Life and Filter

Life will always filter. By default it is safe to say that when it comes to minimalism, life is the greatest teacher and experience is the course. The thing is, no matter how extravagant we get or might be in nature(not just with money but our emotional space, mental health and otherwise) when it's time for a promotional advancement to the next level, from experience, life will always give us situations where we will be forced to streamline our choices and cut down on the excess which no longer serves.

Succinctly put, the higher we go, the lighter we become and the lesser our baggage. The more advanced we get as individuals, the more we prioritise our needs and let go of what doesn't serve. Thus embracing true happiness.

I am one person that used to find it difficult to let go. I have always felt the more the merrier and have always harboured this mentality of if it doesn't serve now, definitely it will serve in the future.

I also find myself living either in the past or in the future and never in the present. I'm either holding on to what has happened and dwelling there or occupying my mind with what will be.

From Childhood, I'd always ask my mom what we were eating tomorrow. Sometimes, I'll scan the kitchen and when I see that the food supplies has dwindled drastically, I'm saving up some of my food. This attitude of mine usually piss my mom off and she'll often scold, "you have not finished today, you are worried about tomorrow." In my head I'd say I'm doing the right thing because I don't want to starve but then when tomorrow comes, there's always food and while my siblings are having fresh food, there is me struggling with my left overs from the previous day as punishment from my mom.

I still did not learn, whenever it's time for dinner and I ask her, "mommy what are we eating tomorrow?" Her response is always, "finish today first or eat today’s own first."

As I grew older, this attitude of mine sort of messed me up in other areas. My religion said let go and let God, this was my first lesson from minimalism without even knowing. By letting go and letting God, I am no longer stuck up in the past and not worried about the future. I get to focus on the present at least that's how I applied it. Whatever is out of my control automatically gets handed over to God and I stop feeding it mentally with my energy. If my attention is not there, I don't give it life with my thought to let it bother me.

Second lesson I learned from embracing minimalism was taught to me by my best girl Sharon. I had a problem one time and the people I thought would always have my back at the time abandoned me.

Sharon and I weren't that close then but she supported me a lot and helped out through my darkest moments. I was so hurt and disappointed that I will always cry about how all my friends left me to carry my cross. It got to a point and Sharon said to me, babe you need to drop all the baggage you are carrying if you really want to move on and have things working well for you.

Basically, everything I was doing then did not yield any solid results. Then I have Sharon always telling me that I need to heal because I'm having too much energy from negativity and it will definitely affect my growth. She said to me that if I keep accumulating pain, there will be no room for happiness. If I keep contacts of people who will not help or be available for me at my trying times, there will be no space for my "helper" to locate me. According to her it's not about having people or a call log full of contacts but are they useful? Are they down for me the same way I am down for them?

Sharon asked me so many thought provoking questions that I started re-evaluating my life. She said out with the old you do not need, so that those you need will see you. I did listen to Sharon and I have never been happier. I paid attention to the teaching, let go and let God and I have never felt lighter.

Amidst all the challenges I encountered this year, I'd say I lived my best life yet. I feel lighter emotionally and mentally, I bear no grudge and no one is living rent free in my head. Most importantly, I am genuinely happy.

My only regrets, I didn't learn the lessons of minimalism sooner till life forced me to.

PS
Both images are mine.

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