Simplicity

Why I Bought 15 of the Same T-Shirt

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Every morning I wake up, go through my preflight checklist for the day’s adventure, and walk to my closet. Waiting inside just left of the center divider are my fifteen nearly identical T-shirts. The only thing that differs are the five different colors and whether they are a v-neck or standard cut shirt. Why in the world would I do this? What compelled me to empty my closet in order to donate five thirty gallon trash bags full of clothes? I did it to simplify.

There’s been a lot of talk lately about minimalism. I’ve not ventured into much of that. I don’t want to be a minimalist in the way I mostly understand them. I merely want to simplify my life. I’ve spent the better part of two years now simplifying everything. It was bound to reach my closet. I simplified the way I work. I simplified the way I communicate. I even simplified my faith—which seems like a no brainer. But why my closet? Well, not to be coy, but it’s a simple answer. In order to eliminate decisions.

I want to make less decisions. I’ve reached a stage in life when my responsibilities have never been larger. I’ve never been “needed” by so many people before. People depend on me to make good decisions. So in order to make great decisions I’ve made a few changes. One of those changes has been to eliminate unnecessary decisions.

I have fifteen of the same T-shirt because what T-shirt I’m going to wear in the morning is an unnecessary decision. Sometimes I am heading to an event or occasion that calls for attire a bit more demanding than a T-shirt. But not often. If I do I’m ready for that and it’s an important enough event for me to invest the time it takes to make a decision. If not, then it is T-shirt time.

Research has demonstrated that we are really only capable of making so many sound decisions in a given day. So I cut out the ones that don’t really matter. This is also why I eat two hard-boiled eggs for breakfast daily with two cups of black coffee. I just eliminated another decision. 

I’m not obsessive compulsive. I don’t freak out if I don’t have my eggs or need to put on a dress shirt. I frequently decide to do something different, but I don’t have to. That’s why I bought fifteen of the same T-shirt. I sat a decision free. That’s one more decision I can make every day concerning something far more important than what’s hiding my belly button from the world.

How can you rescue a decision in your everyday world? What extra thing might you do, think, or attempt if your mind wasn’t preoccupied with some unnecessary decision? Simplify your own path to opportunity and see where it takes you. 

10 Ways to Simplify Life

Life usually doesn’t fit into nice neat little lists, but that doesn’t keep me from trying. Welcome to my Tuesday 10, where I try to fit the messiness of life into a list of ten. If your life is anything like mine it is probably hectic and messy. And it runs the risk only of getting messier. Here are ten ways to simplify life.

1. Don't buy everything you want.

2. Realize that if you take on a new hobby, interest, or commitment you'll probably have to drop a different one.

3. Tell the truth, even when it sucks.

4. Love people to a fault.

5. Trust your gut.

6. Pay off and cancel your credit cards.

7. If you don't use it, or need it, give it away, or throw it away.

8. Say no often, and mean it.

9. Don't procrastinate.

10. Realize that some things we see as choices are really not choices at all. They are just humanity's way of trying to rationalize our own selfishness.