På en av mina favoritbloggar från USA, Life on purpose - be more with less, lästa jag häromdagen ett så bra gästinlägg från en tonårskille, Chase Miller, som bor i OC i Kalifornien. Detta är ett område som är präglat av materialism, märkesvaror och en snabb livsstil. Jag tycker hans inlägg var så bra att jag lägger in det här i sin helhet. Kanske kan det inspirera även våra svenska tonåringar att tänka till en gång när det gäller prylar och vad man "ska" ha.

"Everything I own fits in a suitcase, except my surfboards. I love country music and the freedom that comes from owning very few things. My name is Chase Miller and I am a minimalist teenager.

My journey of minimalism began 3 years ago at the beginning of summer. I had just finished school for the year and decided it was time to clean out and re access what I owned. I was sick of seeing my closet full of stuff I didn’t use and clothes I didn’t wear. I made a goal of selling or donating everything that I didn’t use or that wasn’t important to me.

The biggest motivation for me came from reading the various Minimalist blogs. The writers had something I wanted; being content and happy with what you have. You could tell through their articles that they were truly enjoying life with less; not because they had to, but because they wanted to.

It wasn’t that my room was packed full of stuff. In fact I was already the cleanest person in my family; but my way of looking at life changed. I didn’t want to be tied down by what I owned or always be focused on having the latest or greatest. There is something freeing about knowing you could easily pack up and move if needed; that you could travel the world and not worry about your possessions.

It took time to change my way of thinking and downsize what I own. I will be the first to admit that it did not happen overnight, but over time I started to realize how little I needed.

This was my action plan:

• Clean Sweep – I took everything out of my room and only put back things I used on a regular basis. Everything else got donated or sold on Craigslist.
• Simplified my Clothing – got rid of clothes with big logos because I didn’t want to be a walking advertisement. I then bought solid colored T-Shirts and basic jeans, which make up a large majority of my wardrobe.
• Daily Choice – Everyday I make a choice to focus on what I have, rather than what I want and in reality don’t need.

I think the biggest misconception about minimalism is that you essentially live with nothing; from your most treasured possessions to your clothes, everything goes. It’s the complete opposite, its merely being content with less. I am the only minimalist in my family. While they have been very supportive, they tend to hang on to stuff for longer. Personally I don’t mind as I realize minimalism is a personal choice and not for everyone.

Minimalism hasn’t affected my relationships with friends, as I don’t really talk about it. However, many people do notice and make comments about how clean my car is. My parents love the fact that I am a minimalist because they never have to ask me to clean my room or anything of that nature.

How I am different than the average teenager:

• I buy clothes without emblems or logos because I do not feel the need to be a walking advertisement
• Traveling is easier because I usually just bring a carry on with everything I need for the week
• I am not going to a high cost university even though I was accepted because I have decided against taking out student loans. Instead, I plan to take advantage of the great community colleges that are in the surrounding areas.
• I have more money to spend on important items or experiences because I am not constantly buying unneeded things.

Minimalism shapes your future by helping you focus on the right things in life. I think the biggest thing for me is spending time on things that are important; things like traveling, spending time with friends and capturing life through photography."


Inspirerande läsning :))