I’m about to move to Vietnam for the next 1.5 years, and France for 6 months— and I’ve been thinking about what to bring and what not to bring for my trip. I know in my heart that I don’t need much, I can pack light, and be happy. But still— there is that gnawing fear of “what if?” which is holding me back.

I think consumerism is all about instilling fear into the consumer. The fear that if we don’t have product “X”—we will somehow be missing out or disadvantaged.

Camera companies do this all the time. They make us feel that if we don’t have the newest camera, with the newest sensor, and the newest lens— somehow we won’t be able to reach our creative potential. Or somehow we will miss the “decisive moment.” That we won’t be taken seriously by other photographers.

This is why we are addicted to social media. We have “FOMO” (fear of missing out). We’re afraid that if we don’t upload a photograph every single day, we will be forgotten.

This is why we check our email hundreds of times a day. We are fearful that we will miss out on an important message that can be a life/death situation.

Taming the beast

I succumb to fear all the time. I feel that fear is what holds me back from doing what I truly want to do.

Fear is what forces me to follow societal norms, and not to follow my own heart.

I am quite excited to live abroad for 2 years— because it will really test me in terms of how little I “need” in life. Furthermore, I want to experiment and see if by having fewer things, I will have fewer burdens and stresses, and therefore be happier, more productive, and more creative.

Packing to live abroad for 2 years

I think trying to figure out what to bring/what not to bring to Vietnam is figuring out what is necessary vs what is “nice to have.”

For me, a laptop is necessary because it is how I do my writing and work. A camera is necessary to make images.

Other random gadgets (iPad/Kindle) are nice to have— but not necessary. Nowadays I read most of my books on my smartphone on the Kindle app. Sure it might be more “efficient” or preferable to use an iPad or a Kindle— but more gadgets means more stuff to charge, and more stress.

In terms of clothing, I am trying to eliminate variations. 3 black v-neck UNIQLO airism shirts (super quick dry, breathable, and easy to wear with everything). 3 pairs of ExOfficio boxers (also black, easy to wash in the sink, and comfortable). A pair of shorts, and some dress pants for church. A pair of Nike running shoes, and some sandals. I don’t know if I “need” anything more than that.

One thing I’ve been thinking a lot about is whether I should shoot film or digital during my time abroad. I love film, but I have nowadays been preferring shooting digital with JPEG — less stress of processing images, and more fun just enjoying the shooting experience. I also love the idea of just keeping it simple with the Ricoh GR II — or maybe even picking up another Fujifilm camera somewhere on the road (I love the JPEG images from the Fuji sensor).

Also for the first two weeks in Vietnam, we’re staying in a 4-star hotel in Hanoi for only $13 a night! Initially Cindy and I were going to find an apartment to live in— but the price of living in a hotel is probably the same of living in a serviced apartment.

I like the idea of living in a hotel— free buffet breakfast everyday (no need to cook at home), laundry and sheets are cleaned— which means little/no domestic chores. Which means more time to write, reflect, meditate, shoot, and do creative work. My only fear is that I love this hotel lifestyle so much that I will never want to move back to America.

Our plan is the first 8 months in Hanoi, then the next 6 months in Saigon. Hanoi is a lot more quiet, relaxed, and meditative than Saigon (crazy busy city). However I had a lot harder time finding wifi and good coffee in Hanoi compared to Saigon. I’m sure I’ll manage.

I’ve also been having a ton of fun making videos for YouTube lately. I plan on also bringing the GoPro to do more POV videos, interviews, and perhaps daily “vlogs” of life in Vietnam (inspired by my buddy Todd).

What am I going to miss?

I’m not going to miss America, but I am going to miss my friends and family. Also rather than “missing” a place— I think it is being appreciative of our past experience, but not looking back or having any regrets. The only way forward in life is to not look back, and keep marching.

They say the only constant thing in life is change. I’m excited for my new change in life, slightly afraid, but overall pumped up.

Eliminate the fears of “what if” in your life

I will try my best to follow my own advice and pack light, and not worry about the “what if?” situations of life.

How can you extrapolate this idea in your life? If you eliminated fear from your life, and didn’t worry about “what if” — how much more of your creative potential could you fulfill?

I’ll do some more thinking about conquering the fear in my personal life, and continuing to share some thoughts about my experiences traveling abroad, and living a minimalist lifestyle— with maximum creative output.

Always,
Eric