On mindsets, mind shifts and wins
davestewart.co.uk
davestewart.co.uk
Daily routines, stopped drinking (though I've mostly stuck with it aside from maybe 2-3 times a year I'll have alcohol), therapy, etc.
Nobody would call me minimalist, but what I think people who know me don't realize is that I just buy things that last a REALLY long time.
It was surprising to remove myself from "consumerism". As a cyclist, I would always be buying the new thing, the newest gear, until I bought an old touring frame and built it up with old parts. That became my main bike. I was no longer in the mode of upgrading components to the latest thing, or getting the fastest, lightest gear, etc. It's running components I've had for more than 20 years, and it's still a ton of fun!
I'm about to upgrade, but it was that one act with my bike, which made me recognize we do the same with many other things. Fashion obviously, but cars too. Always having to have the latest and greatest, but once you break the cycle it is surprising how quickly you realize those things never mattered.
Perhaps I could phrase this better, but I’ve become hyper-aware that folks rarely change their minds (opens new window). The level of polarisation around Brexit, BLM, Covid 19, politics, climate change, trans rights, etc is huge, and to put a dog in each and every fight is exhausting. Rather than stumble clumsily in, I’ll take the time to learn about something privately, and consider the various views. I try to replace reaction with reflection, frustration with patience, and opinions with questions; it’s genuinely useful to see something from another’s perspective. The downside is I engage far less, but life is infinitely more peaceful.
An effect of mindfulness or meditation: one learns not to react to emotions but to watch emotions come and go. One learns curiosity.
> The downside is I engage far less, but life is infinitely more peaceful.
I get this and I've had a version of this happen in my life.
However I constantly keep going back to and reflecting on the privileges that allow me to choose not to engage with Black Lives Matter or trans rights.
And trying to figure out how I feel about the inverse, meaning people who have the privilege to ignore something I can't like Covid 19.
I guess the tone of this makes me uncomfortable because it would be very easy for someone to put their head in the sand and disconnect from life or death struggles of others?
The 'trans rights' one is also a curiosity because not that many people will know a transgendered person, and even if they do, it's unclear what actual rights they think they are fighting for. Whereas everyone has women and girls in their lives who will be negatively affected by men trying to impose themselves in their spaces and not respecting their boundaries.
From 'keeping the house near and tidy'
> Making a cup of tea? Empty one shelf of the dishwasher. Waiting for toast to pop up? Wipe down the worktops or put some cups in the cupboard. Finished a sandwich? Put the plate in the dishwasher. Going to the kitchen? Take the dirty cups with you. Washing on the racks dried? Take 60 seconds to fold it, and take it upstairs when you leave.
From the 'People' section -
> You can’t always account for others, but you can be responsible for yourself.