I've come to realize the true power of minimalism. I've heard the phrase quality over quantity countless times and I always brushed it off as obvious, but I now understand exactly what people mean. An example: we don't need much. As human beings of course we need food, water, shelter, human interaction (all basics), but (and here is where I always went wrong) we need only a few other things. When I was packing to go home for the summer I was forced to get rid of so many things it hurt. I couldn't believe how easy it was to throw out so many things that had been lying around my dorm room all year, cherished as things that have been given to me, things that I couldn't throw out... why?
That day felt like a huge cleanse - I had gotten rid of so many things and the world didn't come crumbling down around me. Life went on. I felt lighter, and happier. Now I feel stupid, like I've been living life wrong all along, but also smart, like I know more than plenty of others. My obsession right now is letting go. There was an episode of Adventure Time where Jake broke his favourite mug and threw it out of the window to, in 30 seconds, teach Finn the lesson that has taken me 3 months to learn. Holding on to things is useless and it holds you back. Life is going to move on without you and you won't be better off when it does. It's much easier to be hard on yourself in the present moment, and float along when things around you begin to change. You end up accomplishing more, regretting less, and feeling a lot more free.
This made me think about a book I read when I was little, but of course back then I didn't really care and didn't pay attention to the lessons. The book went through a list of things that a lady should do and know such as how to braid your hair in 10 different ways. I think the author's perspective on life was very similar to the one that I am developing. Basic things in life can be divided into many little sections, and if you master all of them you have a strong foundation for everything else in your life to go your way. Knowing how to treat a small wound and some basic philosophy can help you keep your cool in an emergency and entertain guests with your views on Aristotle. If you don't stress about these minor things and learn to let go of things that go wrong, your head will be much clearer when it comes time to talk business or convince others to help you out.
Of course, lots of people who did great and enviable things did not have their life in order (take Vincent van Gogh for example). Were these people happy? One could argue that they weren't. I want to be happy. I want to be self-sufficient. I want to give back to the community and help others. I want to have good relationships with other people. For me and my goals, this approach should work wonderfully.
Now on to the subject of this post: Candy Crush. Just because something is a good move and helps you get more money, more friends, whatever doesn't mean it is a move worth taking. You only have so much time, and if a move doesn't help you reach your goal, you might find yourself missing the deadline.
If your goals are structured right, even if everything else falls apart around them your life should still be in order, therefore make only the moves that help you reach your goals :)
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