It's a minimalist Monday edition of Optimal Living Daily episode 2787, the exponential benefits of minimalism by Anthony and Garro of Break2Twitch.com, and I'm Justin Malik. Happy Monday, welcome back to Optimal Living Daily or the OLD podcast where you can start or end your day on the right foot by simply listening to the best blogs I can find and get permission from. So that'll get right to today's minimalist Monday post as we optimize your life. The exponential benefits of minimalism by Anthony and Garro of Break2Twitch.com.
When we first heard minimalism was the path to a better life, we were skeptical. It sort of made sense at least in a very direct way. If we removed an item from our home, then we'd no longer have to clean and organize that item, thus creating a little more availability. Donating half of my clothing meant only one load of laundry instead of two whenever it came time to do the wash.
That meant half as much time spent on laundry and a little more time doing something else. These small efforts to reclaim our time and energy were definitely valuable. Each minute recaptured creates more space in our lives so we can choose to spend it better. But it seemed like a far stretch from being able to travel more, having more personal freedom, and the other benefits often touted.
At this point, it has become clear that each bit of space we created during the journey continues to be filled with the kinds of things we want in our life. Last year my wife and I traveled more than we ever had before and even escaped the cold Minnesota winter for a while. We spent time with people we cared about. We donated more money than ever before.
We worked on meaningful projects and volunteered our time to causes that we believed in, all which ended up being incredibly rewarding experiences. This year, we became full-time freelancers and bloggers. We're continually working to build a life of constant creating, giving, and gratitude. While we're still figuring out the next steps of the journey every day, I can definitively say that none of these options would have been possible previously.
I understand that there might be a disconnection between donating a few shirts and traveling the world. It may not make sense that leaving space in your daily schedule may lead to better employment opportunities, more rewarding experiences, or better life. The things we want only come once we create the space for them. If you don't understand how decluttering can be freeing, it's okay.
It's difficult, especially when just starting out. It may feel like your own identity is wrapped up in those things sitting around the house to the point your sense of self-worth might feel at risk. It's scary because when we let something go, we know exactly what we're losing. It's a tangible, identifiable thing that seems frightening to let go of in exchange of a long-term, largely intangible benefit.
If it were possible to know exactly what we have to gain and when, it'd be a much easier decision, right? Get rid of this thing and you'll make $1,500 in the next two months. The space created for minimalism can be used to write a blog, connect with someone with a shared interest, volunteer for a cause that you believe in, or simply spend more time with family and friends. It is these decisions, these moments, how we will fill the space that we create for minimalism that multiply and build.
The connections we make, the people we work with, and the things we create that begin to create real change in our lives. Through minimalism, we can give selflessly because we know that by living simply, our needs will be met. When we give, we're putting positivity and goodwill out into the world. In one way or another, that positivity always seems to come back to us in folds.
To think, it all started with donating a few items from our home. I can say with certainty, our lifestyle changes have come from the opportunities created by minimalism, the people we've met, the time we've given, and the projects we've created. If the benefits for minimalism don't seem to make sense, to not be discouraged. It does take time and effort, but you will find your way.
If you're unsure about minimalism or experiencing difficulty on the journey, consider this. 1. Possessions are limiting, the possibilities created by the removal are unlimited. When we have an item we don't need, it is finite.
The space created by the decluttering of that item is infinite. The possibilities of what that space, time, and energy can be used for are limited only by what we desire to do with it. 2. If you're feeling lost, keep taking steps forward.
While major impacts from minimizing may not come quickly, stick with it. Each small opportunity is a step in the right direction and will open doors later down the road. If you're feeling uncertain, just put one foot in front of the other and keep going. When looking back, it will be clear to see how each small step led to the collective result.
3. Curate the information you consume. Every day we're exposed to hundreds if not thousands of advertisements. These advertisements tell us that the life we want is just one purchase away, and luckily for you it happens to be what they're selling.
Limit your intake to books, websites, and other sources that benefit your journey and leave the rest. When we create space with minimalism, we create the freedom to build the opportunities that matter to us. We slowly build the resources necessary to take leaps, say yes to new challenges, and give our time to meaningful causes. While it might not seem to add up initially, prioritizing the things that matter really will make all the difference.
You just listen to the post titled, The Exponential Benefits of Minimalism by Anthony Engero of BreaktheTwitch.com. I'm constantly thinking about how to optimize my health, what supplements to take, hours of sleep, what my diet should focus on. Superpower finally takes the guessing out of it. One simple lab test covers over 100 biomarkers in their app gives you a complete picture of your heart, liver, hormones, metabolism, even environmental toxins.
Plus it used to cost $499 right now, it's just $199, and head to superpower.com and use code old at checkout for an additional $20 off your membership. Thank you, Anthony. This post is probably a good time to talk about minimalism and advertising, specifically advertising on this podcast. Very, very long time listeners will remember when the first ads started appearing on this podcast, roughly a year after starting.
I was pretty excited because I meant that this project would be closer to breaking even every month, instead of a massive expense every month. But it was a tough decision because a bunch of the articles I read, including the one today, mean a bit anti-consumerism, or at least anti-excessive consumerism. So how do I do an ad or talk about a product while keeping the message of this podcast consistent? Well, our first idea was to get rid of the ads.
The team here tried a bunch of things. We tried donations, paid no ad version of this podcast. We tried creating physical products that were a bit more meaningful, like workbooks to go along with this podcast. We thought about meetups or events, possibly even courses, but nothing worked to keep all of our podcast sustainable, except advertising.
And when I thought more deeply about it, I realized it's actually fine with me because the one thing I somewhat disagree on with the more hardcore minimalists is about advertising being inherently bad and that we need to shun it. Well, that's impossible. Ads are everywhere, whether we like it or not, sometimes more subtle with product placements conveniently in popular TV shows and movies. So do we have to ban that TV show or those movies then?
Or is it about our own self-control and being mindful about what we purchase? I prefer option two, and that's why you'll likely continue to hear ads on this podcast unless, of course, you're one of the very few who pay a little bit to get rid of them. So that's where I'm coming from. And honestly, without the ads, this show would not exist.
So I am thankful that some companies are willing to spend to support shows like this. Hopefully that makes sense, and if you dislike the ads, at least you can understand the reasoning. I'll get there for today, have a great rest of your day and week, and I'll be back tomorrow reading to you as usual, where your optimal life awaits.