Thursday, March 7, 2013

And So The Journey Begins...



It all started back at the end of October. Going through a rough patch in my life, I found myself starting over from scratch...not by choice, but by necessity.

I needed to establish a better sense of order in my life. So after going through the process of a divorce and all the emotional trauma that it can bring, I stand here today starting fresh. And I couldn't be more happy.

The name of this blog is "The Simple Hedonist" because that is the best term I can think of to define the journey I am beginning. It fits my natural tendencies and preferences that have always been there, but that I am just now starting to understand.

Living simply means "de-cluttering" your life emotionally, physically, and spiritually. In doing so you'll free your mind and begin to operate out of a place of clarity. All the obligations and expectations will begin to fade, and you'll be left with a real understanding of what is important in your life. Sound liberating?

Hedonism is a philosophy derived from the Greek philosopher Epicurus. Basically, a hedonist tries to maximize pleasure while minimizing pain. The philosophy has been misconstrued to mean being slothful and delighting in carnal, "sinful" practices. However, Epicurus emphasized the importance of moderation and self-worth.

Putting these two terms together, you get "The Simple Hedonist". And so the journey begins. Come along as we discover new ways to enjoy life's simple pleasures. Join me as I embark on a new way of life. A life full of serenity and happiness. :)

6 comments:

  1. Hi Jon, this is Odai. I saw the comments you left on my blog, so I came here and checked out your blog, and I like it.

    I definitely agree with you that Hedonism seems like a logical way to live. And yet, it seems like most people (most of the people around me, anyway) aren't happy. Why is that?

    That's something I'm trying to answer, and I'm glad to have you as an ally on my quest. I'll be subscribing to your blog in Google Reader so I can stay up-to-date on your postings.

    And if you ever want to contact me, my e-mail address is odai123@gmail.com (my Twitter is @odai).

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  2. I have to agree with Odai-- most people are simply miserable-- walking through life in a bubble and not really taking the time to enjoy what is around them. I am included in this group. Much like yourself, Jon, I have been on a journey of recreating myself and my life after a divorce that was not of my doing. We will both get there-- I believe there is support in numbers!!

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    1. Hi Shadoe. You know, I was thinking about your comment, and I thought of 3 reasons modern people probably aren't as happy as our ancestors:

      1. We move a lot more, and therefore don't feel much connection to our neighbors and community.

      2. Most people (myself included, sadly) don't get enough exercise.

      3. Our ancestors could see their work directly benefiting their community, they felt useful. Pushing pencils at a desk doesn't feel useful, and so we feel like we don't contribute to society very much.

      I don't know, this isn't an exhaustive list by any means. Just a few thoughts.

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    2. Hello Odai, glad you came to check it out and liked it! I agree with you that most people in society seem miserable. They work jobs they hate to buy things they don't need. I believe they would be much happier if they would simplify their lives and learn to value the simple pleasures of living.

      Shadoe, I'm glad to have the support. Recreating yourself from scratch can be a very stressful ordeal, and it's good to know that there are others out there going through the same thing. I believe we will come out of the whole thing better than ever. Their loss, right? ;)

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    3. Yeah. I suspect that the 3 simple pleasures of life are: 1. Good health 2. Freedom to do what you wish and 3. Good relationships

      There are other things, but these are the top of the list.

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  3. Hats off to taking a step back to learn something about yourself and committing to change it!

    My wife and i have been on a similar journey for a few years and while i can honestly say we havent figured out the "secret" to happiness or exactly what/where we want to be in life...we have found a larger degree of balance and happiness than we ever had before.

    It all started with a choice. To downsize and live more simply, to make choices for us and what we wanted versus what we thought/were told we should do; and to leap blindly in the direction of happiness.

    We spent the last year living in our 67 vw bus while exploring the beaches of mexico and central america...a lifelong dream for us. Now we are trying to figure out how to make our decisions sustainable longterm and to continue traveling/exploring while also having the closeness of our friends and families. So far so good!

    We look forward to reading about your journey!
    theDangerz

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