Learning to Simplify - The Journey Towards a Simpler Life

Only What You Need — The Benefits of Traveling Light

— by Andrew Brand

Traveling with a backpack — Photo by Nathan Manske on Unsplash

Traveling takes effort and planning. From booking flights to creating an itinerary, there’s no lack of things to figure out.

Deciding what to bring tends to be allocated to the very last minute. We rummage through our closets and throw anything we think we might use in our bag. Then we’ll bring a bunch of things that fall into the “just in case” category.

We end up with a bag that has a few essential things, but mostly unnecessary stuff. Having a bag that’s full makes us feel better. There can be a sense of security and safety found in bringing a bunch of extra stuff with us.

We’d rather be over-prepared and deal with the extra bulk and weight than be under-prepared.

But there’s another option: only bring what you need. It can be a scary thought, but once you try it you’ll never go back.

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We Can’t Hold On to Everything — The Process of Letting Go

— by Andrew Brand

Sitting in a mountain meadow — Photo by Andrew Brand

We have a limited capacity to what we can physically carry. That’s why we’re selective about what we bring when we’re going on a trip — we can’t carry everything. And we don’t want to be that person at the airport who’s struggling with two suitcases, a backpack, and a handbag — plus a camera strapped around our neck and one of those travel pillows for good measure.

Just like being that person at the airport who’s trying to bring their whole life with them on the plane, often this is exactly what we do in our lives; we try to carry everything and be friends with everyone. It’s tiring and draining.

We also have a limited capacity to what we can mentally and emotionally carry. Our brains are like computers; they can only hold so much information before they become bogged down.

We can only have a small number of close friends because of our emotional capacity for deep relationships limited. We can be friends with many people, but we can’t be close friends with everyone.

It’s through recognizing our limitations where we can learn to excel within them.

At some point, we all need to let go.

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We Need to Simplify Our Lives – 5 Reasons Why

— by Andrew Brand

Someone walking on a snowy path — Photo by Andrew Brand

We live in a complex world full of complex issues. It’s a place where we need to have a clear mind and open heart to navigate.

The last thing we need is a cluttered life.

The minimalist movement has been gaining momentum. It’s a direct rejection of the consumerist culture that we’ve immersed ourselves in.

Minimalism is a concept that used to be reserved for art and design, and maybe a select few people involved in a fringe counter-culture.

But it’s becoming more popular due to people like the consultant and author, Marie Kondo, and her Netflix show, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, where she shows people how to tidy up and find more joy — even though she doesn’t specifically call it minimalism, her method follows minimalistic principles.

But why minimalism?

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