I used to believe that life is all about who has the more, the better, the bigger, and the faster.
Over the last few years I’ve traveled the path of
minimalism. I eliminated all unnecessary things in my life with the same unbridled
zest I had used to collect all those stuff in the first place. Like a crazy
pendulum, I swung from one extreme to the next, even affecting people close to
me and around me.
I sought to simplify my lifestyle, at least that’s
the goal, because that’s what all the simplicity gurus of the Internet are
saying.
So:
- I started paring down my personal possessions to less than 100 things
- Lived within my means, or more appropriately, lived below my means
- Learned to say “no” and chose my commitments
- Exercised regularly and began eating a healthier, nourishing diet.
I did all that, but still somehow couldn’t find
meaning in all I do. What then is the problem?
Don’t get me wrong. Minimalism has benefited my life
in more amazing ways than one, like what I described in a previous post.
But what I’m talking about is the inner self. The feeling
of satisfaction and significance, the assurance that my life has a meaning.
I’ve been thinking about this a lot, and this is
what I realized:
The
Discipline Problem
This is the problem with us people: We want it all, and
we want it now, whether it’s an abundance of possessions or an abundance of
simplicity.
But we all know that nothing beautiful comes easy,
nothing worthwhile comes in an instant, and nothing meaningful comes without discipline.
It’s the way it is in every facet of life: physical, mental, financial, and
spiritual.
If you’ve tried to get rich quick, tried to lose
weight by taking a pill, tried to acquire knowledge by cramming in the last
minute, or attempted to get close to God just by waiting for Him to come to you, and expect desired results then there’s a problem.
It’s easy to get caught in the trap of quick results
when the focus is in the results rather than in the journey. For the joy is
actually in the journey, in the daily discipline of growing our mind, body, and
spirit.
There’s nothing wrong in seeking an abundance of less
– or more. It doesn’t mean anything – whether you are someone who has mountains
of material possessions on hand, or living with just the most minimum of bare
essentials. You are both the same if you don’t feel joy… significance… and
meaning.
I’ve found out that the only way to bring abundance to
our life – the kind of abundance that gives joy, significance, and meaning – is
to bring discipline to our life. But that may be the hardest thing to do.