Honing A New Craft

As Nate continues his journey through Phoenix he finds rest and rejuvenation  in the most arbitrary of venues. The most recent – the backyard of his dear childhood neighbors. Real conversation was had – emotional, intellectual, and recreational. There was space to relax, and ponder, and articulate questions never before verbalized. The take away is, again, the reinforcement that more does not equal more.

This is why minimal living is so important to the journey in life. Minimalism is not simply the idea of purging your belongings. It is the idea that your belongings do not control your time, attention and resources. Without space in the calendar, and most definitely without space in the mind to engage, these relational dynamics would simply not be possible. Those who say they can truly be “present” while simultaneously poised with a Bluetooth headset and  playing Candy Crush are a mysterious bunch.

Last week, a career idea sparked. What if Nate could use his design and communication skills to help others embrace a minimal lifestyle so they can be rich in ways they have only dreamed about, ways that do not involve money, but time and relationships.  Whether or not this idea is really a “thing” is irrelevant. If Nate has experienced something so rich, how can he NOT share it with the world. Perhaps this is a consultant service. Perhaps this is a furniture assembly service. Perhaps this is a life coach. Perhaps it is a maid service. Perhaps it is a little bit of each. The concept is simple: use the available tools to facilitate a life where one thinks more deeply about less.

The next step is to continue to study, life, observe, and document these life choices as a tools. Simultaneously, the fruitful life should also experienced and documented so others may take notice and say, “he has something I want”. That is not to say that one has to do exactly what Nate does in the newfound free time. Quite contrary. The idea is that time and energy are present to embrace that which one is truly passionate about, amplifying our unique yet complementary God given talents and dreams. Then at night, one can truly rest, not consumed by appointments, finances, and “stuff”.

How to get this idea going is still in the works. After reading enough Acuff, this is the prime time for Nate to work out all the bugs and hone the craft – when nobody notices. He probably should not even be writing this blog for the world to see… but who really reads this thing anyway? This is just another step in the journey – practicing the documentation. This is why Nate needs to write. This is why Nate needs to take pictures. This is why the spark that ignited Phoenix Uncovered cannot be extinguished.