Learn to Travel Light in Life with Light Watkins
Do you ever feel so stressed that you just want to stop?
We’ve all been there. Burnout is a real thing. It happens to anyone and everyone, especially when we’re burdened by so many responsibilities. People’s advice is usually to start mindfulness and meditation. But be honest, did this really work out for you? Chances are, you think meditation is all about carving a big chunk of your time for it.
In today's episode, Light Watkins is here to finally set things straight about mindfulness. Spiritual minimalism is all about ‘traveling light’ without internal baggage. It also entails becoming more attuned to your intuition. This means being aware of your day-to-day life, not an hour-long meditation session.
If you’re struggling with internal baggage and want to finally be free from them, this episode is for you!
Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:
Discover how to travel light and what spiritual minimalism means
Understand the importance of listening to your intuition and how to use the split test
Learn how to practice spiritual minimalism in other areas of your life
Resources
The Relaxation Response by Herbert Benson and Miriam Klipper
Get Light’s latest book, Travel Light! He also recommends Bliss More.
Light is also a previous guest on Radically Loved Radio:
Create a daily meditation ritual in just seven days! Download BUILD YOUR DAILY MEDITATION RITUAL and other freebies on the Radically Loved website!
Episode Highlights
[1:29] What is Spiritual Minimalism?
Light’s latest book, Travel Light, is not about decluttering or traveling. It is about living a more fulfilled life by discarding internal baggage.
External achievements can never make you happier than your happiness at the moment.
Spiritual minimalism acknowledges that we all have what it takes to be happy. However, there’s often something in the way.
What stops us from being happy is often internal. This is usually old trauma, outdated beliefs, pain and fear, cultural indoctrination, and more.
We can only access that happiness if we consistently purge what’s not necessary.
[03:53] “The real question is, are you also putting as much effort and attention and intention into cultivating your internal states of fulfillment, happiness, peace, contentedness, so that when you do achieve the thing in the future, you bring a greater sense of happiness with you, to meet you at that achievement? That's the essence of spiritual minimalism.”
[5:24] How Meditation Helps You
[06:24] Light: “The less you do in meditation, the better it usually works.”
Most people think meditation is complicated and takes a lot of time. However, its benefits are most potent when the practice becomes second nature.
Meditation can help you do less and accomplish more. This is because it helps build a connection to your intuition.
We all have this access to our intuition, or the still, small voice. However, most people can only connect when they’re in a quiet place.
[10:23] The Voices We Hear
Tessa shares an experience with meditation where the voice is overwhelming anxiety.
Light reminds us that not all voices are our intuition. Some may be thoughts and feelings we need to purge through meditation.
Stressful situations will make your body go into fight or flight mode in order to cope. The more you experience these situations, the more your brain will be hardwired to stress.
Meditation will help you relieve stress and make you more adaptable to change.
[13:48] “So you may be thinking, ‘Oh, meditation is causing my mind to get busier’. But what's actually happening that most people don't realize, is meditation is facilitating the release of old stress.”
[14:52] The Split Test of Your Heart Voice
It’s hard to know the voice of your intuition when other voices drown it out.
For most of us, we interact with other voices more than our intuition.
This is where the split test comes in. In marketing, split testing is finding which ad will get the most clicks and likes. Similarly, split test your heart voice.
Your intuition or heart voice will always feel more expansive than contracting.
Learn to practice this on a daily basis.
[22:44] Following and Listening to Our Intuition
The principles of spiritual minimalism are to cultivate inner happiness, make the most important decisions, treat life seriously, give what you want to receive, follow your curiosity, find comfort in discomfort, and celebrate the freedom of choicelessness.
We think that having more options is better. In reality, this leads to analysis paralysis.
We’re all born with our hearts and intuition. But are we following and listening to them?
Success cannot be defined by society. Success needs to be defined by each of us.
Do not be persuaded by fear of other people’s opinions, FOPO, and choose based on your alignment.
[28:06] “Everything that you experienced was guiding you in that direction. All you have to do is just say yes to it, and that's what I mean by the freedom of choicelessness. You don't consider anything that doesn't feel completely aligned with your heart.”
[28:25] What is Exercise Minimalism?
People who begin mindfulness and meditation often forget about their body’s physical state.
Strength can also lead to freedom because it allows us to focus on other things.
The pandemic taught Light how to exercise minimally. In the full episode, Light shares how he approached exercise.
The beauty of exercise minimalism is it keeps you consistent. You can also do it anywhere.
Light would force himself into situations where he needed to walk. He would also walk with no destination in mind. This gives him the opportunity to be more present.
[29:27] “The healthy man thinks about a million things. The sick man only thinks about one thing. And so we want to be in that position where we can think about solutions for a lot of things. And in order to do that, we need to be healthy.”
[37:21] What Alcohol and Coffee Does
Alcoholism is the opposite state of spiritual minimalism. Inebriation is the lack of presence and awareness.
Light observes that most people are functionally alcoholic. He recommends people to test going three months without drinking alcohol.
This time frame is what it takes to kick an old habit.
Coffee and alcohol are not natural stimulants. If we need them, it means our bodies are in a state of imbalance.
You can still drink coffee and alcohol. The real question is whether you need them to feel like yourself.
[45:46] The Practice of Handwashing Clothes and Packing
In the full episode, Light shares how he taught himself to handwash his clothes. This was triggered by a trip to Mexico City.
For him, handwashing became a meditative practice.
We are connected to everything around us. These small moments create an awareness of the present moment.
In packing for travel, shift your mindset from ‘how much can I fit’ to ‘what do I need’?
About Light
Light Watkins is an accomplished meditation teacher and bestselling author of Knowing Where to Look. A sought-after keynote speaker, he has delivered over 500 wellness-themed-talks since 2007.
Light founded and hosted the sober social event, The Shine. The Shine spotlights individuals who have overcome the odds to start movements for social good. He is also the host of The Light Watkins Show, a weekly inspirational podcast.
To learn more about Light, visit his website or connect with him on Instagram and Twitter. Make sure to check The Happiness Insiders community and his latest book.
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To feeling radically loved,
Rosie