The Neominimalist

18Dec 2017 by The Neominimalist No Comments

Introduction to the Neominimalist

So what is minimalism? Google it and you'll find that there really isn’t a straight answer. Some people base their definition of minimalism around the idea of having less material possessions. Some say it's the notion of living more simply so that you can be happier. While some place emphasis on the idea that it's not necessarily about having less things, but rather it's about having more of the things that make you happy and less of the things that don't. I see minimalism as an all-encompassing way of thinking. It's a way of thinking about ourselves, others, and everything around us. It's a way of seeing the world, it's a way of relating to other beings, it's a way of seeing yourself and your needs. See, for me, it's…

11Nov 2018 by The Neominimalist 2 Comments

How to Travel Like a Minimalist

Traveling is my biggest hobby. Over the years, I've learned a few tricks for ensuring my travel experiences go as smoothly as possible. One of those tricks is the art of traveling light. I call it an art because it takes practice and creativity. I’m all about being practical, so traveling with the minimum number of things needed just makes sense to me. As I'm writing this post, I’m sitting in a plane on my way to Iceland to meet my best friend to then travel through Europe together. Our trip will be a total of 15 days. I was determined not to bring any checked luggage, which meant I had to fit everything into my medium-sized backpack. You might ask, why not just put everything I need comfortably in…

21Oct 2018 by The Neominimalist No Comments

Love and Forgiveness

Recently I went on a weekend-long spiritual retreat at a non-religious center. The topic of the retreat was “love and forgiveness.” Its structure is meant to submerge you in the chosen topic by packing your days with workshops and seminars, meditation, silent dinners, and group exercises. The fact that there was no cell phone signal and the place was surrounded by some breathtaking mountains helped me go into a “retreat” mindset pretty easily. Where did you learn what love is supposed to be like? Was it from movies or books? Or did your parents sit you down and had a conversation with you when you were a child to explain to you what love is, what it looks like, and how it is expressed? Personally I don't remember having that…

07Apr 2018 by The Neominimalist No Comments

The Lessons I Learned From the Death of a Loved One

Death is an inevitable part of life. We all know that, yet it never ceases to hit us in the pit of our stomach when it takes someone we love. Experiencing the death of a loved one can be one of the saddest experiences in life, yet it can also be one of the most beautifully insightful ones.The first time I ever experienced the death of someone I loved deeply was in 2015. My grandfather died in an intensive care unit (ICU) after months of fighting pneumonia. He eventually died from a series of complications; most, (if not all) of which could’ve been prevented if he had received proper care. He was a very special person in my life and a father figure. It took some effort to get over…

03Mar 2018 by The Neominimalist 2 Comments

Why Choose to Be Vegan?

For those who may not know, veganism is a diet and lifestyle that excludes animal products. A vegan diet is like a vegetarian diet (all animal meats are excluded) but it also excludes eggs, dairy, honey, and all other foods or ingredients that may come from an animal. Anyone who has ever tried to be vegan understands that sometimes it can be difficult to stay faithful to the lifestyle at first. For a true vegan, it’s not only about removing animal products from her/his diet, it’s also removing them from clothes, beauty products, furniture, etc. This involves reading labels, learning about where products/ingredients are sourced from, verifying “not tested on animals” labels (not all bunny labels mean the same thing), and knowing which brands to support and which ones to…

17Jan 2018 by The Neominimalist No Comments

10 Signs You’re a Minimalist and You Don’t Even Know It

Minimalism is not a universally defined concept, at least not how I view it. It's different for everyone, and we can adopt it to varying degrees. However, I believe there is one core principle behind it that is part of the reason why some people are so attracted to it; it’s supposed to help us make our lives simpler and easier. Below are ten signs you're a minimalist and you don't even know it: 1. You rarely go shopping for new things, and/or you're constantly getting rid of things you don't use or need. Owning less material things and getting rid of things we don't need are two of the main ideas associated with being a minimalist. However, this is not to be confused with compulsively upgrading our material possessions.…

05Jan 2018 by The Neominimalist No Comments

Dating: A Minimalist Approach

We live in an age where dating is very different from what it used to be. We no longer need to rely on friends to provide introductions, or constantly go out to socialize in hopes of meeting a potential partner. The digital age has opened the doors to a new way of meeting and connecting with people, giving us endless options when it comes to the pool of potential partners. When it comes to dating, I’ve noticed that most people fall under two categories; they either hate it or love it. Surprisingly, most people I know fall into the former category. They dread going on dates, they feel nervous about what to say, what to wear, whether there will be chemistry, and whether they'll come across as smart/dumb, interesting/boring, etc.…

31Dec 2017 by The Neominimalist No Comments

Decluttering Your Inner Circle

Clutter: to fill or cover with scattered or disordered things that impede movement or reduce effectiveness (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). When we think of clutter, we think of material things. But clutter can present itself in many forms and places. Have you ever examined the people you call friends and family and felt like every single one of those individuals added value to your life because they either support you and your mission, or help you grow? Most of us don’t even think about this because friendships and relationships either happen naturally, or they are a consequence of other relationships. In other words, we’re sort of pushed into them. What if I told you that those who make up your inner circle or you spend the most time with can influence you…

08Dec 2017 by The Neominimalist No Comments

Four Ideas You Need to Ditch If You Want to Be Happy in Life

One of the main concepts behind minimalism is getting rid of things you don't need. However, this idea doesn't have to only apply to material things. It can also apply to the ideologies and ways of behaving which don't add value to our lives or support our mission. If you want reasons to be unhappy in life, you don't have to look too deeply to find some. Unfortunately, we are designed to focus on the negative and it takes a conscious effort to try to see the positives in every situation. This wiring of our brain, this way of thinking, is due to nature as much as it is due to nurture. In other words, to a certain extent, we are programmed, at a primal level, to look for the…

15Oct 2017 by The Neominimalist No Comments

How Minimalism Helped Me Buy My First House in My 20s

Before starting this blog, when I had no idea which topics I should focus on, I asked all my close friends one question. What do you think I’m really good at or know a lot about? The responses I received were definitely interesting. The answers ranged from “you give really good advice, you’re good at writing and expressing yourself,” to “you definitely know a lot about the environment.” One friend even swore that politics is the path I’m meant to take. Uh… no thanks! However, among all the responses, there were a couple that seemed to appear the most. Most of my friends seem to think that I’m good at managing money and saving. For some reason, my friends always ask me for advice about how to save. Not to…