Christina Simone - Minimalist Lifestyle Less is the New More

Minimalist Lifestyle

Less is the

New More

CHRISTINA SIMONE

Copyright 2015 Christina Simone

All rights reserved.

ISBN: 9781520974132

DEDICATION

To my beautiful mother.

Thank you for your inspiration to follow my dreams.

N ever get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life anonymous

M y first thoughts of looking further into a minimalist lifestyle took place after contemplating this story following a particularly stressful day at work. It is about a Mexican Fisherman, written by a man named Heinrich Boll in 1963.

This is how his story goes:

There was an American investment banker who met a Mexican fisherman while standing at a pier. The American noticed that inside the Mexicans boat were some big yellowfin tuna. He inquired about the quality of the fish and asked the Mexican why he didnt try to catch more. The Mexican replied that he has caught just enough to provide for his family.

This led the American to ask what he does for the rest of the day, whereupon the fisherman replied that he sleeps late, fishes for a little while , plays with his children, naps during the afternoon with his wife, and spends his evenings walking around the village leisurely , sips wine and plays music with his friends with his guitar. To him, his life is full and busy.

What he said caused the American to flout and offer his help to make the fishermans business grow bigger. He boasted that if the fisherman would only spend more time fishing, he could buy a bigger boat to catch even more fish until he can have a fleet that will provide large amounts of fish to a middleman and enable him to start a cannery. This will then enable the fisherman to leave his coastal village and move to bigger cities to continuously expand his business.

The Mexican fisherman then asked how long it would take for this to take place. According to the American, it would take from 15 to 20 years.

The Mexican then asked what would happen next, to which the American laughed and said that the company would become an IPO and whose stock can be bought by the public to make the fisherman a millionaire.

But when the Mexican asked the American what happens next after that, the American said that he can retire, live in a small coastal fishing village sleep late, fish for a little while , play with his children, nap during the afternoon with his wife, and spend his evenings walking around the village leisurely , sip wine and play music with his friends with his guitar.

How does this story make you feel after you have read it? Personally, it led me to seriously consider how I spent most of my waking days. While some may scoff, believing that it would still be far better to retire rich and enjoy life when you are financially secure and successful, whatever values you have, it cannot be denied that this little story does make you think about your own life and how you want to live the rest of it.

Now this is where the functional definition of minimalism comes in. Minimalism once started as an art movement in the 1950s and it centered on applying simplification in choice of color and form. The simplicity of it all leads the observer to focus on one pertinent message, instead of being distracted by an array of details.

This is what minimalism is all about - to do away with the unnecessary details so that one can concentrate on what matters most.

Going back to the story of the Mexican fisherman, it is safe to say that many people already have everything that they need in life. Most live in a world where people want something more.

Well, there is really nothing wrong with being ambitious, but if ones goals are not in line with what a person truly wants in life, then everything is in vain.

T here are two ways to get enough. One is to continue to accumulate more and more. The other is to desire less - G.K. Chesterton

A s with any other way of life, minimalism has its own set of principles. You can treat them as your guide on how to make decisions. You can gain inspiration from them. You can also choose to reflect on them and make your own set of principles.

D o away with the unnecessary things in life

Minimalism is not about emptiness. Rather, it is about focusing on what you truly need in your life. Free yourself from the things that you do not use and if they may be useful to others, consider selling what you no longer use on eBay, Facebook, Craigslist or fill a bag or two and donate to Goodwill.

K now and understand what matters to you

What makes you feel happy? Why do you think it is important to you? A person who lives a minimalist life has ridden themselves of the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual clutter to unearth his/her true happiness. If you think you are still on the road to discovering yours, then let minimalism help you along the way.

Lets say you find your true happiness in being productive and climbing the corporate ladder. That is, you can honestly say to yourself that you love the excitement of it all. If this is the case, then you should enjoy every moment of being in the game.

But if you do not find your happiness at work, then that means you may need to take a step back and really think about how you truly want to spend the best hours of your day for the rest of your life.

L et whatever you keep serve its purpose

The moment you have omitted all of the clutter to reveal what matters, let the things that matter play their part in your life beautifully. Always remind yourself why you chose to keep it over the others.

Never forget that you can never be in two places at the same time. If you are a parent who wishes to spend more time with your child, for instance, you may have to make big changes to your work life. Once you have made your choice, make it worth keeping.

S urround yourself with what makes you happy

Everyone wants to wake up with a smile on their face each day. The smile may be due to a happy thought, a vase of flowers on their bedside table, the prospect of a delicious and healthy breakfast, or the anticipation of spending time with loved ones.

Allow yourself to live a wonderful yet simple life. Fill it with whatever it is that makes you happy. When people spend a lot of hard-earned money to go on a vacation with their family, all they really do is eat good food and share a laugh with their loved ones. Such things can be enjoyed wherever one may be.

E mbrace change and view uncertainty like a wave

The worlds wisest men would all agree that the only constant thing is change. This includes a constant change in you. Minimalism is not all about living a monotonous life for, at certain times, you may need to reassess your priorities and make way for new things. Be ready for such transitions and welcome them with a clear and open mind.

We have such a fear of the unknown well do anything to prevent it. That might mean staying in an unhealthy relationship or job or not taking a risk towards fulfilling your dreams. We try and protect ourselves by remaining in our comfort zone. But even then, its impossible to control anything for long. Change is a constant and is always right around the corner. That leaves us with a choice. We can either live with fear or learn to embrace uncertainty. View the unknown as an exciting opportunity rather than a threat.