Hello everyone — I want to provide you an update on what’s going with PeopleNotStuff and where I have been lately.

I have been absent lately from publishing any new posts recently for several reasons:

1) I didn’t feel I had anything of value to say. Usually, I have ideas, experiences, and questions floating in my brain that I like to share. Although recently I have had those things, I haven’t had anything I felt would be adding real value. I’d rather not write for the sake of writing. So you can be assured that if you see a post here, it’s something interesting to me and it’s something I felt might be of value to you.

2) I picked up a part-time second job. (Although I have now left there due to a long-story.)

3) Between my current internship downtown and going on informational interviews, I have been running around meeting new people and networking. Things are going pretty good and I am feeling cautiously optimistic.

4) I needed to unplug from the Internet. We speak a lot about choosing the essential and leaving the rest behind. I felt the amount of time I was spending online between my assigned tasks at work and my home-life wasn’t healthy or something I wanted. I needed to take a break to de-plug from technology.

What’s coming up on PeopleNotStuff? :

1) New Posts -I’m going to continue writing new posts and hopefully they are something that can make you look at your own perspective in a new way, figure out how to achieve something related towards minimalism, or even just entertains. Also, I really appreciate feedback (positive or negative) from you about what things you enjoy reading about and what doesn’t add anything for you. You can always email me at rah204 (at) gmail (dot) com and I will definitely respond.

2) Guest Features -Really informative and fun guest posts. Since I’ve been blogging, I’ve come across and “met” some really interesting thinkers who are using minimalism to tackle obstacles and live the life of their choosing. So be prepared for some perspectives on minimalism from those people.

3) Pictures – I’m a very visual person. Sometimes much more can be learned from a single picture than an entire blog post. I want to feature some pictures of things I come across that shows minimalism in action. Maybe the pictures can inspire you or provide additional ideas.

Last Friday, I was riding in the back of a taxi in downtown Philadelphia with nothing but some cash and my camera. I was sent on a mission from my boss/mentor to capture a collection of pictures featuring several famous mural paintings. (If you’re interested, email me for the pics) Since I had to make several stops, I asked my cab driver if he wouldn’t mind waiting for me during each stop.

I rarely initiate conversation with cab drivers beyond a standard “hello” and “thank you”, but on this day, that would change. I briefly watched his eyes in the mirror from my vantage point in the back seat and it didn’t take a social genius to instantly realize he looked lonely. I thought, What the hell, I’m going to introduce myself.

Immediately the cab driver’s eyes lit up after I told him my name. Unfortunately I don’t remember his name but I know it was something Arabic. He learned I graduated nine months ago, I discovered he was in his 60′s and had six children. It’s crazy to realize he had been driving taxis longer than I have been alive. But the conversation turned differently when he let me in on his secretly unfulfilled desire to earn a college education.

He told me he didn’t really enjoy driving his taxi but it was the only thing he could do without a college education and limited English. I felt a strong urge to reply to him but I kept silent; mostly because there just isn’t much to say when someone old basically tells you they didn’t get to live the life they had desired.

I told him a little about the problem many Generation Yers are facing in terms of employment. He looked into the mirror at me and said, “Never give up on your dream. The key to life is living honestly. That way, you will never lose yourself.” I tipped him as I exited the cab and went back to work. But his words and more importantly, his attitude, have stuck with me. I have been thinking how amazing the taxi driver’s life perspective is and how I can apply his lessons towards living a minimalist lifestyle.

Photo Credit: yellowcabofsavannah.com

Lessons I’m Trying To Apply Towards A Minimalist Lifestyle:

1. “Sacrifice is necessary.” - I think the way our current society works, sacrifice almost seems like a dirty word. Advertisements and social conditioning have led many of us to believe we should have everything — and we should have it right now. But that style of living isn’t healthy and it’s also unrealistic. Sacrifice is one of the roots of long-lasting success. If you really look at people who have made it to the top of their professions or craft, most have spent countless hours practicing. The minimalist lifestyle in many regards involves sacrifice. It’s definitely a sacrifice to give up certain things we like but know deep down aren’t really needed for anything useful. And it’s a sacrifice to risk being alienated from how the rest of much of society behaves in terms of consumerism. But just like the taxi driver sacrificed to make sure he could earn a stable living, it’s vital to remember that by giving up some things, we also gain. Specifically, minimalists gain more clarity, more freedom, and a better sense of real-self.

2. “Persistence will pay.” – I know I can get frustrated sometimes when things don’t go the way I want. I also think that’s healthy to a degree. But listening to the taxi driver tell me the importance of never giving up, I know he’s right. I think that maybe obstacles are just life’s way of testing to see how badly we really want something. If we are going after something we deem personally worthwhile, most of us will continue striving for it no matter what. I know for myself, the idea of freedom is something I yearn for. And even though obstacles come my way, it’s important to remember the power of persistence because that’s going to be the force that takes you towards your desired destination.

3. “Find your dream and keep it alive.” – I have already created my personal mission statement. And I also know I want to create significant positive change. But if you asked me right now how I can make my dream come true, I couldn’t tell you for certain. And I think this state is okay. I’m using minimalism to add clarity, not create more confusion. So as a Generation Yer, I’m still finding my way. And as long as I have a road map, I’m going to get where I want to go. The taxi driver never got the chance to go to college, and being blunt, in all likelihood probably won’t. But he still hasn’t given up on his dream. By living a minimalist lifestyle, it’s easier to erase distractions in life and focus on finding your dream and keeping the fire alive.

It’s so easy, unfortunately, to lose sight of just how much each one of us has already achieved some successes on the minimalist path towards creating a desired lifestyle.

I know that when I set goals for myself, I generally try to focus on where I’m currently standing and what specific action steps I need to take that will get me closer towards where I want to be. Generally, I don’t like excessively looking backwards because I fear too much reflection will lead towards complacency, which leads towards stagnation.

However, sometimes it’s not only rewarding, but healthy, to take a moment to become consciously aware of the progress that you have made. Often, the people around us can see and appreciate the positive changes and progress we have made more than we notice ourselves.

The idea to reflect was inspired from a thoughtful post titled “What’s On Your ‘Already There’ List?” on Gip Plaster’s So Much More Life blog. Do yourself a favor and check our Gip’s blog to find more insightful information and personal anecdotes about simple living, spirituality, and the writing life.

Photo Credit: LolaCreative.com

Gip’s list inspired me to create me own. Here is my list that celebrates some recent successes and also some areas I have felt “ahead of the game.” My hope is that reading my list sparks the desire to create your own and also that you feel self-appreciation at how far you already are.

1. I gave up TV for a week. Since, I have drastically reduced my viewing habits. Without sports and Mad Men, it would be even easier.

2. I drink water all the time. I rarely drink sodas and prefer water and juice. Water is a solution for many problems people face such as losing weight, maintaining good health, and increasing alertness/energy.

3. I sold and donated my used books. I’ve been a read-a-holic since I was very young. Naturally, books have increasingly dominated space wherever I have lived. It felt great to create space, give the books a good home, and make a few extra bucks.

4. I actually enjoy going to the gym, running outside, and being active. During the times when for whatever reason I can’t exercise, I feel strange for not going and I miss the activity.

5. Minimalism is helping get closer to my desired work. The Great Recession hasn’t been easy for myself or the majority of people. But I’m plowing through it and making the most from a bad situation.

6. I identified the unique ways minimalism challenges myself and many of us. Being aware of how minimalism can be difficult has helped me accept and deal with those obstacles.

7. I started People, Not Stuff when I was initially afraid to do so. I never wrote on a blog before and didn’t know how people would react, or whether anybody would even read. It’s been very rewarding doing so and I can only imagine where it goes from here which leads me to…

8. I’ve made friends within the Minimalist Community. I am happy to read the different stories and perspectives from the people I have met so far. If you get a chance, make sure to give them a read. You can find them on the Blogroll or scattered throughout many of my posts.

With my 24th birthday coming up in less than 3 weeks, I’ll be coming up with a new list of where I want to go from here. But it’s vital to also appreciate where I currently am. I hope you take some time, even just 10 minutes today, to reflect at all the progress you have already made.