Hello and welcome to the MINIMALIST interview series, an initiative to turn the spotlight on the genuine, practising minimalists in our midst.
Aspiring minimalist @honeydue here.
Though I'm drawn to the minimalist ethos, I'm aware I've got a long way to go before I can call myself a true minimalist.
This is why I love this community. It allows me to interact with and learn from people who've embraced the minimalist lifestyle. I want to know how they got here. What drove them to minimalism, and what the challenges and rewards have been? What's the point of this platform if we can't learn from and help one another in our journeys?
Driven by a desperate curiosity of what else might be out there, aside from the bland, consumerist, traditional life path, I put down some questions I'm secretly dying to ask my favourite minimalists. And @millycf1976 has been lovely enough to allow it.
So whether you're at a crossroads in life or just curious about what else is out there, maybe you find some value in our interview series. Enjoy!
Our series continues with @aaalviarez for The Minimalist Author Spotlight No. 5. Let's tune in to hear more about his journey towards being an authentic and practising minimalist.
Many of you will recognize @aaalviarez as a frequent and long-standing contributor to both The Minimalist and Cinnamon Cup Coffee. He is a gifted writer and a wonderful, upbeat presence on the blockchain. More to the point, he is someone who (as you'll see) has embraced the minimalist lifestyle and has many nuggets of wisdom to share on the subject.
: While minimalism may appear cut and dry from the outside, we know it takes many different forms. To start things off, could you explain what minimalism means to you, specifically?
@aaalviarez : For me, it is simplifying things, prioritizing quality over quantity, avoiding unnecessary complications in the future. I believe that the more you have, the more things you have to maintain, clean, tidy, and that means money, time and energy.
: We love a good origin story. How did you first get started with minimalism? What were some deciding factors? Was it a gradual shift or an abrupt change? Tell us a bit about that.
@aaalviarez: I grew up in a single-parent family, where we couldn't get everything a child wanted. But I do remember that as a teenager I was inclined to buy the things that I considered the most durable, the best quality and the latest generation, i.e. the product that had the best price/quality ratio. For example, I preferred a pair of good brand shoes to several nice pairs. When I bought a mobile phone, I would go for the most expensive and most advanced one, and forget about it for several years. So I think I was getting into minimalism and I didn't realize it.
Once I got married I realized that I preferred quality but my wife preferred economy, the cheapest. Also, she made me realize that I bought some things on impulse, simply because I had the money and I liked it, sometimes even without consulting. So it took us a while to find the middle ground every time we bought something important, like clothes, appliances and electronics. Sometimes I saw that it was better to listen to her, and sometimes she saw that I was right. I think these are nuances within minimalism. At the end of the day, we both wanted something good and uncomplicated, we just wanted to take different paths to get there.
It was then that I think I found myself at a crossroads: either I tried to insist on living a lifestyle that I might not be able to sustain in the medium to long term, or I tried to simplify my life and follow the example of others, mainly my wife. Well, the second way seemed better to me.
: Drastic changes bring about new wisdom. What was one thing you learned, after embracing minimalism, that perhaps surprised you?
@aaalviarez: The savings in time and money surprised and sometimes still surprise me. For example, cleaning the house is easier, there are fewer things to move in a small space and therefore it takes less time to do a thorough cleaning. As for money, I have invested in quality things at the same time as other people who have preferred economy. I even remember someone telling me that with what I would spend on a product that might last me a year, he would buy two, which would last him the same amount of time and he would spend less. I chose to follow the same path. I bought the best product on the market. I still have it, it still works perfectly after almost three years. My friend bought two of the cheapest and couldn't buy any more.
Also, one learning I have had is to continue to value the intangible. I have written about this before and I am still working on it. The value of hugs, of verbalizing how we feel about our loved ones, in sincere praise and words of encouragement. Regardless of how much we have in our bank account or materially in our home, we can always be generous in using those "intangible assets" on behalf of our loved ones.
"My shoes at the moment."
: How has your alternative lifestyle affected your role in your community? Was it a reason for conflict, help you make new friends, etc.?
@aaalviarez: I believe that we have benefited the community, even if we don't blow the trumpet every time we do. For example, I notice that on the day the rubbish collector comes through the community, our bag is one of the smaller ones, and it's not necessarily because we are a family of two, because there are bigger bags that belong to one person. Also, my minimalist style includes my mode of transport being a bicycle, which is healthy for me and non-polluting. It has even allowed me to do some shopping for people when they are sick and can't leave the house. That makes me very happy.
This lifestyle doesn't attract too much attention because of the standard of living that most people lead. I think a maximalist lifestyle could make you the centre of attraction for many. Therefore, it has not been a problem for me to simplify our lifestyle, and since that is notorious, it has helped us to meet more like-minded friends.
: Minimalism can act a bit like a rolling snowball. One minute, you’re throwing out extra placemats, the next, you’re transitioning to a completely off-grid (perhaps nomadic) lifestyle. Does that statement apply to your personal experience, and how much of it was planned? In other words, did you start downsizing to go off-grid/travelling, or did you spiral deeper into that world, the more you embraced it?
@aaalviarez: I think in my case, as I reached adulthood, I was in and out of the realm of minimalism. For a few months I would hoard and shop as if the world was going to end, and then I would come to my senses and want to be with just the necessities again. It got to a point where I already knew various aspects of both worlds, which led me to make a decision and then take the minimalist path. From then on it was easier to be content in our 4m x 10m rented flat. We have been living in similar spaces for 14 years now, trying to get our priorities right and act accordingly. In short, I don't think it snowballed. I think it would be similar to your two grandmothers inviting you to lunch, tasting the best of both tables and then asking one of them for a room to stay.
: Some people find it a scary leap to this alt lifestyle. There’s a concern that if we ditch modern, materialistic dogma, we’ll find ourselves isolated. What was your experience with that?
@aaalviarez: I think it depends a lot on the culture. It is not the same to suggest minimalism to a South Korean as it is to a Latin American. The environment that surrounds each one has different characteristics, where it pushes people in different directions. I also think that age has a lot to do with it, since a young person may want to have something of their own and gradually progress in economic, social and family aspects. However, a middle-aged person who has already tasted some success will come to the conclusion that true happiness does not lie there.
In my case, having friends who simplified their lives and were happy helped me a lot. Seeing how my wife was also happy without falling into materialism sent me a clear message. I think the biggest barrier was in my mind, in my culture, in my upbringing.... ...in my heart. Maybe cutting down on consumerist propaganda and surrounding yourself with people who have simplified by choice is part of the formula for making the leap, if you really want to do it.
: Minimalism and parenthood can often be a tricky mix. If you are raising (or raising) your children as minimalists, what were some things you wish you’d known? In what ways do you feel it improved your children’s experience growing up?
@aaalviarez: We don't have children. But I believe that patterns are broken, and cycles are destroyed. Our parents' mistakes don't necessarily have to be ours and that it doesn't condemn us to failure. So when I have my children, I would try to be very loving with him, teaching him to value things by intangible, spiritual, emotional tabulations, and not so much by monetary or tangible terms. Today I feel that I will not be the best teacher for that, but that new life, with no history, no vices, no past to torment it, a new life, which has my very essence, is well worth it.
: Finally, a bit of a classic. What’s some practical advice you’d give someone just contemplating a minimalist/alternative lifestyle right now?
@aaalviarez: Just one? I'm not sure I can do it. Well, before I give you any advice I would try to take the pressure off by telling you that it is very difficult to be 100% minimalist, because somehow we keep accumulating something or we have a weakness for some aspect. Remember the example of the two grandmothers who invite you to lunch? Well, even if you're staying with one of them, you'll always have the option of visiting the other one and eating at her table. So it is with this style. So you won't necessarily abruptly give up what you like. Now, do you want to know what's a good start?
Well, pot what you think you're not using, or put it away. After a year, go through the list, and if you're still not using it, it's a good time to let it belong to someone else. You've already given it a chance. Does it need another one? You're good. No pressure. I didn't get it on the first try either. But you're already aware that there's something you can simplify. Another tip? Think of something of quality that you want to buy, that you need, that you know you'll get a lot of use out of. Got it? You've got it? Even if it seems expensive and a bit out of your budget, maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe, can you buy it if you sell some things you have accumulated and are not using? You may be surprised.
Before I say goodbye, I'd like to thank @honeydue and @millycf1976 for including me on this guest list. It's my first interview on the blockchain and I'm honoured it's here. Thank you very much.
Thank you so much to @aaalviarez for taking the time to answer our questions. It was a lovely interview and personally, I feel I learned a lot.
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Hey, @aaalviarez 👏Thank you for your thoughtful interview and the lovely photos presented. It's wonderful reading about your journey and I trust that this reflective exercise was a pleasurable one for you.
Thank you @honeydue for yet another awesome highlight:)))
I'm glad you liked the photos. I prepared them exclusively for this content. Thank you very much for the opportunity. Yes, I enjoyed and benefited from these answers. We will continue to meet. Regards @millycf1976