{"id":25841,"date":"2015-11-19T10:31:03","date_gmt":"2015-11-19T18:31:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=25841"},"modified":"2015-11-19T10:47:18","modified_gmt":"2015-11-19T18:47:18","slug":"purge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2015\/11\/19\/purge\/","title":{"rendered":"Purge"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Downtown
Downtown LA, 2015<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I own a lot of shit. I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t think it is bad to have a lot of material possessions. However I find for me, more stuff, more problems.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Rather than having stuff that adds value to my life, I feel it holds me down. I become a slave to my material possessions (rather than my material possessions being my slave).<\/p>\n

I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m also attached to metaphysical things\u00e2\u20ac\u201d like the number of followers I have on social media, the 0\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s in my bank account, my pride, my \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcfame\u00e2\u20ac\u2122, and whether people respect me or not.<\/p>\n

All of these things weigh me down; I feel handcuffs around my wrists, and a chain around my neck.<\/p>\n

I am also a slave to my past\u00e2\u20ac\u201d I let all my negative experiences hold me back. I am attached to a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153shitty\u00e2\u20ac\u009d childhood growing up, mean things people said to me on the internet, and even by positive experiences (I want to re-live them). I am generally dissatisfied with the present moment, the life I currently have\u00e2\u20ac\u201d and always want more.<\/p>\n

Social media purge<\/h2>\n
\"Downtown
Downtown LA, 2014<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

One social media app that always confused me is Snapchat. Why would you want an app that would have photos that simply disappear?<\/p>\n

It then occurred to me\u00e2\u20ac\u201d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153real life\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is impermanent. When we have an experience, it is fleeting. You can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t hold onto a memory. But we try to, by taking photos, by writing journals, and by sharing stories.<\/p>\n

There is nothing wrong with memories. They add value, meaning, and happiness to our lives. However the problem is many memories and the past can hold us back. We get attached to the past, rather than enjoying the present (and anticipating the future).<\/p>\n

In this moment of clarity\u00e2\u20ac\u201d I realized that I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want to be attached to my old photos and my past. I then went to my Instagram, and purged all 3-years worth of photos.<\/p>\n

I wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t quite sure how to do this at first. I then figured it out\u00e2\u20ac\u201d I would look at each image, try to re-live the memory, smile, say \u00e2\u20ac\u0153thank you for this memory\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, and then deleted it. Many photos I were attached to, but strangely enough\u00e2\u20ac\u201d purging these photos of my past made me feel lighter\u00e2\u20ac\u201d both physically and mentally.<\/p>\n

Now the only photos that remain in my Instagram are photos from my \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Cindy Project<\/a>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d These are the photos that currently bring me happiness in life, and I want it to be a reminder of what is important in my life\u00e2\u20ac\u201d not the amount of social media followers I have, not the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153likes\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I have, not the 0\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s I have in my bank account, not fame or fortune\u00e2\u20ac\u201d but the love I share with the most amazing human being in the world.<\/p>\n

Shockingly, I saw advertisements in my Instagram feed today, which made me to seriously consider quitting Instagram. But more on that in a bit.<\/p>\n

Purging other things in life<\/h2>\n
\"Hollywood,
Hollywood, 2012<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After my social media purge, I felt far better. Kind of like when you are feeling bloated from eating too much crappy food, having a fast (not eating) is what your body needs to feel healthier. There is a process called \u00e2\u20ac\u0153autophagy\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (which is activated when you are hungry and fasting) which is like a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153vacuum cleaner\u00e2\u20ac\u009d effect in your body. Your body literally eats the weak proteins in your body, and thus\u00e2\u20ac\u201d your body becomes stronger.<\/p>\n

Similarly, I feel that purging negative influences from your life is more important than adding positive people from your life. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve recently cut ties with my dad (negative influence) from my life the last year or so, and it is the best thing I have done for my mental health in the last decade. I plan on reconnecting with him in the future\u00e2\u20ac\u201d but not now, I am still personally not mentally stable enough myself. That is another thing\u00e2\u20ac\u201d tend to your own garden before trying to water the garden of others<\/em>.<\/p>\n

I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m also trying to purge other things in life. I own way too many clothes in my closet. I have pretty much pared my \u00e2\u20ac\u0153essential\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153uniform\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (inspired by Steve Jobs) to a pair of jeans, black shoes, and a black V-neck shirt. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve even retired my beloved red G-Shock watch, as it is just another accessory that makes me a slave to time (rather than time being my slave).<\/p>\n

Traveling with less stuff<\/h2>\n
\"Downtown
Downtown LA, 2014.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I tend to over-pack\u00c2\u00a0for my trips. It all stems from a sense of fear, and the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153what if?<\/em>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d syndrome.<\/p>\n

My essentials when I am traveling include:
\n– Smartphone
\n– 1 Camera
\n– Laptop
\n– Chargers
\n– Toiletries
\n– 1 extra pair of shirt\/boxers\/socks<\/p>\n

That is pretty much all I \u00e2\u20ac\u0153need\u00e2\u20ac\u009d everything else is superfluous, which include:<\/p>\n