Suppose your possessions talked to you. Sure, your alarm clock tells you to get out of bed. Your Alexa gives you the weather forecast. But then it gets weird, as you flip on the bathroom lights, the burned out bulb says, “Hmm, still haven’t replaced me?”, as you take your shower, year hear your 17-year-old water heater singing in the basement, “Oh, oh, living on a prayer”. It gets weirder, your body wash bottle informs you, “Almost empty, buy some more!” Your towel laughs at you, “Better do laundry, I was the last clean one.” The clothes in your walk in closet scream, “Me! Me! Me!”. Your shoes compete, “Oh I will make you comfy today. Oh but I look so much nicer.”
On and on it goes, The mail on the counter screams for your attention, “Bills to pay!”. Even the tiny bits of paper on the floor demand, “Dude, don’t be such a slob, vacuum.” The garbage can laughs,” Oh I am going to smell this place up if you don’t take me out this morning”. Clothes on the floor complain to be washed. So many possessions all talking, demanding attention, the can opener you left on the counter, the windows that need cleaning, the door demanding to be repainted, even the pictures on your wall, the trinkets on your shelves demand a little attention.. Finally you escape out the door. The garage door moans in protest. Your car announces that it is in good condition today, except for the tires going bald. You head down the cracked driveway, lowly rumbling to be fixed, the lawn demanding to be mowed, the weeds between the rose bushes laughing at you.
All this before you can even get to work. Work, where everything on your desk begins talking to you too. But wait! Your desk is clean. Nothing to add to the cacophony to which you have already been subjected. You know you are more productive by having everything in its place, and only what is necessary. Everything either filed or tossed away.
So why don’t you do the same in your personal life? Why not only have the bare minimum of possessions? The tiniest apartment that serves your true need. No extra needless possessions. No old pictures on the wall. No sea of trinkets scattered on shelves. No bookcases filled with books you once read, or meant to read… someday. No full walk in closet of clothes you must choose from each day. In fact, no house, no lawn, no driveway… no maintenance to sap you of your time.
Why not? First, because your possessions don’t really talk to you.
Oh, but they do! Everything in your visual field, every worry, every reminder floating around in your brain talks to you. Your possessions own slices of your time. Time, something you can never buy more of.
Minimalism.
We are learning minimalism. Probably 90% of the way there. But more to go. Winding down our possessions to only those we truly need. Or truly brings us joy.
Minimalism… the impact it can have on your life is astounding.