Source
Minimalism and essentials are two concepts that got me passionate about them from the get-go.
The best thing that each of these ideologies can bring into one’s life is that you should be very intentional with the decisions you make.
Everything that we do, buy, decide on has an influence on ourselves.
When it comes to minimalism this can be often expressed in being conservative about what you own and what you buy.
Of course, the sheer stereotype is a guy with one shirt, one pair of jeans, etc…
But that’s only a stereotype.
How does it actually look like?
Well, anything but that!
Minimalism and essentialism are not about doing or having less. It’s about doing and having what you really want. It’s about being very intentional with choices that impact your life.
And here comes the titular “listing”.
You can only control something when you’re aware of it.
It applies to your emotions, your actions, as well as, the things you have.
The only way to control them is to name them. Make them tangible and therefore targetable.
Personally, my goal is to make a listing of everything that I own. (🤞I’ll do it this year…)
My first thought when I decide to do it is I don’t own that much, to be honest.
But that’s only a gate-opener to the 💩load of crap that you own.
The same thing would happen if emotions and mood are what you’d like to get control over.
Some people do a so-called Mood Calendar.
Each day (mornings/evenings) they rate their mood and describe how they feel/felt. This way they see how their mood fluctuates and what impacts it so they can understand it and control it.
A similar thing can be seen in the Stoics practice.
Whenever you feel a certain emotion - let it be anger - focus on it. Ask yourself why are you feeling it and whether it’s worth feeling it.
If not, let it go.
No matter what it is that you’d like to get control over, list it down, visualize the issue, and solve it.