Blick über den Tellerrand #2
Do you find that there is just not enough time to get everything done? (…) I think that staying busy has become one of the social norms in modern world. Many people enter a race of “Who can be the busiest today?” (…) A lot of times we stay busy because of fear. We are afraid of down time because we are afraid to discover who we are. Instead of really getting to know ourselves, discovering our passions, developing our potential we hide behind a busy schedule. Sometimes we stay busy to cover up some painful memories or emotions that we feel we can’t deal with. This no-conflict strategy is emptying your inner well; it drains your energy and robs you of happy and joyful living. Schedule some time for yourself: meditate, pray, write in a journal or just dive deeply into your thoughts.
(Think Simple Now: Not Enough Time? How to Stop The Illusion)
A minimalist is one who retains what is essential and removes the non-essential. For Leo, owning a bicycle is essential. For me, it is not. For me, owning a television is essential. For Leo, it is not. The essential part is person relative. I can only speak for myself, but I regularly edit my lifestyle to remove the non-essential. I find my life is easier and smoother with fewer things in it.
(Charlie’s Blog: Leo Babauta on Criticism of Minimalism)
I often hear that I cannot practice minimalism in San Francisco — it’s a city, it’s expensive, people are busy, etc. I’m confused by that because it makes me wonder what people think minimalism must be. There’s no one way to practice minimalism — you can do it living out of an RV, backpacking around the world, living in a tiny house, living on a large farm, living anywhere. For me, it means enjoying a simple life with my wife and kids, learning to be content and not needing to buy things all the time, living with fewer possessions but more time to do the things I love, living with space in my life. I can do that anywhere. Sure, many people in cities (including S.F.) are busy. That doesn’t mean I have to be.
(mnmlist: city vs. country minimalism)
So when my dad approached me the other day about building him a website and teaching him to blog, I was a bit hesitant. Was he doing it because he wanted to learn something new, or because he was caving into the pressure to keep moving forward with technology? (…) Technology is just a tool. And like any other tool, we don’t have to use it if we don’t want to. If you like mowing the lawn with a push mower, why upgrade to a rider? If you like the feel of a hardback book in your hands, why buy a Kindle?
(The Art of Minimalism: You don’t need a blog, Dad)
Bike commuting creates a time that is fully my own, a space in the day for meditation, re-connection, and release. I start and end the work day feeling present in the world and in myself, and in turn I am both more focused and more relaxed during those hours in between.
(Tiny Buddha: 6 Tips to Start Bicycling and Enjoy the Ride)
Anxiety comes with some great treasures hidden inside, and they can be yours if you know how to get to them. First, you have to stop fighting and listen to the anxiety for clues.
(Tiny Buddha: The Gift of Anxiety: 7 Ways to Get the Message and Find Peace)
We need to simplify to the minimum that we personally need, use and feel comfortable with. It’s fine to have an entire collection of power tools in the garage (even though they are used only once a year) as long as it is organized and everything is working. It’s not fine to have 5 power tools that are broken (and have been broken for the last 5 years) and that you are planning to fix one day (that, realistically, will never come.)
(Balance In Me: The Secret of Simplifying Your Life)
It’s not what we do that attracts friends, it’s how we think. If we change how we think about others, we can become a magnet for new friends. (…) If you want to be a friend to someone, make sure you let them know all the wonderful things you can see in them.
(Tiny Buddha: How to Become a Magnet for Friends)
One recent rainy night, I curled up on my couch with popcorn and Netflix Instant, ready to spend a quiet night at home. The peace was sweet — while it lasted. Soon, my iPhone began flashing with notifications from a handful of social networking sites, each a beacon of information about what my friends were doing. As the alerts came in, my mind began to race.
(New York Times: Feel Like a Wallflower? Maybe It’s Your Facebook Wall)
Wir suchen vielleicht deshalb etwas an das wir glauben können, weil wir das Vertrauen in uns verloren haben. Wenn man das Vertrauen an sich selber wieder hat, dann kann man wahrscheinlich in diesem Leben wunderbar glücklich werden. Aber da das Leben nicht leicht ist, verliert man als aller erstes das Vertrauen an sich selber.
(Christoph Schlingensief: Sich nicht trauen — offline)