Living a Meaningful Life by the Minimalists

I am in my second reading of the book "Living a Meaningful Life" by Joshua Fields Milburn and Ryan Nicodemus aka The Minimalists.

In the first reading I was very happy to see, that Health was put as the first Value. Happy, because I had come to the same conclusion.
At the topic relationships I learned, first: I had unknowingly followed the described maxims three years ago, by removing an emotional bloodsucker not only from the first tier, but completely out of my life. That was probably the best decision ever and I wonder now, why I kept friendship with that person for about 17 years! Well, better late than never.
second: I have more relationships by their definition, than I knew of and only a very chosen few are in my first tier, a few more, mostly family are second and the rest are rather remote. I forget the word they used, but I can now "let them live" and just see, that I have as little contact to them, as I possibly can. At work, that is not always easy, but made easier by having an office to myself and a door, that I can close. Plus, some of the people I have to accept as remotely (rather bodily, than personally) in my life are not often in my sight. In my hearing yes, but well. I can always get the radio a little louder.

All in all, I would put Relationships clearly in my bottom end of values, though I did meet a first tier friend today and we did have a meaningful talk, and I had a guest in my office today of second tier status (she comes to me twice a week), but in general I prefer to be by myself at work and at home, if possible. I learned to make it possible.
To me, I do not have have many people in my life and the few that are close to me, I do not need to see often or talk to often to feel and know they are close. Both sides make the most of rare meetings.
This way, we can enjoy them intensely. It is a bit like a relationship, where both sides live far away. One enjoys meetings the more, for them being so rare.

My passion is reading. What I can get in my fingers, but mostly crime stories by Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh,Georgette Heyer, Martha Grimes, Arthur Upfield and Magdalen Nabb. I also like the Regency-Romances by Georgette Heyer and authors from that area: Jane Austen, George Elliott, Elizabeth Gaskell, a little bit of the Brontes, but certainly not Wuthering Heights.

My passion for reading does tend to getting information. I find, that by reading the stories of people who lived in those times or researched extensively about those times (like Georgette Heyer), one can learn quite a lot about the times then, the world they live in. I also like documentaries about historical topics and sometimes I have a person or a topic, that I like to get my teeth into and that I read a lot about. For the past two years, that has been Minimalism, in many forms. And Health.

So you could say, my passion is learning and information. Learning about people and the past. I find the past very informative. One can see patterns, that come up in todays life as well, though sometimes in other forms.

My other passion is knitting socks. Since I can't knit and read, I discovered Audiobooks and this way I found out, that there are voices I like and those I don't. I am very choosy, as to who may enter my brain through my ears. :-)

Growth. Well, my growing is very much combined with my passion. I think, that you can grow through learning only. Learning about life and learning about oneself and people. So maybe, I have 3 Top Values and only two bottom ones. Or seeing my passion to learn as growth, I might have only four values in all. two up, two down. :-)

Contribution. I consider my job as my main contribution as I work in the social department of the Rhineland Regional Council or in German: Landschaftsverband Rheinland (LVR). I am responsible to write the permit-decisions for people with disabilities who work in sheltered workshops. And I prepare Helpplan Meetings for people with disabilities, who live in homes or receive assisted living.

I think that worthwhile and therefore I like my work. Apart from that I help, when I can, how I can.


As to the named questionable items: smoking - I don't smoke; overeating - working on it, gossip - working on it.
TV: because I found, there was nothing much on TV that I couldn't watch elsewhere or absolutely had to watch anymore, I stopped watching TV and canceled it. Not just cable, the whole caboodle.

I do spend to much time on the Internet, but I use social media to play (on Facebook) or to write my blog only.
I only like shopping for books, audiobooks or DVDs. Since I just spent a lot of time reducing the amount of those items in my flat (and am not really finished yet, still have to get them out of my flat), I am not willing to get stuff in again. Well: audiobooks on my computer yes, books about minimalism and related topics on my e-reader: yes. But paperbacks only, if I really want them and think, that they are important to my wellbeing. Like for example the book "Sanditon" by Jane Austen (and another lady, since JA died before finishing it): I had read that ages ago and liked it very much. Recently I found, that I can get it, so I ordered it as a paperback, since I couldn't get it as an e-book. But others won't come in.

I commute to work by train everyday. I use this time to read. Therefore for me the time is not questionable but helps my passion and growth. Also sometimes relationships, as I meet a lot of people I know and mostly like on my commute. So: three values served. By taking the train, I have to walk a little to get to the train, which is good for my health and I don't increase pollution and by regularly using public transport, I save jobs. So I'd say, all five values are served.

That leaves going to bed late.. usually I am in bed by 9 pm. Tonight a little later, but this is an exception. So it works for me.

Getting up late: I have to take my thyroid medication at the same time everyday, so my alarm goes at 5 am. I switch it off, take the medication and then turn around to sleep on. That's not so good. I have a lot of work on that ahead of me.

I don't think, that I have other questionable items in my life, that are not covered here. And so I can now stop here, hit the bath and then the pilllow, it is 9.43 pm.

Good Night!