I watched a documentary “The Minimalist” on Netflix and it moved me.

Expired Scientist
Aug 8, 2017 · 3 min read

A little bit of backstory. I thought the documentary was about minimalist design and I thought I can be inspired from it. There are parts of minimalist design involved, but it is not the whole sum of the story.

If I can simplify it, it’s the documentary about the art of letting go.

I am always sceptic with self-help stuff. Mainly because it doesn’t usually help me. I become excited at first then managed to incorporate some part of the “recommendations” in my life, then I got bored or discouraged, then I stopped. That chain of events always end up decorating my sceptic hat — making it bigger and grander.

Anyway the premise of the minimalist is simple — just have stuff that add value to your life. Live deliberately without the influence of consumerism.

I can relate to that sentiment. When I discovered the convenience brought by online shopping premised on my unshaken trust on my own self-finance and the security of the system, I was quickly immersed — no, absorbed to this pseudo-culture. I bought stuff that I thought I need:shirts, pants and jackets that suit the occasion and the weather; sets of books from the same author because one of his/her book is amazing; gadgets to complement or can “gadgetize” my existing gadgets; and some things that I don’t remember buying, let alone to bring it along with me post-graduation.

These two guys were actually successful materially — six figure jobs, cars and houses — until life changes them (credit photo)

Worse, I can recall the excitement of looking forward to the stuff that I bought. My weeks were being filled with anticipation that the consumerism I let into my life with every click and purchase would add values to my life.

My whole budget was simple, and it revolved around what I was going to purchase next. I didn’t spend on food much so buying menial and petty stuff was kind of the routine I had and it made up a large chunk of my transaction activities those days.

That regime however does not pick up its pace after my student time. Which made me glad.

I am more selective with my purchases now but when I bought, I bought big — with a plan to have values added to my life.

I bought a RM430 Wacom Tablet so I can practice drawing digitally and publish it online. Never happened.

I bought a wireless RM299 Jabra Rox so I can exercise more regularly but I keep coming back to the good ol’ wired earpods — now, I have no idea where my wireless Jabra Rox is.

You see there are stuff that you thought is a worthy investment but it never become one because you never do what you plan to do with it. You may have your own circumstances but you have to admit, like I did, that “future” traps you. You tend to move on from the past by rushing and leaping towards the future. Worse The landing hurt you. while all this time, the present is paved for you to trod on. Deliberately. And easily than jumping, leaping, blatantly.

So I took action.

A few months ago, I decided to let go my Wacom Tablet that had been collecting dust for almost a year.

Recently, I opened a Caroussel account, selling two of my jackets that I bought while in the States. I have to admit I sold my items under-priced because I really want to let go things that I don’t use.

Things that I clung on to.

You clung on to your past, or parts of your past, because you think that fragment of your life is what your self worth and identity depends on. I knew that did it for me. The biggest challenge to let go is not the physical material, but that past selves to which all the items represent.

It’s sad. That I think of myself as what I was, not what I am.

It’s about time to change.

Expired Scientist

Like sciences, but you may never find it here.

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