“We can” instead of "one can". Letting go of possessions even further. Walking the world like Christine Thürmer?

November 6, 2024.

Hello, by now the habit of switching off all digital devices at 10 p.m. had become established. I woke up at 5:00 am today and then slept a bit more until 8:00 am. I can't remember the entire dream: I'm inside in an apartment and suddenly feel pain on the bottom of my foot. I look at the sole of my foot and then at the spot on the carpet where I stepped on it. I see a live wasp that seems to have stung me. That was the dream.

Yesterday I listened to a podcast with Christine Thürmer, a woman who has walked 49,000 km, basically once around the world. She said that we don't have to fly, take the train or cycle, we can reach almost any place in the world on foot and that somehow inspired me. She walks around the world with a maximum of 5 kg of luggage and said a sentence in the podcast that made me think differently about luxury: “Luxury is not what you have. Luxury is what you don't have to have”.

Before I went to bed, I fantasized about doing something like that at some point. However, I probably wouldn't do it alone, but with others so that I wouldn't be lonely. I imagined that I would go through the world with “my” spiritual nomad family and that our home would be the whole world. Together we transform our home into something new.

During yesterday's phone call with Julia, I thought about a new project that I would do every day because the sleep project is now working well. I've decided to meditate for 15 minutes every day and practise splits for 5 minutes. I used to always want to be able to do the splits. I started today.

While writing the diary, I notice that I use phrases like “one can” (German: "man kann"), “one must” and so on. I want to slowly transform the language I speak so that it connects people and doesn't divide them. By making small new micro-changes in the way I speak, I can do this. I am convinced of this - after all, all the micro changes in the area of minimalism have made me a new person. So, instead of saying “one can”, I'm getting into the habit of saying “we can”.

I ate Russian food (varéniki), which are dumplings filled with potatoes and smétana as a dip, by hand for the first time today.

It's around 10 degrees outside. I've noticed that the grass (when dry) feels much warmer than paving stones.

The low dining table was finally collected. I gave the wife all four plates and coasters as well as three of the ten essential oils. I put the slippers and the large garbage can out to give away. I'm giving the expensive magnesium supplement to mom. I've also put more things up for sale.

I am grateful today:

• For discovering an inspiring person, Christine Thürmer.
• In return, I realized how afraid I still am to pack my rucksack and simply march through the world like Christine Thürmer. Now I can systematically reduce this fear.
• For the fact that I have taken further steps towards minimalization today.

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