated and react by saying "the book was better."

However, this doesn't need to be the case. A film adaptation is exactly that: an adaptation. It is the film-maker's interpretation of the literary material. Of course it won't be the same as what you imagine or even what the author imagined. It isn't the same as the book. It couldn't possibly be the same. One is made up of words on a printed page that we have to read one at a time. The other is made up of moving images that we see all at once. The two are constructed by two totally different individuals with their own artistic sense and ideas and experiences. We get the information in a totally different manner from these two mediums. You can't really compare them. It's like saying the recipe of a cupcake is better than the cupcake itself. If the cupcake isn't good, it's because of our own imaginations of what the recipe could've been, not based on what it actually is now.

The same can be said of our expectations in real life. What we have in our minds of what the external world should be like is not the same as what it really is like. Ideas in our mind are not the same as actual events occurring before us. Next time we are frustrated or angry with unmet expectations, perhaps we should take a step back, accept the things that are outside our control, be grateful for the experience we receive, and let it go. Take your expectations and throw them in the ocean.

My Favorite Websites

I spend a lot less time on the internet these days, especially since I got rid of it at home. But when I do find some time to read an article or two, these are the sites I usually check out. (I didn't include Gmail for checking my personal emails, or YouTube for looking up songs or random videos, or Wikipedia for useful information, because these are almost generic websites that everyone is familiar with).

The Minimalists

The first source that really introduced me to the concept of minimalism. The site is written by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus and their story is truly inspiring. The collection of essays on here is a great motivator and influence on a lot of my current ideals.

Zen Habits

A great website for advice on how to live a better life. Written by Leo Babauta, it takes a lot of central concepts from Zen Buddhism and applies it to the practicality of daily life.

Mnmlist

Also written by Leo Babauta, this site applies the concepts of simplicity into the very design of the layout. Simple and easy to read essays on the very essential concepts of minimalism.

Numero Cinq

Last year I had the great opportunity to have some of my creative writing critiqued by author Douglas Glover while he was the Writer-In-Residence at UNB Fredericton. This meeting was inspirational and highly influential on how I view the art and craft of writing. Even more so, it exposed me to the great online literary magazine Numero Cinq. While being an excellent resource for poetry and literature, Glover's essays have especially changed the way I write. His essay The Novel As A Poem is exceptionally moving.

Khan Academy

My girlfriend introduced me to this great tool. An excellent site to expand our knowledge on many things. I have enjoyed the math exercises and especially the Crash Course World History series from John Green and the Wi-Phi Philosophy videos.

Daily Tao

A fun site for a daily reading from the Tao Te Ching. A little bit of ancient Eastern philosophy is a great bit of writing to be mindful of throughout my day.

On Gratitude

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not."  

-Epicurus (341 - 270 BCE)

Often, we take things for granted. Or we feel entitled. Our daily lives are so filled up with things to do, and our individual problems, struggles, and annoyances, our desires and our needs, that we so easily forget how lucky we really are.

I find more and more that to take a moment and realize how fortunate I am, to accept gratitude for every moment, I become calmer and more at peace within the world.

I am grateful for the air I breathe.

I am grateful for the food I eat.

I am grateful for the water I drink.

I am grateful for the people I have relationships with.

I am grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow.

I am grateful for the experiences I am able to have.

By turning our attention over to being grateful for the things we do have instead of lamenting the things we don't, our happiness can grow exponentially. Rather than feel like we are a foreigner in this external world, feeling like we never get what we want, we can instead feel at home and at peace by being grateful for our life, one with the universe and just go with it. Life is good. It is not our enemy.

Try it: this morning, write a list of 5 things you are grateful for. Try doing this for 30 days and see how it makes you feel differently throughout your day.

Desktop Minimalism

I discovered this great concept recently called Desktop Minimalism. How could I not be intrigued?

Our computers can be huge distractions. There is so much to do on the internet. We have so many applications and cool software. We keep so many icons and files and movies and photos and everything we can think of it seems. Our desktops can easily become overly crowded.

Desktop Minimalism is a great process to de-clutter your computer screen, by removing as many desktop icons as possible, and choosing a clean, minimal background.

Now my computer screen is clean, simple, and a breath of fresh air. It is much easier to find things and I feel much more calm when using the computer. I feel much more focused.

Give it a try. Visit this site to find some great simple wallpapers:

Minimal Wall

What my desktop looks like now.

How I Use the Internet Now

I don't have the internet at home anymore. So how do I use the internet now? I obviously still use it (or else how are you reading this now?).

Well, I have access during my day job to check emails and whatnot. Of course, I limit my internet usage at work so I can actually do my job, but I do have the opportunity to check email, read a few articles, update my blog, etc.

I also use the internet at my girlfriend's apartment on occasion and sometimes I can visit the public library (I love libraries!) or visit a coffee shop that has free wi-fi. The resources for internet access are everywhere these days. I really don't need it at home. Even if I only accessed it through the library or coffee shops, that would be enough for what I really need it for.

So how do I use the internet now that it isn't in my home? 

I use it more intentionally.

When I go online now, there is a reason for me to be online. I must have a specific reason to use the internet, even if it just to watch a Youtube video I've been meaning to watch. But I wait until I have time to go online and watch that video. I delay the urge to instantly gratify my desires. The internet is a tool after all (a wonderful, huge expansive one, but a tool nonetheless). It doesn't have to be an extension of our whole life. Instead, I now use it for reasons that add value to my life, instead of just killing time. My time is valuable and through this process of minimalism, I am reclaiming that time.

Getting Rid of the Internet at Home

When I first got into the concept of minimalism, I read many of the posts by Josh and Ryan from The Minimalists. I thought their efforts to become more focused and productive were excellent. I was very intrigued, but part of me thought, is this for me? Could I do this?

One of the most interesting posts from The Minimalists was when Josh wrote that killing the internet at home was the most productive thing he had ever done. I wondered how that would impact my life. I wondered how productive I could be if I got rid of the internet. Could I survive without it?

Last November, I wrote about my experience with deactivating my Facebook account. I was going to go a month as an experiment. It is now three months later and I still don't have Facebook. I feel so much more freedom now. Recently I moved to a new apartment. I decided to try having no internet connection at my new place.

I have been here for two weeks now and still no internet at home. It is wonderful.

I feel like I have more time at home now.

I have more time to read.

I have more time to write.

I have more time to meditate.

I have more time to think.

I have more time to exercise.

I have more time to walk.

I have more time to be present and fully in the moment.

I don't have to rush through my mornings or evenings at home. Also, I don't have to pay an internet bill. If you read Josh's post, you'll notice that I said almost the exact same thing he did. It's true. I have killed a huge distraction. Now I can focus more on doing something meaningful. I focus more on myself. 

I can just be at home. Peaceful. Quiet.

Here. Now.

Sunrise

I love sunrises.

Taking in the beautiful sight fills me with wonder, appreciation, and gratitude. It fills me with inner peace, calmness, and joy. It humbles me. I realize that despite all my little problems, whatever happens in my personal life, good or bad, that sunrise will still be there. And that is a comforting thought. It helps keep me grounded and unstressed about everything.

Whatever happens, I still have that sunrise.

Ownership and Convenience

I don't own a car. A lot of people are surprised by this. They tell me they could never live without one. It is far too convenient. And I agree. But is it necessary? Do we really need all of the things we own? How many things do we own because we think we need them? Because we want them? Just in case we might use them one day?

It seems to me that our culture has been severely brainwashed with the illusion of necessity. Everyone needs to have their own things. Every house has a vacuum so it is conveniently available anytime you need it. Instead of five houses sharing one vacuum cleaner and only using it when they need, we all have our own collecting dust in a closet. How often do you really need to use something like that?

Advertising has a lot to do with this. Cars are a big one. We are all sold on the idea that we need to own a car. It demonstrates status and wealth and success. Working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don't need. Four coworkers could share a ride to the same workplace. But then they wouldn't have the perceived success we all so crave in this era where status is only a Tweet or a Facebook update away. I'm not saying that I am against buying a car. But I do think that a lot of us buy things we don't really need just because we think we are supposed to. Instead, whenever I buy something, I seriously question the purchase. Do I really need this? Will it add value to my life?

I recently bought a queen-sized bed. It was a big purchase. But I had been sleeping on an air mattress for the past four or five months. Upgrading to a real bed was a huge step up for me, for my health. I sleep better now. This clearly adds value to my life. Buying a car, on the other hand, would grant me much more mobility, but the level of cost associated with it would ultimately restrict my lifestyle and take away much of my freedom. 

What about your next big purchase? Or even a little one? Is it adding value to your life? Or is it costing you more freedom than it offers?

Finally, I leave you with a bit of wisdom from Tyler Durden, my first minimalist guru:

The things you own end up owning you.

10 Great Minimalist Quotes

1 “Minimalism is the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of anything that distracts us from it.” 
- Joshua Becker

2 “It's not always that we need to do more but rather that we need to focus on less.” 
- Nathan W. Morris

3 "Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you." 
- Lao Tzu

4 "It is a preoccupation with possession, more than anything else, that prevents men from living freely and nobly." 
- Bertrand Russell

5 "There are two ways to be rich: One is by acquiring much, and the other is by desiring little." 
- Jackie French Koller

6 "Contentment comes not so much from great wealth as from few wants."
-Epictetus

7 "It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor."
- Seneca

8 "Ultimately most of us come to believe there’s more value in a paycheck—and all the stuff that paycheck can buy us—than there is in life itself.” 
- Joshua Fields Millburn

9 “Our life is frittered away by detail... Simplify, simplify, simplify! ...Simplicity of life and elevation of purpose.” 
- Henry David Thoreau

10 “You buy furniture. You tell yourself, this is the last sofa I will ever need in my life. Buy the sofa, then for a couple years you're satisfied that no matter what goes wrong, at least you've got your sofa issue handled. Then the right set of dishes. Then the perfect bed. The drapes. The rug. Then you're trapped in your lovely nest, and the things you used to own, now they own you.” 
- Chuck Palahniuk

Right Speech

This concept of the Eight-Fold Path of Buddhism basically sets the foundation for the proper way of living. One thing I really like about the idea is that the way to a good life is not set in stone. It isn't like the Ten Commandments and is open to interpretation. Some critical thinking is useful here in understanding how to best apply the concepts to your own life, because everything is not black and white; there are shades of gray when it comes to ethics, morality, and goodness.

One of the nodes I have been focusing on lately in my own life is Right Speech. I often say the wrong thing without even knowing it. We all do it. We say something to offend, or insult, or make someone feel uncomfortable without the intention to do so. We make a fool of ourselves by saying something false, or say something we believe when we couldn't be more wrong. Sometimes we say things to impress or to show off or say something judgmental about others. A lot of the time we just say things that do not need to be said.

When I think about what is the right thing to say I often think of the old adage, "If you have nothing good to say, then don't say anything at all." I don't always believe this statement, as sometimes we have to be critical of things we can't stand for, sometimes we have to defend others in the face of discrimination or ridicule. Right speech doesn't always mean we have to be positive, it means that we have to say the best thing to lead to a good life. Sometimes this means not being a push-over.

More than this saying, I like to follow my favorite piece of advice from the Tao Te Ching.

Those who know, do not speak.; those who speak, do not know.