Welcome to Picks of the month, where I share a few things I have found useful the last month.
It can be anything from blog posts and software tools to books and techniques.
#1 Minimalism
I got introduced to a fascinating concept this month: Minimalism.
Minimalism is all about not having more than you need or really want. It boils down to that every single thing you own should bring you joy or at least have an essential function.
It all started when I read a book by Marie Kondo called “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.” The book describes a simple process where you take a hard look at every single item you own and decide if the item brings you joy or not. If the item brings you joy, keep it. If the item doesn’t bring you joy, toss it.
It, of course, makes sense to keep the nail clipper, even if it doesn’t exactly bring you joy. It’s more about getting rid of all the clutter around you - because there sure is a lot.
We’re not quite done tidying up, but I can tell you that my wardrobe has never been more neat and compact than it is today. Every single item left is something I LOVE wearing. Doesn’t that sound nice?
I believe there is profound meaning to be found in having less STUFF everywhere. All that clutter is only helping maintain anxieties and stress. I want to get rid of all excess stuff so that I can breathe!
Check out her book: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up on Amazon
Living a meaningful life with less
After I read that book, I also came across a couple of fellows who call themselves “The Minimalists.” They are by no means crazy guys who only own one set of clothes and a toothbrush. They are sensible people who realize that more stuff is not the path to happiness. Our extreme consumption is harmful to ourselves and the environment. There is no joy to be found in it.
Their tag-line is: “Living a meaningful life with less”. I think that is amazing. Their message is that you don’t have to have as much stuff to be happy. In fact, having less stuff is going to help a lot more.
Consumption is not inherently bad, but compulsive consumption is.
If you want to hear their story, take a look at this powerful TED-talk:
They have also created an equally amazing documentary: https://minimalismfilm.com
#2 Augmented Reality
I have spent a lot of time working on Augmented Reality the past months, and I believe it is going to be the next big thing. Not VR, but AR. Or more specifically: XR (AR, VR, MR, WhateverR).
I wrote an article about some of the use cases I have seen for AR: Use Cases for Augmented Reality
The prospects of augmenting the world around us is an amazing one. It can be utilized by anyone to enhance almost anything. Personal entertainment, health care, mental health care, maintenance, training, task guidance, tourism, etc., etc., etc. The possibilities are endless, and I truly believe exponential use is right around the corner. The technology is starting to get good enough and cheap enough that both enterprise and regular consumers can get started. As soon as the need is there, everything else is just going to come with it. The new gold rush is right around the corner - get ready.
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