The Thoughts that Bind

March 17, 2021March 4, 2021

Advice for young people: How to look at life

Recently, I was looking back on my early days of having moved out of my parent’s house. I certainly wasn’t prepared for what the outside world would bring me, and the more I’ve gotten to know others who’ve done the same, the more I think that that’s pretty normal. There’s no way of me knowing what your parents have and haven’t prepared you for, but there are still many things that I would try to make sure newly independent young adults check in with. And so I want to talk to all you young people who are considering finally moving out, or who have recently done so. I have a lot of advice for you! Some is from me and my experience, and much of it is from conversations I’ve had with others about things they wish they would have been told. But I hope that as a whole, it can bring you some useful perspective.

March 10, 2021March 4, 2021

Don’t be yourself

We tell people all the time, “Oh, just be yourself!” It’s both advice and encouragement, and it’s pervasive. Especially when we’re talking to people that we like, or people who we deem impressionable. I’m no different. Even here on the Thoughts that Bind, I’ve written a piece to that effect. (You can find that here, if you’re interested. It’s a fairly quick read.) And yet today, we’re going to do the opposite–I’m going to challenge you not to be yourself. Sounds odd at first blush, right? Well, bear with me.

March 4, 2021March 4, 2021

Feel a little better right now

There are many ideas out there that fall flat when you simplify them down to a platitude, particularly in the space of philosophy and wellness, because like we’ve discussed already, everything in moderation will actually ruin your life if you apply it indiscriminately. (You can find that discussion here if you’re not sure what I’m referring to.) But there is one platitude that (while I don’t consider the be-all, end-all of living a wonderful life), seems to hold up with a minimal amount of necessary caveats.

February 24, 2021February 3, 2021

Does “other people have it worse” work?

If you’ve ever had experience with depression or anxiety, you’ve probably had someone tell you “other people have it worse”. And honestly, it feels like a slap in the face when people say it. There you are, trying to vent about your problems and feelings and they hit you with this adage. What are you supposed to do with that? Well, today, I want to talk about this exact thing. So let’s dig in!

February 17, 2021January 28, 2021

Is “weird” an insult or a compliment?

I don’t know how many times in my life I’ve been called weird. And depending on the context, I’ve taken it very differently. So I thought we’d discuss it and share perspective. Because sometimes, one simple word can cause lots of confusion.

February 10, 2021February 17, 2021

“Everything in moderation” is a bad idea

I don’t remember the first time I heard the adage, “everything in moderation”. I do however, know that I have heard it many times since that first time, and I’ve always had some latent problem with the idea. So today, we’re going to talk about this idea of moderation. What it is, why it’s important, and the problems it poses to our lives if we take it too seriously.

February 3, 2021February 11, 2021

Intermediate minimalism- after decluttering (Minimalism, part 3)

A lot of us get into minimalism very quickly, like I did. The idea seems odd but exciting and empowering. We eagerly gulp up ideas and philosophies from any minimalist content creator and get rid of so many things and we feel so great. (There’s a high you get from taking control of your life in a dramatic fashion, I’m not going to lie.)

And then comes the lull. Because what happens after you get rid of 60% of your belongings and you have only what you need or what brings joy or what you find value in (depending on who your teacher/muse is)? Well, then you’re just left with yourself. You, with less stuff.

January 27, 2021February 11, 2021

How to be a minimalist (Minimalism, part 2)

We often think of being a minimalist as an identity. You can find minimalist communities online, hear people say “I’m a minimalist”, and so on and so forth. But when it really comes down to it, being a minimalist is really just a place that you “arrive at” after the snowballing effect of asking yourself real questions and being courageous enough to give yourself real answers.

January 20, 2021January 23, 2021

What is minimalism and is it worth it? (Minimalism, Part 1)

A long while back, I became newly aware of an idea. More of a practice, really. It’s called minimalism. And if you haven’t heard of it before, you’re in the right place because, we’re discussing just that. So sit tight, because it’s going to be a fun ride.

January 13, 2021December 15, 2020

How to look at a philosophical idea

“There is no past or future. Only the present moment truly exists.” “There is no ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Everything is part of god.” “There is no ‘you’ or ‘me’. There is only one, separation doesn’t exist.” Have you ever heard any of these things? (Or maybe you believe them too.) I’m all for new ideas as well as new age philosophies, when they help. But sometimes, I’m not sure how much they help.