Posts of "theminimalists"

Watch: "Consumerist Equanimity"

Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and Ryan talk about blowing up past relationships; rules for letting go of careers, habits, and routines; and nine ways to avoid spending money on trends; and they answer the following questions:What do you mean by “blowing up a relationship”? (00:00)What would you do differently if you could? (33:55)What is “low-grade misery”? (36:13)What are the three types of r...

Coming in November 2021!

Happy Halloween! Did anyone else dress up like The Minimalists this weekend? We did! Hehe. As October comes to a close, we're excited to announce several projects that we're working on just for our patrons:Livestreams. Podcast Shawn, Jordan Know Moore, and Danny Unknwn are sorting out the tech details to bring you a weekly livestream from The Minimalists, which we'll start broadcasting...

"The Burden of Attachment"

Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and Ryan are joined by Ryan’s wife, Mariah, to celebrate Ryan’s 40th birthday, and they disagree about attachment, discuss some lessons Ryan has learned over the last four decades, and dive into details about MaRyan’s relationship, as well as answer the following questions:Does attachment equal suffering? (00:00)What is the difference between knowledge and wisdom? (...

Watch: "The Burden of Attachment"

Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and Ryan are joined by Ryan’s wife, Mariah, to celebrate Ryan’s 40th birthday, and they disagree about attachment, discuss some lessons Ryan has learned over the last four decades, and dive into details about MaRyan’s relationship, as well as answer the following questions:Does attachment equal suffering? (00:00)What is the difference between knowledge and wisdom? (...

"Loving and Encouraging Yourself"

Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and Ryan discuss a simple way to love and encourage the most important person in your life—you—with author, speaker, and attorney Mel Robbins, and they answer the following questions:Why do we torture ourselves? (00:00)What is ego? (03:28)What is love? (05:42)How have we been misled regarding what we should aspire to? (12:51)What is behavioral activation therapy? (17:...

Watch: "Loving and Encouraging Yourself"

Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and Ryan discuss a simple way to love and encourage the most important person in your life—you—with author, speaker, and attorney Mel Robbins, and they answer the following questions:Why do we torture ourselves? (00:00)What is ego? (03:28)What is love? (05:42)How have we been misled regarding what we should aspire to? (12:51)What is behavioral activation therapy? (17:...

New Names for Support Levels

Based on your feedback from yesterday's poll, we're going to introduce a new weekly livestream, beginning sometime in November. Plus, we're going to share a monthly home-tour video—in which we'll tour specific rooms in our homes, studio, and other minimalist spaces—for our top two tiers of support (currently called "True Fans" and "VIPs").We're also renaming...

More Value for Patrons

Simpletons!Big thanks to you for your support. We are always looking for joyous new ways to add value to our patrons. What would you like to see from us in the coming weeks and months? Vote today!—Joshua & Ryan

"This Is Your Chance to Start Over: Live from Salt Lake City"

Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and Ryan travel to Salt Lake City to talk about reevaluating material clutter, simplifying everything, and letting go of excess, and they answer the following questions:Why do some people avoid minimalism? (00:00)How do I explain to my children the importance of curating their toys in terms they’ll understand? (23:39)How does home ownership align with minimalism? (30:26...

Watch: "This Is Your Chance to Start Over: Live from Salt Lake City"

Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and Ryan travel to Salt Lake City to talk about reevaluating material clutter, simplifying everything, and letting go of excess, and they answer the following questions:Why do some people avoid minimalism? (00:00)How do I explain to my children the importance of curating their toys in terms they’ll understand? (25:27)How does home ownership align with minimalism? (32:15...

"The Queen of Meaning"

Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and Ryan discuss letting go to move on with author, podcaster, and comedian Lisa Lampanelli, and they answer the following questions:What is Lisa’s opinion of cancel culture? (00:00)What are the two “abracadabras of life”? (02:30)Are there any good elements of cancel culture? (04:06)Why are attachments problematic? (14:12)What is the difference between “making fun...

Watch: "The Queen of Meaning"

Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and Ryan discuss letting go to move on with author, podcaster, and comedian Lisa Lampanelli, and they answer the following questions:What is Lisa’s opinion of cancel culture? (00:00)What are the two “abracadabras of life”? (02:30)Are there any good elements of cancel culture? (04:06)Why are attachments problematic? (14:12)What is the difference between “making fun...

"Silence Is Not the Absence of Sound"

Joshua and Ryan discuss curating an ideal environment at home and in life with musician Andrew Belle, and they answer the following questions:Where did the title “Nightshade” come from for your new album? (00:00)What is your favorite song on your new album? (12:30)What is your songwriting process? (16:21)Is there a song that has particular significance for you? (23:42)Does the emotional proces...

Watch: "Silence Is Not the Absence of Sound"

Joshua and Ryan discuss curating an ideal environment at home and in life with musician Andrew Belle, and they answer the following questions:Where did the title “Nightshade” come from for your new album? (00:00)What is your favorite song on your new album? (12:42)What is your songwriting process? (16:33)Is there a song that has particular significance for you? (23:54)Does the emotional proces...

A Mountain State of Mind

Last week, we enjoyed three of the most magical nights of our lives! Big thanks to everyone who joined us in Salt Lake City, Denver, and Phoenix. It would be impossible to put into words just how meaningful those evenings were.Shout out to our special musical guests, VVE, Canyon City, and The Bergamot, respectively, for opening these shows, as well as Dr. Joanne Cacciatore, who shared the stage wi...

"Shopaholics Anonymous"

Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and Ryan discuss overcoming our urge to find solace in shopping, and they answer the following questions:Why do we relentlessly search for the next best thing? (00:00)Who is Jony Ive? (17:27)What causes a shopping addiction? (25:39)What are the symptoms of a shopping addiction? (28:38)What can we do to curb the urge to shop compulsively, particularly with regards to groce...

Watch: "Shopaholics Anonymous"

Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and Ryan discuss overcoming our urge to find solace in shopping, and they answer the following questions:Why do we relentlessly search for the next best thing? (00:00)Who is Jony Ive? (17:27)What causes a shopping addiction? (25:39)What are the symptoms of a shopping addiction? (28:38)What can we do to curb the urge to shop compulsively, particularly with regards to groce...

"The Genius of Beauty"

Joshua and Ryan discuss finding the appropriate balance between simplicity, function, and beauty with author, podcaster, and pastor Erwin Raphael McManus, and they answer the following questions:What is genius? (00:00)How does genius manifest? (07:30)How have we suppressed genius as a society? (10:46)What is the etymology of “genius”? (23:46)What do we mean by empathy, sympathy, and compassion...

Watch: "The Genius of Beauty"

Joshua and Ryan discuss finding the appropriate balance between simplicity, function, and beauty with author, podcaster, and pastor Erwin Raphael McManus, and they answer the following questions:What is genius? (00:00)How does genius manifest? (07:30)How have we suppressed genius as a society? (10:46)What is the etymology of “genius”? (23:46)What do we mean by empathy, sympathy, and compassion...

Everything Is Bigger in Texas, Even Minimalism

How incredible to be back on the road after three years! Big thanks to everyone who showed up in San Antonio, Houston, and Dallas for three magical nights this week! We are grateful for your smiles, support, laughter, and love.⁣⁣Shout out to our special guests, Dr. John Delony and Ian Morgan Cron, who shared the stage with us in Houston and Dallas, respectively, to talk about what shapes our a...

"Nothing Happens for a Reason"

Joshua and Ryan discuss how to identify and appropriately address toxic positivity with author, podcaster, and professor Kate Bowler, and they answer the following questions:How did megachurches arise in the United States? (00:00)What is a “prosperity church”? (05:32)What is “experiential capitalism”? (16:02)What is “sanctification”? (28:55)What do you do about the overwhelming expecta...

Watch: "Nothing Happens for a Reason"

Joshua and Ryan discuss how to identify and appropriately address toxic positivity with author, podcaster, and professor Kate Bowler, and they answer the following questions:How did megachurches arise in the United States? (00:00)What is a “prosperity church”? (05:32)What is “experiential capitalism”? (16:02)What is “sanctification”? (28:55)What do you do about the overwhelming expecta...

"Things to Avoid"

Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and Ryan discuss best practices to adopt to ensure we don’t reclutter after we declutter, and they answer the following questions:Is voting an effective use of our time? (00:00)What are your boundaries? (11:42)How do we prevent anger from turning into rage? (20:17)What purpose does our ego serve? (43:26)What is the root cause of this declutter/reclutter cycle? (58:52)Wh...

Watch: "Things to Avoid"

Patreon Exclusive. Joshua and Ryan discuss best practices to adopt to ensure we don’t reclutter after we declutter, and they answer the following questions:Is voting an effective use of our time? (00:00)What are your boundaries? (11:42)How do we prevent anger from turning into rage? (20:17)What purpose does our ego serve? (43:26)What is the root cause of this declutter/reclutter cycle? (58:52)Wh...

“Shoulding All Over Ourselves”

Joshua and Ryan discuss how to appropriately filter and address unsolicited advice, and they answer the following questions:What is the illusion of ‘shoulds’ and prescriptions? (00:00)How do I decide whose advice to listen to? (44:45)Isn’t it that there’s not an advice epidemic, but, rather, an unqualified-advice epidemic? (49:06)With regards to weight loss, how can I learn to be okay with...

Video: "Shoulding All Over Ourselves"

Joshua and Ryan discuss how to appropriately filter and address unsolicited advice, and they answer the following questions:What is the illusion of ‘shoulds’ and prescriptions? (00:00)How do I decide whose advice to listen to? (44:45)Isn’t it that there’s not an advice epidemic, but, rather, an unqualified-advice epidemic? (49:06)With regards to weight loss, how can I learn to be okay with...

"The Digital Declutter Challenge"

Joshua and Ryan discuss the preponderance of digital clutter we all face, as well as the multitude of methods for addressing it, and they answer the following questions:What are the Love People Use Things challenges? (00:00)What is ‘cloud storage’ in terms an elderly, beloved grandmother would understand? (45:27)What should I do with dead batteries? (46:54)How do I appropriately curate and sto...

Video: "The Digital Declutter Challenge"

Joshua and Ryan discuss the preponderance of digital clutter we all face, as well as the multitude of methods for addressing it, and they answer the following questions:What are the Love People Use Things challenges? (00:00)What is ‘cloud storage’ in terms an elderly, beloved grandmother would understand? (45:27)What should I do with dead batteries? (46:54)How do I appropriately curate and sto...

"The Opposite of Hoarding"

Joshua and Ryan talk about uncovering the ‘whys’ of compulsive decluttering, and they answer the following questions:Does our obsession with labeling distract us from addressing the core issues of problems? (00:00)What is the source of the spartanist’s issue with stuff? (12:45)How do we feel complete? (14:18)What is the difference between minimalism and spartanism? (16:36)Why are trying to c...

Video: "The Opposite of Hoarding"

Joshua and Ryan talk about uncovering the ‘whys’ of compulsive decluttering, and they answer the following questions:Does our obsession with labeling distract us from addressing the core issues of problems? (00:00)What is the source of the spartanist’s issue with stuff? (12:45)How do we feel complete? (14:18)What is the difference between minimalism and spartanism? (16:36)Why are trying to c...