By the time you read this, I might be wondering the streets of Old Town in Prague, admiring art in the museums of Vienna, or bathing in the spas of Budapest… checking cities off my List. I’ll be mostly offline while I’m travelling, so for this month’s post we’ll take a break from the personal finance advice and go back to basics. Here’s a list of all of the things I’m taking for my minimalist trip to Europe. I’ll be carrying one backpack containing: One pair black jeans Two button shirts (that don’t need ironing) Two t-shirts Jacket Pyjamas Book Notebook and pencil (for diary e ..read more

‘Success’ is a loaded word these days. It can mean anything—fame, fortune, connections, owning a huge house, or a second car, or a walk-in wardrobe. In other words, success nowadays is about what you own. To many people, if you have most, or all, of the above, you’re considered successful. If not, you’re probably a failure. People spend their whole lives trying to live up to these expectations. Everyday, they work hard at their jobs to earn money to add to their pile of stuff. They get into debt, or never pay off the debt they already have, and with every promotion, they upgrade ..read more

Ask people what is most important to them—what they think is the foundation for the best kind of life—and most would reply, “love, happiness, and good health.” They’re not wrong. There’s lots you can live without, but if you don’t feel anyone cares about you, or fulfilled in any way, or if your body is failing, it’s hard to imagine life being that great. On top of those, there are many other things that people value in life, such as: Security (the feeling of safety and stability) Intimacy (feeling connected or close to others) Adventure (seeking fun/thrills, wanting to try out new things ..read more

As a child growing up in an immigrant family, I’ve always been taught to treasure every hard earned penny. Whenever I did make a big purchase, whether it was for something fun like going out with friends, or even for something I genuinely needed, instead of enjoying it I would feel guilty about it for days. Looking back, I understand now that I was operating under a scarcity mindset. I was taught by my parents that you couldn’t be sure that there would always be enough, so you better make every penny count because one day you might really need it. To be fair, this kind of attitude was tru ..read more

I’ve been a long time fan of Marie Kondo and her work, so it’s been great to see her gain so much popularity lately. Over the past few months, I’ve witnessed dozens of people doing big clear outs, giving stuff away for other people to use, or donating bags to charity. It’s great to see the mindset shift towards having less stuff becoming mainstream. One thing I get asked about a lot is what I think about her ‘KonMari Method’. Essentially, it consists of six basic rules: Commit yourself to tidying up. Imagine your ideal lifestyle. Finish discarding first. Before getting rid ..read more

One fateful day about ten years ago, I sat down in front of my laptop and wrote the first post for Minimal Student about embracing change. Back then, as a fresh faced 18 year old, I had little idea about who I was or who I wanted to be. I just knew the cluttered life I was living wasn’t for me and I had some things to say about that. Most of it wasn’t particularly insightful, but after a decade of documenting my thoughts and reflections, my attitude toward life has evolved with me. Practising a life of minimalism has taught me a lot. It has shaped who I’ve become and who I’ll continue to ..read more

  Earlier this month, my mother was going about her normal life when suddenly she doubled over in intense pain. She was rushed to hospital and had to have an emergency operation. It was pretty serious, but the doctors were amazing and she made it in the end. She had to stay in hospital for several days, most of it in a daze falling in and out of consciousness because of the pain medication. As she was lying in the hospital bed, connected to tubes and drips, I spent several hours a day by her side. We talked deeply about the important things in life. Through  ..read more

As a child growing up in an immigrant family, I’ve always been taught to treasure every hard earned penny. Whenever I did make a big purchase, whether it was for something fun like going out with friends, or even for something I genuinely needed, instead of enjoying it I would feel guilty about it for days. Looking back, I understand now that I was operating under a scarcity mindset. I was taught by my parents that you couldn’t be sure that there would always be enough, so you better make every penny count because one day you might really need it. To be fair, this kind of attitude was tru ..read more

What phenomenon happens to every person on earth every day of their lives without anyone realising it or learning from? The answer is hedonic adaptation. It’s the tendency of humans to go back to a stable level of happiness, even after something good (or bad) has happened to them. If you’ve ever dreamed of doing or buying something that seemed unobtainable at the time, thinking, “I’ll be happy when I have that”, then after getting it you find yourself getting so used to having it that eventually you move onto wanting something new, you’ve experienced running on the hedonic treadmill. You keep ..read more

…is an essential part of living minimally. Most of the things we’re asked to or recommended to do/see/try/buy etc. are rooted in other people’s desires, needs, and expectations, not from our own. You only have a certain amount of time in life. It’s a zero sum game—the more you fill it with one thing, the less you have to fill it with something else. It’s a direct trade off. By saying no, you avoid wasting time and effort on things that distract you from what really matters. It takes courage and discipline to say no, especially if people are relying on you. That’s when you have t ..read more