A benz, a house and a degree are the old Status Symbols. The ultimate Flex is freedom. Time freedom, location freedom and financial freedom.

Basic rule of life, live simply make steady investments and save too The best approach to achieving financial success is through steady investments, I believe every Investor should start with ETFs for a solid foundation, then diversify across asset classes and maintain disciplined, regular investing to minimize risks and maximize growth.

My dad used to say, “The secret to happiness is wanting less.”

"Not all rich people overwork, and not all people who overwork are rich"- hit me hard.

Being content with what you already have is the first step toward minimalism. It's not always necessary to get rid of all you own or not desiring anything.

Cheap pleasures, reading a book, making a new friend, lucid dreaming, meditation, home cooked meal, diaphramatic breathing, feeling the wind blow, epsom salt bath, lavender essential oil, reflecting in gratitude on the many blessings in your life, resting your feet in a stream.

The best part of the hectic day is coming home to a quiet small room; alone, doing my evening regiment then going to bed, and waking up alone with no hectic morning craziness..just quiet, coffee and youtube.😌🤷‍♀️. Happy is he who is satisfied with a "boring" life

I now live alone and earning a low income monthly. I know some would say I needed to find a part-time job as my current income will never be enough. But I, somehow, made it work. I live below my means and embraced minimalism, intentional, and frugal living. I don't want to overwork myself because I have cheap desires afterall. Eating ice cream, napping, and thrifting makes me genuinely happy. No lie, but I feel like I'm living the life that I've been dreaming about. I also stayed away from social media. I keep a diary and read e-books through my phone. 😊

I realized about a year ago that for the most part I have lived a minimalist lifestyle. Social media and other forms of media keeps emphasizing things like a bucket list and things you have to visit before you pass away, but no matter the places you go, the things or people you meet, happiness comes from within. The simple things in life like using my pool in the summer, having mangoes, or even having some ice cream on a hot day is what I enjoy the most.

I grew up very poor. I achieved a lot of happiness as a young adult by having a small house I was working on renovating, a garden, and enough financial security to know where my next meal would always come from, power on, gas to go to the library, a dog, and some art supplies. My family and friends didn't understand why I had bought such a small house (1,000 sq ft), or drove an old car, etc when I "made enough" to have more. As more people questioned why not an expensive trip instead of camping, or why I still wore just plain clothes or drove a used car... I let it get to me. I must be doing something wrong. I felt worse when buying new things, honestly made me feel awful. It cost too much and now I was concerned about keeping it new looking. After an injury I slowed back down and reclaimed that peace of simply enjoying an evening walk with my dog, a book, or time to sketch. So I'm back to mend it, fix it, make do and do without and much happier for it. The things I do buy are because I've tried that and found that they really add value, like getting a good kitchen knife which is safer and easier to use, but I don't need a huge matching set.

I resonate deeply with this. I grew up without a T.V., and Cell Phone. I went for longs walks in nature, swam at my local creek, and enjoyed company with my friends. We would bike, do our hair, and listen to music. I wouldn't trade my childhood for anything. My deep connection to nature is free, and I have inner peace. I hope more find this video because it has wisdom in it.

One important thing to remember is that our dreams and desires for the future are fluid and, at 40 years old, I’ve learned not to set plans in concrete too many years ahead. In my 20s I dreamed of making six figures, and having a big house on the water. In my 30s I decided early retirement was more important. Due to stress I’ve recently cut back to part time at work and now realize I could work 10-20 hours a week indefinitely and have no desire to ever really retire. Live in the moment, I guess. Good luck to everyone else here looking for answers.

Minimalizing is indeed freeing. You don't have to spend time taking care of stuff if you don't own much of it. This frees up time for meaningful pursuits, like developing the skills around your favorite hobbies. He wasn't a philosopher as such, but Frank Lloyd Wright, a famous architect, having designed many buildings and landscapes for rich Americans was quoted as saying: "Many wealthy people are little more than janitors of their own possessions."

'That man is the richest whose pleasures are the cheapest.' This is a very meaningful line. A simple life causes no worries or discomforts whereas a luxurious life comes with lot of strings attached!

I used to think there was something wrong with me for being so easily contented… Now I see it is a great wealth.

At 57 I find exquisite pleasure from sitting outside in my backyard, soaking up the warm sun, listening to the birds, and the crickets. Tossing blueberries to the Robins, watching the house wren feed it's chicks in the safe house I built for her. Planting and watering my flowers with the grass between my toes. The wind in my trees makes a specific whistling sound known only to that species of tree. Each tree gives off a different wind sound. I enjoy the sunset, and take my cat out for a walk on the fence at dark. I worked much to achieve a backyard, but I no longer need money to make me happy. I bought the lady and her daughter $58 worth of groceries at Aldi's, and she cried. The checkout clerk told me he gets off at 830 and I can buy him groceries too. I said, I've seen people die and come back, they tell us the other side is reality, this is the dream. It's all good on the other side. I try my best to give love while I'm here. Life here is hard enough. I feel empathy for everything now, I don't take things personally from anyone, because I realize we are animal while we are here.

My husband and I have lived a frugal life together, with no children, for 19 years. One of my favorite things to do with him is going to the grocery store together. I'm very content with my life. Our main financial worry is saving for retirement.

"What we cherish, not what we have, constitutes our happiness."

My new hobby is challenging myself to spend as little money as possible

I learned this the hard way.I was always working so I could buy more stuff.Subconsciously I believed that if I had this thing or I had that thing I would be happier.Then one day my wife turned to me and said this-“I don’t feel well”.Less then 6 weeks later,she was gone.I had $35,000 bucks in the bank and had 2 cars paid off and our home had a small mortgage.I spent a few years thinking about all the times I had spent working when I should of been with my wife.All the toys I had accumulated never told me they loved me.

Stoicism, minimalism and optimism (realistic optimism) is all you need

Cheap, static and pure. This is the best form of pleasure.

I've been a minimalist since my 20s. I'm 47 now, owning very little is freedom for me. What do you really need? Food,. Water, shelter, quality relationships. That's about it.

Here I was, hating my simple homebody lifestyle with my books, exercise equipment, new food recipes, DIY projects and my dogs... life is so cluttered and I'm a highly sensitive person. It's just too much. I used to hate myself for being boring but I've just realised that I have peace this way. Thank you for this. I think it's a blessing to be able to experience joy from simple things. You're all smiles, all day, for practically (according to societal standards) no reason. Edit: What I do want though... is a Harley because I hear the open road calling me😉

Wealth is inner-peace. You need to make a certain amount to live but we need to talk more about “life margin.” The middle way is the way to go.

I approve of this philosophy. Last week I cleaned out my closet full of clothes that I never wear and donated to charity, leaving only minimal and comfortable clothing.

My only financial dream is to be able to shop at Costco without feeling nervous about how much is in my cart. That’s peak freedom right there.

“Minimalism is awakening what is within.”

This is the reason why I chose a simple life than trying to do expensive things that goes nowhere. Im 20 and im happy to have a simple life despite having access to play games all day, indulge social media or even joining to "cool" community just to feel "socially validated" Hope yall find your inner peace despite of ages. because the journey within is what matters most

Expressing gratitude leads to contentment because it compels one to count their blessings. Additionally, being grateful helps to maintain a positive mindset that resists expectations which detract from contentment. It originates from within, irrespective of how many items one possesses, if someone is always internally unsatisfied then, no amount of external items will alleviate that feeling.

The ultimate flex is not control or freedom - it’s self satisfaction and determination to endure regardless of whether life is going well or terrible- it’s also the ability to forgive someone who has wronged us

When I was first introduced to minimalism , I was for a brief time , convinced that I cannot become a minimalist. Because I'm poor and I can't afford to give up my things. I didn't have white walls, white bedsheets, iphone,ipad, mac book,...and unlike the minimalists in youtube, I live in a joint family. So such minimalistic aesthetics were a distant dream. But now I truly understand what minimalism really is, it's being content with what we have. we should be minimalist in our thoughts and relationships too. I got rid of all toxic friendships, I got rid of overthinking habit. I found pleasures in reading a book and eating a cheesecake. Life became so easy after that. Before I was so scared , thinking, how am I gonna make in this fast world. I used to work day and night , loose sleep in overthinking, risk my physical and mental health.

Six years ago I walked away from life with quite literally nothing more than the clothes I was wearing and from there spent two years living with everything I own in a backpack. Four years ago I picked up a 450cc motorcycle and spent two years with everything strapped to it, probably the happiest I've ever felt. Being teased by my buddies I traded up to a HUGE Honda Goldwing and added a trailer to it. Decided to settle down, get an apartment, a job, all that crap and realized I was miserable. Downsized the bike, sold the trailer, quit my job and left the apartment. It's been about a month and Im starting to feel alive again!

whatever you own or don’t is beside the point. freedom is a state of mind

I don't need much, just taking care of myself so that I could live my life to the fullest. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SHARING ANOTHER ENJOYABLE VIDEO!🙏

You can see this with people as they get elderly and wise. An 90 year old man was telling me how, in the 1970s, he got swept up in the wealthier class golfing life. He said it was very expensive. He did say he thought it was fine, it was fun BUT he realized there was nothing better to him than his cup of coffee, easy chair and a hockey game and walking his dog. You could tell that he was as happy with that as anyone on earth could ever be entertained, relaxed, satisfied.

I became a minimalist about a year or 2 ago. One of the best decisions I’ve made. I recently watched a documentary called The Century of Self and it helped me continue being conscious of what I buy.

There is nothing more pleasurable to me than walking by myself in a calm area, just sitting somewhere enjoying nature with the sun on my face. I am 29. So yes I occasionally get strange looks from people. Sometimes a faint smile...But I'm finally at a point where I don't care anymore. When I walk or sit sowhere, I enjoy life, and living life. And the best thing is, i don't have to gain anything for it. That being said, I am very fortunate to live in a calm an serene area, where everyone is just minding their own business. No need to prove anything. Just enjoy life... the worst thing that can happen is that you die... and that happens to all of us. Just enjoy the simple pleasures and life can feel fantastic!

Great content! I am an inherently minimalist person. Minimalism is not just about materials. It's also about doing less. For example, owning 20 shirts may not sound like the most minimalist thing to do but it actually could be because it makes you do laundry much less often. Expand this concept to other life chores.

The philosophy resonates well with me. It is good to know that more and more people appear to have embraced minimalism as a way of life.😀

A man's wealth is measured not by how much he has, but how much he believes he needs.

I've always found traveling overseas to be stressful and not worth it. It's so strange that so many people around me are constantly going on vacation in far off places.

It has always been my dream to drive a Ferrari, hell even to sit in one. And then when I was finally realizing this dream, I was thinking to myself, this is really awesome and all, but it doesn't actually make me happier than a lot of cheaper things in life, like getting a toy when I was a kid, or playing video games, or having a tasty meal, even dreaming of driving one felt the same like actually doing it. So I realized that even if I was so rich and owned such a car, I would enjoy drive it at first and then it will become boring, just like any other toy I had when I was a kid. And then I will need to buy something else to feel good again. Owning things brings temporary pleasure but doesn't bring happiness.

The older I get the more I realise I don't need more & more stuff. When I was younger I held onto things. Which in itself isn't a bad thing. Because I kept some of the stuff, like furniture, for over 20- 30 years. I never had the money for expensive new stuff. But some of the stuff was just clogging up rooms. I was carting it from house to house. And one day I just started donating some of it to charity shops. I just started letting go. Clearing stuff out. And it felt so good. I got rid of furniture, clothes, shoes, bric-a-brac. I had clothes & shoes I had never even worn. Just sitting in closets or in piles. Purging some of that stuff was so freeing. And I'm still in the process of letting more go. While trying not to bring more in. 🙂

Millennials, myself included, should adopt some minimalist philosophy since we're already pretty poor.

The simplest form of minimalism is about simply being in the present moment. You don't think about the past or the future. Whatever happens now, you savor it as if tomorrow will not exist. You don't define what you feel as good or bad but instead you see them for what they are and that they are part of the cycle of life. You ride the tide and you flow into without resistance.

Having less materials and just the things you really use is also less stress in your head. Your house is always nice inside because no mess and chaos You just have to clean it . And your done faster with it.

Just finished watching as im making a protein shake, and about to read a book down at my local coffee shop. I love the message in this video and i appreciate you for making it for people to suffer less in life . Remember not to stress out now that you have a lot more subscribers, we will all enjoy your content !

My daily pleasure is wandering around my vegetable garden selecting ingredients for dinner. My idea of a ‘holiday’ would be hiring someone to clean my house and do my laundry for a week so I have more free time for growing & cooking our food, taking the dogs for a long long walk, and reading more.

A truly rich man, is content with what he has.

This way of thinking and living left me mostly alone and single but, I don't have stress, worries, bad vibes, etc... The small pleasures in life can be quite rewarding 😉

Some people put their happiness on Moments of glory such as buying a house a car or a boat not realizing once the high of achieving the goal passes what follows is emptiness because they didn’t work on other aspects of life

Another gem of wisdom that is so timely in our modern superficial world. Well done, sir! "The greatest wealth is a poverty of desires." - Seneca

The main theme of this video, that we really benefit by choosing a balance of more time spent being happy doing cheap or free things that we truly enjoy, than we do working for the money we need to survive, is something I've been naturally figuring out throughout my late 20s. I could NOT be happier that I'm realizing this while I'm around 30 instead of working myself to the bone until I'm much older. I worked a ton and did very well, staying out of debt and reinvesting my profit from my business throughout my 20s, but I've definitely come to realize than I'm the happiest I can be when just out enjoying nature, enjoying people's company, meeting new people, camping, boating etc. These can all be done with not a ton of money as long as we stay out of debt and live below our means. My goal as a 22-year-old was to own beautiful large homes on a bunch of land with multiple $300,000+ super cars, as I'm a car enthusiast. Now my goal is to try to continue working 4 days a week or so, and just cut out of work when I feel like it, make smart investments in the meantime and really prioritize spending a lot of quality time traveling to places I want to see with friends and family. I actually really enjoy living frugally. People don't care about your clothes, your watches and jewelry, your cars, or your homes. These are imaginary scenarios we stress out about, but in reality, everyone's too focused on their own situation to notice yours.

Hello Einzelgänger! Can you please, PLEASE enable community translations so we can translate and share these amazing videos with non-English speakers? Edit: I'd be grateful if anyone who sees this comment can upvote it for visibility. I wasn't able to reach to them via their email address sadly.

From the last half of last year onwards I have been living by myself in a city far away from my friends and family so I can pursue my education. I feel like I have learned the lessons that this video expresses to the bone, and am continually trying to improve my day to day life by reducing what I feel is irrelevant to it. I have never felt so accomplished as a person and happy with so little, and whenever I'm back to my hometown I'm always so happy to see everyone, which is something I would have never learned if I stayed in my parents house.

100% true. When I was into motorcycles I'd always be spending money on making it go faster, stop better or go round corners better. I lost my licence due to illness. Now I can only cycle but the gains cost nothing. Even the bike I like riding cost nothing as I set out to prove a prove a fun bike can be built for as little as possible. It's a rigid singlespeed. Very minimalist but fun.

Thank you. This video saved me from my shopping addiction. I realized that desires are never satisfied and material things are not important. I am now a minimalist.

As someone who grew up in a home with "junk rooms" and always having to clean out the basement of junk just so I could have band rehearsals and have a place to practice my drumset, Im setting up my adult life to only have what I need especially with a living situation. My goal is to live in Southern Colorado, USA where mountains are painted in the sky =) and live off the land as much as possible. Growing my own produce and cannabis, hunting and fishing as much as possible, and having a home thats not wasteful especially for a single person. Now I will need space for workouts and my home recording studio but luckily those wont take up much room at all.

Narrator: "He only had the basics to survive - a cabin by the water". Me: *cries in millenial*

Living simply is one of the best pleasures one can ever have. As I grow older I realize I just need to love simple and content.

We lose happiness and become greedy when we start competing with the people around us

I´m happy with the little I have! Good health is the most important for me.🙂

amen.. the simpler we keep our lives, the more real joy seems to find us, and remain upon us and our entire family. Thank you, for all these wise reminders 🙂

"That man is the riches whose pleasures are the cheapest." - Thoreau

I enjoy now my " simpler lifestyle" Yes it is a " cheap life" Less effort to maintain. Everyday is a happy day. My luxury is sleep. I love walking after work instead of travelling/commuting My new work place is laid back type, not stressful. I removed my expensive lifestyle: dining in cafe + ordering expensive food Riding a cab/taxi Buying expensive shoes + clothes: required by my first job

Nothing better than a cup of coffee made at home, the morning air and my back porch. If I have those I'm happy to wake up 😊

I feel rich after watching this video

Someone once told me: "Rich people are people poor of desires, poor people are people rich of desires". I guess to a certain extent, this is true!

“…The hassle and the increased cost of living are the consequences of developing tastes beyond our necessities.” Whenever I see that something is expensive I’ll think of this quote.

I really like your videos about stoicism, minimalism, and other philosophy. I love how you explain the philosophy with examples, background music, and nature footage. All of these make the watching experience very enjoyable and thought-provoking. Especially as an introvert, your videos resonate with me a lot! Thank you and keep up the excellent work! :)

Most people are so poor that all they have is money, invest some of it no matter how small, when you invest you are buying a day that you don't have to work.

Happiness comes from within. And everything that comes from within is very simple.

I'd like to share my story. A few years back I went for a simple surgery which turned into 3 surgeries. I was left disabled, no longer able to continue my 6 figure career or work again. I am now living on just over 10% of my former income, yet have more money and happiness than I ever had. No more 20 hr days, I enjoy my family and look forward to my wife coming home and hearing about her day and the kids. My burning desire is to ensure my children and grandchildren never have to worry about financial pressures

Let's remember that it takes maturity & the experience of having things that we realize disappoint to help us awaken to & be content with less. We learn by doing, no matter how much we are told. Be patient with the young who must endure unhappiness for a teacher.

Simple is the winner. Always!

I feel like a tiny house or even shed that has a desk with computer, some musical instrument to practice with, a bookshelf, and gym equipment would totally suffice. Learning to cook and really letting yourself enjoy the meals you cook will make you a lot more satisfied, I've noticed this myself.

This kind of content is so refreshing, like a cool breeze after being stuck inside for too long. I love to see like-minded people who see the worth of simple life. It gives me joy and hope.

Totally agree with this. However, in a manipulated economy, even the simplest things become unaffordable for many people.

Simple joys. Simple pleasures. Easily satisfied and fulfilled. Peace of mind. 🥰🥰🥰

This channel always uploads the topic I've been trying to grasp myself, thank you for the good that you do, it is greatly appreciated

One can never be wealthy without simultaneously being grateful.

The only comments that I ever feel like contributes to betterment as a person lies on this channel. (maybe not) at least 90% of the comments on here are simply insightful and provide lots of clarity. Really have to thank Einzelganger for creating content and building a community where individuals can share what has worked for them in a positive manner. Thank you for all the valuable lessons!

Beautiful to see and to hear the wisdom of all those amazing men. Thank you for taking the time to summarize the importance of being happy with simple things!

I think many would argue that the pleasure one gets from the struggle to deny ones own desire in the first place, AND the contentment that comes from being free from desire, if only for brief periods, is the "ultimate form of minimalism"

Currently living the minimalist lifestyle in Japan. Its been the most relaxing and peaceful 2 months of my life so far.

I really appreciate these types of contents. I like it. Honestly, I am way beyond my peers right now. I've been trying to find myself lately, trying to figure out if I have a "dream" of becoming rich -- for myself and my future and came across this vid. I am beyond thankful and really loved reading the comments here. It's so comforting seeing that most people here have the same pure and simple pleasures in life as mine. You know, those things like immersing yourself in nature, reading a book, listening to music, etc., I feel like most people overlook these things because of the advent of social media.

just do whatever makes you happy, I get stress when I'm not working and happy when I'm working. The important thing is you gotta love what you do

really like this one, took me a year to realize that having more money and less time and energy was not the way. Relax, stop take a breath and enjoy the moment and the things you already have. Like the possibility to learn from great videos like this one :)

I dont need much but I am bombarded with ads that tell me otherwise.

I discovered how pleasure really works when I decided I wanted to lose some weight and keep it off. It amazed me that over time I felt far more satisfaction from the fruits and vegetables and simpler food than I knew could be possible. I can enjoy a handful of dates far more than any candy bar, milkshake, or donut. How could this be? Just blows my mind.

I'm poor so i've been minimally living for years. All I need is my Computer, bed, and music stuff.

Been minimal going on three years and it’s worth it in every way. Best choice I made for my family.

“Life without love is like a tree without blossoms or fruit.” - Khalil Gibran

Being as simple you are always make you extraordinary that's how it works and has been working on me

Hi sir, I don't know what you name is. Just want to say I'm from India and watching your videos for past 3 months. And they are so helpful and its great to see your video it makes me feel that there are people around who thinks same. Please make such more videos on simple living

One HAS TO make money to LIVE safely, comfortably, protected from the elements; can do it as simply as possible though. Thinking the ‘work to live vs live to work’ is based more in reality.

Wanting what you have is better than having what you want! ❤

Agree. In Buddhism, the concept is similar. Seeking way to end suffering, achieve mind fullness (peace of mind), and Nirvana.

I recently downgraded my career to an hourly job and downgraded my car to a used compact car and with these 2 simple changes, I drastically improved the quality of my life. Now, I am downgrading other areas of my life.