A Minimalist Challenge

Some of my favorite bloggers hold minimalistic views. People like Tynan and McCandless believe that the acquisition of unneeded stuff is destructive towards one’s efficiency as a person.

I had become addicted to the freedom and peace of mind that accompanies minimalism. Each possession I got rid of was another possession I never had to keep track of, put away, or consider upgrading. ~ Life Nomadic

I remember the summer of 2008, where I was at the educational summer camp CTY. There I had little. Clothes, toiletries, a single notebook and a single pencil, and that was it. Save for my ubiquitous camera, I was without electronics. I also left behind a cell phone, placing me incommunicado with the outside world.

Nonetheless, the spartan conditions of my dormitory was one of the greatest pleasures that I experienced at CTY. I had little to keep track of, little to fear losing, little to worry about. Without the burden of unnecessary possessions, I felt emancipated. I was able to live carefreely for weeks. Not having to take care of and keep track of belongings is one of the greatest liberations that the privileged can experience. Being incommunicado from friends back in San Francisco forced me to connect and establish relationships with strangers that I would otherwise not have interacted with. 

A Challenge

See them floundering after their cherished possessions, like fish flopping in a river starved of water. ~ Sutta Nipata

Now that it is established that liberation from the burdens that possessions place is beneficial to the quality of one’s life, I have a challenge for my readers.

Simply compile a list of 100 possessions that you have that could be gotten rid of. Unused possessions make for clutter, frustration and worry. Acknowledging that one holds unneeded possessions that burden him and would be beneficial in another’s hands is the point of this challenge.

Thus, I strongly encourage you to participate in this challenge. You can email your list of 100 possessions to WikipedianMarlith@gmail.com if you would like it to be published on this blog. I myself will publish my own list up here in a month.

I hope this challenge will greatly enhance the quality of your life. Good luck!