16/01/2020

The archive contains older posts which may no longer reflect my current views.

Simplicity

I am currently reading "Unplugged" by Nicholas Bate, one of the books recently purchased for January - although I won't finish them all within the month. The first principle of living unplugged is simplicity - where things are straight forward - not to be confused with simplistic.

It immediately resonated and I realised that, not only is it something I wish to strive for, but that I have been tinkering around the edges of for a while.

The past few years have seen me have less apps installed on my phone, less notifications enabled and, as my phone gets smarter, the less I use it for.

Recent birthdays and Christmases have left family frustrated as when asked what I want I have replied "I don't know as I don't really need anything."

I want to reduce rather than gain, both physical and mental clutter; reduction rather than minimalism, working out exactly what I need or, as Patrick Rhone calls it, having enough. Enough is as individual as we are; enough means knowing what's right for ourselves; enough is knowing what's next rather than a confusing multitude of choices.

Minimalism may work for some but minimalism for the sake of it, in my opinion, only leaves cold, empty spaces, devoid of life and character. I want to simplify not exclude, live not deprive, and minimalism would not allow me to do that.

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