Essential Life

 

In a previous post, I described how I have been living for a year.

https://mundovegabundo.blogspot.com/2025/01/5-euro-life.html?m=1

Of course, I don’t think everyone should live this way. It probably won’t last forever for me either. However, I do believe that a significant portion of readers should make changes in their lives, especially in their consumption habits.


If I had to prove to you that we are devouring, consuming, and destroying the entire planet around us, then don’t even read further—this post isn’t for you. Keep your car running in the parking lot, toss your trash wherever you please, and scroll through your favorite shopping app.


Cutting back on consumption isn’t a real challenge. It’s a very simple and liberating activity. All the information is available to you to make it happen.


Don’t get me wrong. I’m not trying to push you into deprivation. I don’t even want to take away your comfortable life. To start, just think about what your actual needs are. You’ll quickly realize that you don’t need most of the food you consume or the majority of the consumer goods you purchase. They only serve to satisfy your desires—desires that have been instilled in you by perfectly engineered marketing machines. You cannot be free as long as these manipulation techniques dictate your actions.


Don’t just stuff yourself with everything. Educate yourself on what your body actually needs and eat that. You’ll act more consciously, save more money, and be healthier. Avoid processed foods, supplements, and added sugars, and eat a varied, whole-food diet. Cooking together can be a great shared experience instead of mindlessly scrolling through your phone.


Don’t fall for every dumb trend—they only exist to take your money. Even a limited edition Air Jordan sneaker is just another mass-produced commercial product like the rest.


Stop using disposable items. Have you ever thought about the damage caused by every single PET bottle, manufactured and transported to a store just to hold a few sips of water, only to be thrown away after one use and eventually end up in an ocean garbage patch? Do you throw it in a recycling bin? Really? That’s great, but unfortunately, it doesn’t get us much further.


Focus on what truly matters—your family, your friends, those in need. Educate yourself, grow, and move your body.


Speaking of movement—what an industry has been built around this too! Buy a gym membership, travel to the gym, get trendy workout clothes, purchase supplements. When in reality, all you need to do is step outside wherever you are, do thirty minutes of bodyweight exercise daily, and you’ll be happier and healthier than those spending a fortune at the gym. Isn’t that crazy? Our lives are filled with false desires. Let’s get rid of them one by one. What remains is a level of freedom we’ve forgotten even exists—the true essence of life.


What was the last unnecessary thing you bought?

Is there a disposable product you use daily that you could easily replace with a durable one?

What was the biggest mistake you ever made by falling for a marketing trick?

Was there ever a time when you found more joy in something small than in the biggest gift you’ve ever received? What was it?

____________

If you can, please support my work with the price of a coffee. This amount covers my daily living expenses. This is what I live on—€5 a day. Thank you 🙏

buymeacoffee

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