What if you could spend your day as you see fit?
What would you do differently?
Would you work more or would you switch gears and do more of what you love?
This can be a difficult concept to grasp as most of us have been taught that you need to work harder to be happier and that happiness lies around the corner of making more money to buy more things.
Enter “The Minimalists”. These dudes are definitely disrupters.
They got rid of their shit in hopes of more happiness. They are Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus and they help over 20 million people live meaningful lives with less through their website, books, podcast, and documentary.
You know the crazy part? Getting rid of their shit actually worked. They are happier, simpler, more meaningful people now that they have taken themselves out of the rat race.
Studies show that after your basic needs are met, on average at $70,000, your happiness doesn’t change. Yet, we are so convinced as a society that all is dependant on the money we make. The problem is there is a void when we don’t do what we love. So we try to fill that void by buying stuff. We are convinced through advertising that things = happiness and that the only way to get happier is to buy more things.
Think about it. When was the last time a purchase made your life happier for an extended period of time? The happiness is there at first (or what we deem happiness) and then it fades and we are onto the next thing. The problem is, as humans, we are designed to be dissatisfied. We crave certainty and uncertainty all at the same time. How is that even possible?!
So here are some things you can do immediately to take a page out of “The Minimalist’s” book:
- Watch their documentary. It’s on Netflix. Super great and easy watch. “The Minimalists: A Documentary About The Important Things”.
- Take the 30-day challenge – If you haven’t used it in 30 days, sell it. Use this money for your “Happiness Jar” and spend it on experiences.
- Define your happiness % – It’s fine to consume but what percentage of happiness does that item bring? Spend your money on the items that have the highest happiness percentage.
Bonus: Live in a “tiny house”. Don’t mistake space for happiness. The more functional and designed for your needs, the better your space will work for you. We only use 20% of our rooms/space so use your money elsewhere.
If you’re super excited about all of these ideas, check out Mr. Money Mustache for a wicked cool look into this world of early retirement (how he did it) and how he pinches pennies like a mo-fo which caused him to not have to work!
Such cool people out there that are doing awesome things to challenge the status quo. #lifedisrupter
Until next time…
