Third World Minimalism

You've probably read in my review of Leo Babauta's The Simple Guide to a Minimalist Life how offended I was when Leo used the term "Third World." The good thing about me is that I always try to see the other side of the coin.

Since I've been gobbling up minimalist blogs, I've come to the conclusion that Leo used the term "Third World" because it is a term that's familiar to his "First World" readers. Besides, I think the term "developing countries" is even more offensive because it communicates that our country is incomplete.

I've also realized that "First World" minimalists often take it for granted that people from the "Third World" live an effortless minimalist life because we have no choice but to live simply. They are wrong.

In fact, now that I think of it life in the Third World sets us up to a lifestyle that's anti-minimalist. Because we live with less, we feel that we have to have more to be happy. We work hard because we try to compensate for what we lack.

We amass properties so that we can feel complete. Don't you feel satisfied if you have your own house, your own car? If we don't compare ourselves with others, we compare ourselves to our lives before we had the money.

Our dream is to go anywhere in the world far away from the Philippines. Never mind that we work in a job that we hate. Never mind that we don't get to see our kids grow up. When we go home, we could flaunt to others how our lives are better than the ones who chose to stay home or who don't have the resources to go abroad.


The ones who stay in the Philippines hate the humid days and dream of snow. We toil and we dream and we get frustrated because our dreams often feel out of reach. But is it really out of reach or are we limiting ourselves? Are we allowing our needs to distract us from our dreams?

The distractions in our lives may be less frivolous, but they are distractions nevertheless. While First Worlders get distracted with how much stuff they own, we get distracted by how little of it we have.

Minimalism is about living with less, so that we can experience life. Why is it that we have less but we still don't live the life we want?

What is minimalism like in the Third World, I wonder? Let's find out together.

Opportunity Knocks ... TWICE!

How easily I am shaken! I've made a commitment to simplify my life, to be content,  and to focus on what is important to me: my family, reading, writing. (I can't still decide on which to focus on a fourth one, should it be photography or digiscrapping? I suck at both.)

Then three days ago, a dear person from one of the jobs I've had came to visit me and told me that I can have my old job back, IF I wanted it. If this is not enough temptation for me, another person from another career wrote to me asking me if I can do some part-time work for him. Opportunity knocks twice, I guess. Okay, it's one and a half.

Then I chanced to talk to two of my teammates from an older job and learned how their careers were flourishing and envy came in waves. I was the leader and here I am working freelance and making it my goal to exercise an hour a day and to muster enough patience for my kids who clamor for my attention 24/7.

How easily I was tempted to give up this simple life to go back to my career. How easily I forgot how stressed out I was when I was in those two jobs. I've read my journals through one of the jobs and I was so in love with it. But that's because I was all alone, with no family to mind at all. So I was able to focus on my job. Then when I came home and started a fledgling company, I only had enough energy to say good night to my kid and sleep. I also had to be away from the eldest daughter and I remember how much I missed her. So why do I want to go back? Because everyone else has a career to speak of and right now, I have none. It's very hard to explain what I do right now to other people; my parents most especially because they're my number one fans. They feel I can do anything and they can't understand why such an achiever of a daughter is settling for a job "online" they couldn't understand.

Although my present job rakes in a third of what I used to earn in my old job, it significantly brings in better pay from my other older job without the commute. Plus I only do it for half a day. I am free to just read blogs until my eyes glaze over or watch Mulan three times with my youngest. So why do I still want my old careers? Just because others have one. That's it.

So before I'm tempted, I recite my top 3: Family. Reading.Writing.  Life is simpler when I focus on these three and the careers that came to entice me have no place in my life right now.

Family+Reading+Writing...

Family+Reading+Writing...

Focus... Focus...

Win a Free Boracay Vacation

I've been joining contests left and right. For the left, I joined Unclutterer's giveaway for a Fujitsu scanner and now for the right, I'm entering this Boracay giveaway from WOW Philippines. Thanks to, sis Golden, who blogged about it. I've been rather blue lately because part of my "keeping things simple" means that I don't have extra cash for such things as travel. So this will help me keep my spirits up and hope against hope that I will win. 
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Win a Free Boracay Vacation Package by WOW Philippines Travel Agency

WOW Philippines Travel Agency, Inc. is celebrating it's 5th year in business during July of 2010, and we would like you to have a chance to celebrate with us, so we have decided to give-away a FREE Boracay Package complete with 5 Star accommodations at the luxurious Le Soleil de Boracay Hotel on Boracay Island. The lucky winner will win the following Boracay vacation package.

Vacation Package Inclusions:
- 5 Days / 4 Nights Luxury 5 Star Accommodations at the Le Soleil de Boracay  Hotel
- Flights to Boracay from Manila to Caticlan Airport on Philippine Airlines
- Island Transfers - Door-to-Door from Manila to the resort and back to Manila
- Three (3) Meals each day, Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Boracay Activities - Horseback Riding, Island Hopping, Glass Bottom Boat
- PLUS - 5,000 peso Spending Cash

Read More Information: http://www.boracay-packages.com