5 Things I Love and Will (Probably) Never Give Up
Last week I told you about a few "important" things I was able to release and felt great about. This week -- to reassure you that I am in fact human and do have feelings -- I'm sharing the 5 things I love the most and definitely won't let go.
It might seem strange for a minimalism blog to talk about things we love to keep, but I would never want you to think the point of New Minimalism is to let go of everything, slashing and burning possessions until only white walls remain.
Instead I want to inspire you to think with fresh objectivity about what you don't want or need so that you create more space for and celebrate what you love. It's all unique and individual, no right or wrong, just what feels best to you.
(*I say "probably" rather than "never ever" because in 30 years of knowing myself, the one thing I'm sure of is that I'm always changing my mind:)
5 Things I Love and Will (Probably) Never Give Up:
1. Good Running Shoes.
Given that I don't belong to a gym or take group classes, the one piece of equipment I truly need to workout are shoes. Exercise is the most important way I take care of my body and my mind. In the past I've skimped on good shoes and suffered from mild injuries and discomforts that prevent me from working out.
As such I've decided to reframe having a great pair of shoes as a need more than a luxury. They've helped me heal my body after 3 years with a prickly IT Band, the fun little punch of color has made me happy to put them on and get out the door even when its windy/rainy/dark, and their ultra-light weight means I can pack them anywhere and then I can exercise anywhere (like Land's End in the photo above). Life changing.
2. My Library Card
Having a library card is basically like being able to print money. Seriously. I've gotten the best education of my life (no offense Dartmouth) from the SF Public Library system. You can have out 10 books at a time on anything from Art History to Natural Health to Botany to Advanced Coding. And we're not just talking hardbacks these days. My library now has eBooks, DVDs, CDs, and books on tape. There is an seemingly infinite amount of entertainment and knowledge that you can access any day of the week... FOR FREE.
3. MacBook Air
I'm no techie or gearhead. I can't rattle of specs or functionality or tell you why this computer is different or better than others. But what I can say is that for me, my MacBook Air = freedom. It's light enough that I can bike across town with it, fast enough that I can have a million browser windows open, flexible enough that I can always try out new apps or operating systems, and smart enough that I can run my entire business with just my computer alone. In fact, if I have my computer, I can work from anywhere: on a plane to Hawaii, while visiting my family in Chicago, from the couch when I'm feeling sick and from any coffee shop in SF when Kyle and I are meeting. It's given me a sense of freedom I never thought possible.
4. Our Car
Many old school minimalists preach that you've got to be car-free to truly adopt the minimal lifestyle. Bull-honkey I say. For folks who live in Manhattan or other super-dense urban centers, cars might be redundant and a far greater hassle than they are worth. But for me my car serves 2 crucial purposes in my life and I wouldn't give either up:
- It helps me work. It gets me to clients all around the Bay and lets me take away up to 80 cubic feet of their released items to bring to our donation partners.
- It offers access to a wild, adventurous and exciting part of Northern California that might otherwise be hidden to me. Cam and I spend every weekend day (and many weeknights) finding new hikes, exploring different parts of Mt. Tam or camping in Big Sur, Yosemite, Guerneville, wine country or wherever the wind takes us. Here is SF we pay a shit ton for our rent, but for me it's worth it because our home acts as a launch pad to some of the greatest natural beauty in the world. And it's all at our fingertips with the help of our CR-V, Clif.
5. Jambox
One of the best parts of LATV (Life After TV) is that Cam and I get to spend a lot more time listening to music. Music has always been important to me; I love that it sets the tone of a space, that a song can change the mood of a party in an instant and that it's a great source of bonding for us as a couple. Unlike our old elaborate 6 speaker set (which required us to go through the tv, then change modes and channels, then turn 6 boxes off and on in the right order... you get the idea) our Jambox is one compact, sleek speaker that is powerful enough to fill our entire apartment. Not mention it's portable (helloooo music while showering!) and easy for guests to take part in (via Bluetooth connection).
Do any of these resonate with you? What do you love and would never give up?
