039: Living Minimally — Do You?

Living minimally - the struggle is real! When you think of "living minimally" do you think of stuff, of clutter, of material things or is it more spiritual? Why is it hard to let go of our "things", do they define us? Do they represent the story we want to tell to the world? If a fire laid waste to all of our possessions, how likely would we be to buy each one again? Host, Mike Domitrz, along with CAST members Maria Janowiak, Megan Merchant, and Berni Xiong describe their own personal experiences and failures with minimalism, the difference between purposefully downsizing and a forced circumstance, and valuable resources they use on their journey to be intentional.The quote that inspired this conversation is “Live minimally and thus live more free.” — Timber Hawkeye from Buddhist Boot camp. Subscribe to the Everyday Mindfulness Show.  Key Takeaways:  [2:02] Mike reads a quote and asks the CAST what living minimally means to them. [8:45] Achieving minimalism by way of a vision. [14:28] Would you buy all of your current belongings over again? [25:33] Childhood memories and parenting strategies about minimalism. [29:42] Recommended resources about living minimally.  Mentioned in This Episode:  The Minimalists  Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things  168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think, by Laura Vanderkam  Your Money or Your Life, by Vicki Robin  Poetry books by Mary Oliver  Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, by Greg McKeown    Maria Janowiak is a forester, writer, and science communicator. At work, she investigates climate change and helps forests adapt to changing conditions. At home, she writes about the health benefits of nature, volunteers with outdoor organizations, and enjoys gardening, exploring, and training for triathlons.  Linkedin.com/in/maria-janowiak   Megan Merchant lives in the tall pines of Prescott, AZ  and holds an MFA degree from UNLV. She is the author of two full-length poetry collections: Gravel Ghosts (Glass Lyre Press, 2016 Book of the Year), The Dark’s Humming (2015 Lyrebird Prize,  Glass Lyre Press, 2017), four chapbooks, and a  children’s book with Philomel Books. She Is also a 200 RYT and teaches Mindfulness & Meditation.  MeganMerchant.wixsite.com/poet  Twitter.com/MeganAMerchant  Facebook.com/MeganMerchant   Berni Xiong is The Shin Kicking Life Spark. She owns and runs Brave Bear Media, an intuitive coaching and consulting boutique helping impact-driven individuals speak up, stand out, and change the world. She is a contributing author of Chicken Soup for the Soul: Time to Thrive, and contributing writer at The Huffington Post. When she's not kicking shins, she is hanging out at her Reiki studio in the Twin Cities  BerniXiong.com  Twitter.com/bernixiong  Facebook.com/BraveBearMedia  The Sponsor of This Week’s Episode:  The “Can I Kiss You?" Book & Instructor’s Guide from DateSafeProject.org.   Tweetables:  “What is the story we tell that doesn’t allow us to free ourselves from material things?” @mindfulnessshow  “People hold onto things because of what it says or represents about them.” @MeganAMerchant  “To me, minimalism is about living in alignment with your values and ignoring the rest.” via Maria Janowiak @mindfulnessshow  “The more I choose to be intentional, the more I am content with the things I own and the things I do.” @bernixiong  Contact Us:  The Everyday Mindfulness Show  [email protected]  Everyday Mindfulness Show on Facebook Get full access to Pathfinder at hollyduckworth.substack.com/subscribe