Lifestyle Choices

With my new found ideals of minimalism and eating I am making some personal lifestyle choices.

The first of these changes is to remove unnecessary things from my life. Things I don't use, things I don't wear and things I don't need I have been selling, donating or giving to other people. It is such a liberating feeling to do this. My wardrobe has gotten smaller, my desk cleaner and my bookshelf thinner. But what this leaves me with is a respect for what I have. I am lucky that I live in a place where wealth is so accessible. There are many who own far less than I.

There are many ways to execute the minimalist ideals. Some go so far as to get rid of most of their possessions leaving them with a few cloths, a toothbrush and a laptop. I do not think I will be this extreme. As a student I always will have a endless supply of paper, pencils, notebooks, textbooks, and office supplies. I really see nothing wrong with this. These are tools that are expendable. Another thing that I cannot completely weed away is my kitchen and its supplies. I am a foodie and therefore I cook a lot. Whatever I have I use. I have to be able to cook things adequately with the right spices, pans, and tools. But there are some things I am working to narrow down and simplfy.

1) My personal care routine: The amounts of lotion, bath gel, bubble bath, shaving cream, bath salts, shampoo, conditioning agents, face wash and perfume, that I own are astounding. I rarely use it, which should be evident, and I cannot really get rid of it on a clear conscience. To throw it away seems wasteful. So I have gotten rid of some of it and am working on using the rest bit by bit. In the end I think that I will only purchase one at a time, lotion, shampoo, conditioner, razors, and a face wash. My soap will be in bar form and all of listed items will be made locally or at the very least, domestically.     

2) My wardrobe: I never wear certain things but I hate to get rid of them. I tossed them in a bag anyway. I usually get cloths from other people who don't want them or I purchase them at a thrift store. That will be the trend that I will continue. I will just make sure to weed more regularly.

3) My bookshelf: I feel like this is a bit of a sin but I do have books that I won't reread anytime soon or that I don't really care about so I have been selling them to a local and independent bookstore for in-store credit. I will turn around and use the credit to by birthday gifts or purchase more books for myself. I don't see it as much of a loss in that respect.

There is more too it than that but I hit the high points. It has been a good exercise for me to do this. It really loosens my attachment to "stuff".

My other personal quest is that of eating. I have made some diet choices as well. I am currently not shopping at a grocery store but once a month so I can eat up the last of the food in my pantry. Then I will start over fresh. Here are my new guidelines.

1) No shopping at Wal-Mart or Safeway if I can absolutely help it.
2) No food in cans except tomatoes, beans, and soup.
3) No out of season produce. Must be from Pacific Northwest or California at the worst.
4) This goes for other food as well, local is a must.
5) Organic if possible. But not fake organic like Amy's Organic TV dinners. Gross.
6) Simple foods such as veggies, fruits, whole bulk grains, and yogurt.
7) Eco-friendly packaging.

Now as I said before, these are guidelines. If I can hit all of these points than it would be wonderful but that can be very challenging. But right now I am in transition. We will see where I am in a few months.

These new lifestyle choices will take time. They are not something that happens overnight or in a month. I am gradually shifting to them which I think is healthier than going cold turkey.

For your personal enjoyment I found a great essay series by the acclaimed food writer Alan Richman on the ethics of eating. It is both humorous and enlightening. Enjoy.