Around the end of December 2017, I was trying to find a new vegan cookbook online, mostly because I have pretty much eaten all the good things from the cookbooks I already own. Variety always helps you stick to a diet plan. So I stumbled on Minimalist Baker's Everyday Cooking: 101 Entirely Plant-based, Mostly Gluten-Free, Easy and Delicious Recipes, by Dana Shultz, a book I have yet to buy mind you. I remember thinking, "Minimalist? Sounds like another crazy hipster fad." Why do the hipsters mess everything up?

Anyway I digress. While searching for the book, Amazon, lovely Amazon, gave me a list of more minimalist, and decluttering books. I thought to myself. I need to read more, and get rid of this crap I never use. So this search led me to The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing, by Marie Kondo, I thought 12,000 + review?! I have to give this 4 hour read a chance. That was a bust as I have no time to read, I work two jobs! So I later downloaded the audio book, so I could listen on my way to work and at the gym. It really was life changing... (I'll touch more on this later, in a future post. Future me is so good at doing things.)

I'm still getting rid of A LOT of excess stuff but I couldn't help but wonder about other takes on minimalism. So I brought The Minimalist Mindset: The Practical Path to Making Your Passions a Priority and to Retaking Your Freedom, by Danny Dover, and that was also life changing because it not only focuses on clutter in your home but minimizing EVERYTHING. I'm, as the book recommends, am starting with my debt.

I thought to myself, "Nothing bad can come from me reading more and more about how this has effected others." So I brought another book. Minimalism: Live a Meaningful Life, by Joshua Fields Millburn, and Ryan Nicodemus, I looked at the front cover and thought, "Man what a bunch of knobs!" but I decided to read it anyway because I was watching some YouTube video I read about one bag travel. The book itself wasn't the best I have read. But these guys have many great points that I did find helpful, plus that Josh is a good writer, see their blog, theminimalists.

The point I'm trying to make here is on my journey to find, and own less, I found more, I found life. Now I hope you aren't looking for a magic answer, because you won't find it here, this is my blog, so you are welcome to read my journey, but you will have to read their books to find your own.

So I started creating my "Life List" as Dover called it in his book. The list itself is insane and I have no idea how I'm even going to get out of debt, let alone do anything on this crazy list. OMG I'm turning into a hipster!!! Someone get me some hockey sticks!!!

Sorry guys this blog sounded a lot better in my head before I wrote it down. But as I said in my previous blog I HAVE to post it no matter how bad I think it is, because posting it and getting it out is FAR better than never posting it at all.