Every morning I wake up and try to plan my day. What crosses my mind is work, working out, running, audio editing, video editing, song composing, and writing. Eventually, my day begins, and I take on daily responsibilities, decision-making, research, personal development, and a whole lot of excess. Scrolling through apps, watching television, daydreaming, and negative thinking make up a lot of my excess. But I've made strides in shaking the excesss off.
Excess can be too much too soon, like watching television on the couch for 3 hours straight. Two weeks ago, I looked at my Tik Tok usage and read "4 hours". I told myself never again, and now I'm cutting back my usage daily, hoping to stay under 3 hours. One day I'll be under an hour a day. And then an hour a week. But until then, I'm losing time, opportunity, and potential.
Excess adds no value to life, and unless you're pausing to see where your time goes, one day you'll look back at your life and wonder where all the time went.
Waste The Time Away
How much time and energy do you invest in the following?:
- Spending minutes on social media that turn into hours
- Talking about people you don't know
- Talking about people you do know, but the topic has nothing to do with you
- Gossiping
- Thinking negatively about yourself, other people, and life
- Worrying
- Being Indecisive
- Drinking soda, sports drinks, and fruit juices that are high in sugar, preservatives, and toxic chemicals
- Drinking alcohol regualry
- Smoking regularly
- Eating fast food, canned goods, and foods loaded with preservatives and damaging chemicals
- Working in spaces that undervalue you
Wastes of time, nutrients, money, energy, and focus. How can life get better if you're not focusing on improving you mental, physical, or spiritual health?
Minimalism
I'm a minimalist in most aspects of life; always trying to simplify and make efficient, beneficial, and healthier choices.
I drink my 2-ingredient DIY water detox daily and aim for no less than a gallon. Water is nourishment, and the lemon and honey make it easier to drink all day. I cook fresh meals at home as often as possible, whether it’s a 10-minute meal or a 4- hour crockpot meal. I mind my business unless it's sharing a new perspective. I intermittently fast because I work from home and don't need much energy during the day. My workouts are non-stop and rhythmic. And I'm gradually minimizing my carbon footprint and how much waste I produce. Minimalism feels natural with accepting your social responsibility.
My minimalism fulfills me most days. But some days I get stuck in social media or I turn on the PS5 and zone out for a few hours. Some days I enjoy a double cheeseburger, ribs, soda, ice cream, and all the delicious foods and drinks life offers. But minimalism is consuming less; less dining out or delivery and less time consuming screens that aren't enriching my life.
Convenience The Enemy
Convenience is the enemy. It's easy to give into what's in front of you, less expensive, and rewarding at the moment. But minimalism is long-term value, and removing excess is crucial to reevaluating your time to increase your life's value. Laziness is conveneince and self-dishonoring, especially when life offers options.
- If you're too tired to cook all the time, here are some healthy meals in under 15 minutes.
- If work is exhausting, but you feel pressed for time, consider a 15-minute morning workout to start or end your day. You'll be tired and sore for the first two weeks, but eventually your body learns a new threshold and work becomes easier. Plus, you'll also have more energy to enjoy life before and after work.
- If you're a contractor or work from home, no matter how full your plate is, always look for new roles. It lets you know how the market is evolving and what new skills you should be learning, instead of enjoying the conveneince of what you have at the moment.
- Filter your social media experience. What do you care about? Let that lead the way, and if you have to unfollow, mute, or block people, that's life.
Your choices should be based on health, happiness, and growth. Minimalism is the now.
Cut It. Cut It.
What's excessive in your life? How can you get rid of it? And once you get rid of it, what steps in? Answer those three questions and slowly start to swap out practices, habits, and consumptions that don't benefit you.
Everything outside of you is excess, and that's a lot to be up against. So, consider your time in the now, and make choices for tomorrow, becuase if you can't let go of the past, you'll end up living in regret and with guilt.
Feel empowered to cut out what isn’t needed. And when you do, the world feels closer. Your future self, says "Thank you."
