WEEK 24 - Scales and Archers: My First Five (5) Essentials

It’s week 24 and I can feel the halfway mark of this year crawling forth. Actually, who am I kidding, the second quarter of the year is coming to an end and it feels like it just sped past. Do you feel like your year has been going a little too fast? Or do things just feel more fast-paced than you’d like? And if life speeds by, what are your essentials to cope?

Taking away the important aspects of our lives like food, shelter, and family (including chosen family), there are some go-to items each of us have to help us get through the day when the storms rage and everything gets swept up in the whirlwind of life. And when I started dabbling into minimalism, I learnt a couple of things:

1. Minimalism is more about having just enough to make you feel comfortable and happy than a competition to see who can live with the least.

2. Minimalism allowed me to take a look at what I really needed to take with me, be it to move spaces, travel, or to have closeby.

The items for Point 2, I call them my Essentials (thanks GQ and other magazines. LOL.) and for this first part, and just for fun, I’d like to share my first five essentials in no particular order.

When you hear the word “minimalism”, what comes to your mind? How would you visualise a minimised version of your life? Share them in the comments - I’d like to know!

My Laptop

I’m not counting all my other accessories here because I’m assuming that they all will come in a set. However, this is my bread and butter - the tool that ensures that I can go around and work when I am in a position to do so. Other than that, it has also seen me go through countless drafts, plans, and maps - business, fictional universe, or otherwise.

I currently use my super trusty and compact Surface Pro, which is a joy to travel with, so I’m not sure how I’m going to go back to something bulkier when the time comes. That said, Aftershock seems to be piquing my interest.

P/S - Stickers on Laptops are not something to scoff about, I feel it adds personality, which I believe is something many creatives are hired for in the first place.

Journals

I have to admit, the hubz is a lot more prolific in this aspect than I am. (I’m more of a short-burst, text-based journaller. His pages are filled with stickers, drawings, and art, on top of his own thoughts.) However, I do keep a few journals (physical and digital) on hand for various functions - Dailies, Business, Travel, Career, Personal Development (Education), and Personal Development (Mindset).

After getting and being gifted a few journals and notebooks to use, I realise that I’m slowly leaning towards 5-Year Journals for daily reflections. Though it’s not just out of minimalism, but a 5-Year journal is a great way to physically track how you’ve grown in a certain aspect of your life.

P/S - Now that I’ve listed my essential journals, I think I might want to add one more just to journal about the stories I’ve read, the games I’ve played, and the immersive experiences I’ve been through. Or a spirituality / meditation journal. Let me know in the comments if you have a journal brand to recommend (Bonus points if they are 5-Year Journals)!

Nintendo Switch

I have to be honest, this is my second Switch. The first Switch I bought, I gave to my brother since he was interested in playing games on that console more than I was. Then, the special edition Let’s Go Pikachu / Eevee Nintendo Switch came out and the Eevee fangirl in me thought queuing three hours outside of Qisahn was just a small price to pay.

It was worth it though. This Switch has seen me through quite a few games, including my current favourite - Stardew Valley. And while Steam will almost always have a more comprehensive game list than my Switch (Steam ports are a lot more central), this console is my solution to gaming on the go.

(And yes, if the game is amazing, I likely have it on both platforms (Steam and Switch).)

Array of Coloured Muji Pens

Can’t write without these, can we?

I’ve been leaning towards pens that are comfortable to write with, last relatively long, and are easily refillable. I settled on MUJI’s collection of various coloured pens a while back, partially due to getting a set of coloured pens to save money, partially inspired by the different protagonist agents’ gem colours in The Library of Exchanges (shh…)

While I haven’t decided if I wanted a single pen to be assigned with a certain journal, it’s definitely on the cards!

Phone and Wireless Earbuds

No photo for this essential, but you all get the gist! In this day and age, where would most of us be without our phones? And that’s all I’m going to say about this ;)

Looking back at what I have said so far, this part of my 10 essentials seems to be the side that supports the action-driven aspects of myself. Things / Essentials that help me with the hardware and mindwork. In that case, my next Scales and Archers post, where I’ll continue this list, will feature the rest of my 10 essentials, the things that support the HEARTware side of my life. Excited to share them with all of you!

And that’s it from me, see you all next week!

What are your essentials? Especially when you travel or go around? Do share them in the comments - I’d love to see what everyone has in their bags!