I gave my iPhone to my sister for safe keeping. She lives several streets from my place.
Before sending it over to her, I've deactivated from FaceBook and permanently deleted my personal Instagram and Swarm profiles.
See also: Happy Birthday, Harry Potter
I've realized, most of my time had been spent being exposed to what other people have been doing with their lives.
Nothing wrong with that, but social media has been delaying me from what I'm supposed to be doing: restarting that novel.
The plan was to enjoy, the present times, with breakfast buffets, occasional travels, dining out with friends, shopping and all the comforts the urban scenery has to offer.
When I get saturated with these, I'll do the writing.
I was deluded.
Deluded of the time I cannot control.
My parents are getting older, friends getting fatter and my siblings going their separate ways. There's no delaying of the inevitable.
For years, I delayed going back to writing, thinking it will just go away, and I'm going to be free of the responsibility.
I was wrong. In spite of everything, the lingering emptiness strengthened over time.
Nothing of the materialism and social noise can fill that void only going after your passion could. Tweet this
Last week, I accepted the call of the Fates. I will finish that novel with the same zest and vigor I had when I started it 13 years ago.
But the lure of short-term pleasures the social scene offers proved, time and time again, how unworthy I am to be entrusted with such a responsibility. I was weak.
I needed to focus. Becoming a Minimalist was the key.
For weeks, I’ve read everything I can find about minimalism, in order to successfully incorporate it to my goal of getting back to writing, focused.
I started with my belongings: 3 weeks ago, I donated all my unused clothing and shoes.
Not that I've got many, but when I lost weight, and is now hotter, more than ever, those large and medium sized T-shirts and size 36 pants, are just collecting dust in the cabinet, imprisoned like horses longing to be outside, to run.
Do I miss them? Not a bit.
Whatever you have in your closet that had not been used in the last 3 months, donate them. All of them!
Owning less, when you've got the capacity to have more, feels good, realizing you don’t need a lot to live meaningfully. Tweet this
Deleting my personal Instagram and Swarm profiles were next.
There came a point I couldn't focus at work, and was constantly seeking validation through likes and comments.
I'm glad it was over.
From Apple's Jony Ive to The Minimalists, there has been a lot of definition given to what minimalism is. To me:
Minimalism is stripping away of the inessential in order to focus on what truly matters. Tweet this
So, what matters to you?
For children, it’s the family’s attention.
For teenagers, cool cliques, popularity, straight A grades, number of Instagram followers, hot boyfriend/girlfriend, the latest gadgets, etc.
For everyone in my age, success, more sex, lasting relationships, impressive resume, happier family, more travels, cooler hobbies, etc.
There are just so many of them, that most of the time you’re not so sure which is more important.
This uncertainty is fatal.
It leads to your time, energy and resources being directed to so many things, at the same time.
And you achieve nothing.
To quote Dumbledore, in the opening of the Chamber of Secrets, “It's not who, how.”
We live in a society, where everything has been laid down and you must follow the rules, or suffer the repercussions.
And so, the process of 'how' to find what really matters to you gets lost in the process.
I've long since thrown the idea of finding happiness in solitude. There was a time in my late adolescent years, I've shunned myself meeting new friends, thinking I don't need them.
Of course, it was a defense mechanism. I've had trouble with rejections, so I needed to reject them before they reject me.
Those years may be devoid of drama, gossiping and alcohol - all of which I truly loathed, but I've been missing a lot of truly-memorable moments in the process.
I.e. when friends visit new places together, when they do activities together and when they stay overnight in a friend's house, to help with the preparation, as someone will celebrate a birthday, and they are cooking for the best surprise.
I've watched all of this from my computer. For four years.
So, I made lots of friends again, and finally get to experience the things I missed for four years - they were truly liberating.
Of course, there are also misfires.
In the end, you don't need a lot of friends. You only need those who you reciprocate respect and trust with. Tweet this
Minimalism showed me how...
When I was overwhelmed with so many blog templates
When I was confused with which direction to take in my career
When I was stressed by keeping up with others
When I was consumed with technology
When I was feeling selfish and vain
When people are such flirts thinking I’m available because I’m single
When things don’t go my way
So, going back to the question on how to find what truly matters in this world, for me, perhaps. I'm starting with 3 Fs: family, friends and fitness.
I needed to keep these three, in order to survive the secluded world of writing.
P.S. I was listening to Shawn Mendes’ Life of the Party writing this.
Before sending it over to her, I've deactivated from FaceBook and permanently deleted my personal Instagram and Swarm profiles.
See also: Happy Birthday, Harry Potter
I've realized, most of my time had been spent being exposed to what other people have been doing with their lives.
Nothing wrong with that, but social media has been delaying me from what I'm supposed to be doing: restarting that novel.
The plan was to enjoy, the present times, with breakfast buffets, occasional travels, dining out with friends, shopping and all the comforts the urban scenery has to offer.
When I get saturated with these, I'll do the writing.
I was deluded.
Deluded of the time I cannot control.
My parents are getting older, friends getting fatter and my siblings going their separate ways. There's no delaying of the inevitable.
For years, I delayed going back to writing, thinking it will just go away, and I'm going to be free of the responsibility.
I was wrong. In spite of everything, the lingering emptiness strengthened over time.
Nothing of the materialism and social noise can fill that void only going after your passion could. Tweet this
Last week, I accepted the call of the Fates. I will finish that novel with the same zest and vigor I had when I started it 13 years ago.
But the lure of short-term pleasures the social scene offers proved, time and time again, how unworthy I am to be entrusted with such a responsibility. I was weak.
I needed to focus. Becoming a Minimalist was the key.
For weeks, I’ve read everything I can find about minimalism, in order to successfully incorporate it to my goal of getting back to writing, focused.
I started with my belongings: 3 weeks ago, I donated all my unused clothing and shoes.
Not that I've got many, but when I lost weight, and is now hotter, more than ever, those large and medium sized T-shirts and size 36 pants, are just collecting dust in the cabinet, imprisoned like horses longing to be outside, to run.
Do I miss them? Not a bit.
Whatever you have in your closet that had not been used in the last 3 months, donate them. All of them!
Owning less, when you've got the capacity to have more, feels good, realizing you don’t need a lot to live meaningfully. Tweet this
Deleting my personal Instagram and Swarm profiles were next.
There came a point I couldn't focus at work, and was constantly seeking validation through likes and comments.
I'm glad it was over.
From Apple's Jony Ive to The Minimalists, there has been a lot of definition given to what minimalism is. To me:
Minimalism is stripping away of the inessential in order to focus on what truly matters. Tweet this
So, what matters to you?
For children, it’s the family’s attention.
For teenagers, cool cliques, popularity, straight A grades, number of Instagram followers, hot boyfriend/girlfriend, the latest gadgets, etc.
For everyone in my age, success, more sex, lasting relationships, impressive resume, happier family, more travels, cooler hobbies, etc.
There are just so many of them, that most of the time you’re not so sure which is more important.
This uncertainty is fatal.
It leads to your time, energy and resources being directed to so many things, at the same time.
And you achieve nothing.
To quote Dumbledore, in the opening of the Chamber of Secrets, “It's not who, how.”
We live in a society, where everything has been laid down and you must follow the rules, or suffer the repercussions.
And so, the process of 'how' to find what really matters to you gets lost in the process.
I've long since thrown the idea of finding happiness in solitude. There was a time in my late adolescent years, I've shunned myself meeting new friends, thinking I don't need them.
Of course, it was a defense mechanism. I've had trouble with rejections, so I needed to reject them before they reject me.
Those years may be devoid of drama, gossiping and alcohol - all of which I truly loathed, but I've been missing a lot of truly-memorable moments in the process.
I.e. when friends visit new places together, when they do activities together and when they stay overnight in a friend's house, to help with the preparation, as someone will celebrate a birthday, and they are cooking for the best surprise.
I've watched all of this from my computer. For four years.
So, I made lots of friends again, and finally get to experience the things I missed for four years - they were truly liberating.
Of course, there are also misfires.
Minimalism showed me how...
When I was overwhelmed with so many blog templates
When I was confused with which direction to take in my career
When I was stressed by keeping up with others
When I was consumed with technology
When I was feeling selfish and vain
When people are such flirts thinking I’m available because I’m single
When things don’t go my way
I needed to keep these three, in order to survive the secluded world of writing.
P.S. I was listening to Shawn Mendes’ Life of the Party writing this.
