Here's what I'm learning. I thought this whole going minimalist thing was going to make me feel more free and less attached to physical things.
I thought that by getting rid of all the extra things around me taking up space, I'd be left with the stuff that really matters, and I could more clearly see who I am.
So I'm left with the things I take pride in/ use frequently: my race medals, my computer, some running clothes, running shoes, my diploma, etc. and I thought that visually seeing the important things would clear up who I am and what I am not.
I'm a runner. I'm a teacher. I'm an entrepreneur. I'm a college graduate. I'm a minimalist. I value experiences over things...
but all these labels left me feeling more empty than affirmed. Because I'm beginning to see that the process of stripping away all the unnecessary things is revealing that there is really nothing worth holding onto at all, even these labels.
I'm not what I've accomplished, what I can do, or what I can't do.
I'm constantly creating myself into who I want to be and I'm everything in between what I consider to be good and bad or right and wrong.
This can't be represented through what physical things I choose to hold onto. Which is why I think I'm finally getting the whole point of living more simply. Before this process, I would've thought that if you were to take away one of my essential, prized possessions, I would be upset and sad about it.
But now... I can honestly say that if everything I owned was gone tomorrow, I'd be more annoyed out of inconvenience than sad. And that's where I am with all this minimalist stuff right now. Just wanted to share some thoughts.