Rested, refreshed and ready for 2014!
Ah. Four weeks away from it all. It was fantastic. I finally managed to slow down, take the time to relax properly and have a well-needed rest. I’m feeling so much better as a result.
That’s not to say I took time out from trying to live as sustainably as possible, keeping things simple and continuing to embrace minimalism. After all, why should holidaying change anything?
Having spent four weeks with a small backpack weighing less than 6kgs, and not feeling once like I was without something I needed, I am sold on the idea of taking as little as possible when travelling. It was such a great feeling not to be burdened by a huge heavy backpack, and it certainly made traveling around much more enjoyable. I’m sure I could manage comfortably with even less another time. The experience has also made me more resolved to live with less now that I’m back home.
I also kept my plastic-free commitment alive throughout the four weeks. I think it was actually more important, rather than less, because the places where I was staying have beautiful but fragile environments but inadequate refuse collection, meaning plastic is far more likely to get into the waterways, landscapes and oceans than at home. In one place I stayed there was no regular rubbish collection at all, and so the plastic often ends up being burned. It wasn’t actually that difficult with a just a little bit of effort, and I do enjoy a challenge! (I’ll write a separate blog post on this later in the week.)
Lastly, I spent a lot of time thinking about all the things I want to do in 2014. I’m a bit of a dreamer, and I always want to do everything, so I made a big list, and now I’m going to spend some time thinking about what my priorities are and what is realistic and achievable (obviously there are time and money constraints, and I need to distinguish between things I actually want to do versus the things that I like the idea of but don’t really have the motivation to pursue)! This should fit in nicely with my 3 1 5 goal-setting and hopefully will give me a clearer focus for 2014.
Right now, after such a long and relaxing break, it feels really good to be back. I’m totally ready for 2014; I think it’s going to be a great year and I can’t wait to get stuck in!
Brilliant post, mate!
Excessive possessions clutter. Not only the space in our surrounding but also our mind :)
Great that you’re exploring things this way!
Do leave a feedback on my blog, it would be lovely to hear from a fellow minimalist!
Thanks for taking the time to read : )