This pushed me towards minimizing and downsizing all aspects of life. I operate on a closed list of objects, habits and metrics.
I work less, spend less, achieve more and everything is much more enjoyable.
One of the hardest things is not so much doing it (which can take some juggling) but other people's reactions. I remember when I didn't have a TV (I lived for about ten years without one - partner bought one eventually though). People were literally shocked. They would literally stand there mouth agape. "How can you live without a TV" was a question I got very used to. The trouble is people take it as a personal affront. They can get quite shirty about it. Getting rid of the car caused brains to explode! :o)
I use it as a warning signal.
When I start to actually give a shit about politics I know I’m unhappy
It’s also a great way to rationalize why I write off all politically minded ppl as simply unhappy — when I am politically minded it is always solely the result of personal unhappiness — when I am happy I don’t care about politics
Not only is it a fantastic conversation starter. But I am truly shocked how few people get to live it! Maybe 1% if being generous.
It's a proxy for a more meaningful encounter than what "How are you?" can elicit. And opens a space to share the most intimate threads from their personal history. As well as reinforcing my own belief in staying true to one's vision ;)
Slightly different wording but "What do you want your life to look like?" is worth asking too! :)
Old way of thinking. Search jobs. Most jobs pay 100k. Most paying 120k are beyond my experience level so I'm worth 100k.
New way: Jobs pay on some kind of probability distribution. Might be a normal one but who cares. If I apply for enough jobs I can earn with some probability that I control a much higher amount for the same level of work.
* Getting a good nights sleep.
* Becoming "minimalist by divorce" in 2003.
* Finally understanding true wealth is having enough.
* Learning how to ram down expenses while maximizing my Real Hourly Wage.
* Going for a 40 minute walk every day.
* Realizing for me happiness is strongly correlated with level of personal freedom (not the fake freedom you hear about in the "land of the free"). Read "How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World" by Harry Browne for more details.
* Learning to stop mulling on negative thoughts and either throwing them out forever or turning them into a positive action plan.
* Learning from "mistakes". For example, what I learned about money after going broke in 2006 resulted in financial freedom today.
* Traveling is like holding up a giant mirror on your lifestyle and beliefs. A fish in water doesn't notice water until it's yanked out of it.
* After being homeless I learnt to be more empathetic. People with no empathy have not yet suffered.
* Most people want love but don't give love freely first. If you want to be loved, love.
* Appreciate the little things. Until you can do this you will always be agitated.
* Understanding the Money Road is a dead end.
* I've driven a Cobra with a V12 Jag engine, a heavily customized Datsun 240Z, and a 1969 MGB GT, but the most fun I ever had was in my first car, a Singer Chamois, which I got for £30 from my Grandfather. Why? She was my first love and a temperamental bitch!
* If it's not fun and there are few other advantages to it, stop doing it!
Reality is always complex and I have no easy heuristics, but a few basic principles that have bigger consequential insights or uses to me.
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listen to your gut, it thinks faster than your consciousness:
- but only act upon it, once you understood the reason. (I love how with math problems you often know you have valid the pathway to the answer, but don't have it in your grips just yet until a few seconds later)
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I assume everything has a cause or is (pseudo-) random. This leads to a few conclusions:
- no free will in a strict sense (I still have agency and can choose to do what I think is right)
- no bad people (I don't have to talk to assholes, but there should never be revenge, only protection of society)
- if someone is in emotional pain about something silly, the pain is still real and to be taken serious (that doesn't mean that they shouldn't be desensitized a bit)
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Before you do anything, assess the situation:
- I'm very emotional and very analytical, but before I haven't figured out the situation the emotions take the back seat.
- If something can't be changed anymore I might be sad, but have no reason to panic in to any action, where there is no reasonable one to act upon. (As you someone was talking about politics: I don't give much about local politics anymore, only want to understand the "why" of global politics. (local politics is quite approachable however, one can make changes there if one really wants to))
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Sadness is alright and should not be suppressed:
- it also doesn't exclude comedy or bitter-sweet romance
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There is always a meta-level you haven't reached yet. (And usually it's worth to get there. But as in Plato's Cave, usually it's not revealed without new insight. You can go and hunt for that insight though. So if you can, try to take a step back.)
In 2015 my father had an unfortunate series of events and was hospitalized four times, including a botched surgery and its repair. I did all the mentioned things the first time and was constantly apprehensive about everything. It suddenly occurred to me one night that I was being a wise ass layman and its better to stop it. In 2018 my mother had two hernia repair surgeries. I have been to hospital quite a lot recently and the enlightenment made life easy for the rest of the visits. The unfortunate mistake I did, in hindsight, was that I did all the things with my younger sister, and have taught her so well that I am unable to get her to quit it. I lecture her at every possible occasion and the progress has been geological.
Especially works with social situations - its incredible how much I've gotten out of local music just by always being on the front foot.
The attitude towards risk taking is taking risks where you can afford to fail to live another day.
"Don't be a dick."
