I own a carry on with 1 weeks' worth of clothes.
I own a laptop, Chromebook and phone.
Other than money, I own no-thing else. Literally, I own a few things. I have never felt happier, calmer or more liberated. Why? Things you own tend to own you. Things you own tend to devour a large percentage of your attention, energy and financial resources.
Of course you enjoy many of these things. But enjoyment comes hand in hand with disruption because every thing you own, collectively, owns a significant chunk of your attention, energy and focus.
Big thing investments tie you down. Literally and figuratively.
Homes and Jobs
Observe the average homeowner. Even if you enjoy owning your home, and love your job, both houses and jobs consume vast amounts of your:
- attention
- energy
- money
- freedom
I do not care if you are the biggest homebody and 100% comfortable working an easy job. Few human beings leap over the moon with joy, freedom and love at the prospect of having 5 vacation days a year, being bound to their house and taking on 30 years of debt through their morgtage.
Ego cons you into believing owning things creates security and stature. Owning a big house, working a high paying job and driving a nice car may feel good on some level but each thing you own consumes much of your freedom because fear motivates most people to own things.
Most human beings buy stuff because sans stuff, most people feel empty, not enough, lacking and insecure. Buying things creates only a temporary rush that does not dissolve these deep, dark feelings. Doubling your depression, the house you own now proves to be a pit, sucking you in, tying you down, anchoring you down to a geographic location spanning an acre or less, depending on your property.
Feeling whole, complete and appreciative of life instantly dissolves the thing-obsession that enslaves most of humanity.
Nothing Wrong with Owning Things
Owning things can feel enjoyable. I owned a BMW decades ago. I had oodles of fun cruising, washing the ride and soaking up the ultimate driving machine. I also made a significant financial investment to own, maintain and repair the car, let alone the emotional investment of worrying anytime a more expensive repair beckoned.
Once again, the thing disrupted my life even though I dug owning the thing too.
Hey; owning a house feels good on some level. Some people genuinely love home ownership. Although there is nothing wrong with owning a home you need to honestly observe how owning a home disrupts your life through:
- a massive financial commitment based on going deep into debt for a long time
- a litany of unexpected home repairs you need to tend to or or hire someone to handle
- eating into your vacation time dramatically; few homeowners feel confident, comfortable and financially able to vacation for 6-8 months a year
Owning things is A-OK but owning things disrupts your life. I am a homeless vagabond who owns an online business. I own a few things. But owning a few things guarantees nothing ties me down, holds me down, keeps me in one spot, drains my financial resources, worries me, frustrates me or consumes a vast amount of my attention and energy.
Enlightened Beings Know
Every enlightened being becomes void of attachments because the wisest beings understand how things create attachments, enslavement and a general energy and attention suck not beneficial to the individual or humanity they serve.
I am hardly enlightened but developed immense peace of mind, poise and serenity the moment I became a genuine digital nomad who owns a few articles of clothing, business investments (laptop and Chromebook) and save money stuff, nothing else.
I suffer virtually no disruptions because no things pull me anywhere. No home, car or job to pull my attention, energy, resources and body in 3 different directions.
I can travel anywhere on earth at a moment's notice for any period of time, earning passive online income, barely being tied to any *thing*.
For me, that's liberation, peace of mind, serenity and the absolute form of disruption-free, freedom.
