Minimalism and Fitness

Confession. I'm becoming more and more of a minimalist. Well, perhaps not a poster representative, but admittedly, I'm someone growing more and more accustomed to enjoying life with less. Now granted, I have plenty of things that I could likely do without, but what's a sentimental fool to do? This is me, looking at old stuff and making the painful yet necessary break.

Speaking of, the week after Christmas is a good week to discover, to uncover, to declutter. It's a good week to clean out drawers, cabinets, make trips to Goodwill, unburden yourself. Clean house, clean man cave, clean slate.

Funny, I follow a group of minimalists on Twitter and over Christmas they tweeted, "Merry." Just, "Merry." No Christmas. Knowing them by now, I realize that they see Christmas as a clear and present opportunity to simply horde more junk. And in some ways, I agree. But their tweet left me feeling a bit...empty. I get the fact that we want to remove commercialization from Christmas and that we can be happy and joyful without "things," but none of that matters without Christ. So, I replied.

They didn't respond. It's likely they didn't see it or didn't care, but either way, it's true. And what a reminder it is for us as fitness-minded believers, right? Jesus didn't have anything and yet was everything. He didn't store up for himself any treasures on earth. (We can apply this to our muscle, our mindset, our goals. More, more, and more of anything can become a distraction or worse; a god.)

Anyway, Scotty Smith once wrote, "Clutter is like zucchini; it just keeps spreading. Once a treasure, now most of these things are just a bother. But Jesus, what concerns me more than my attic and garage are my mind and heart. The older I get, the less storage space there is, and I don't want to finish my journey into eternity with a distracted mind and cluttered heart. So, Lord, help me declutter and recenter on you. I am so glad you love me the same with or without my clutter, but I will love you better without it."

As we approach the New Year - and our brief break from physical training between January 1-7 - what in your life feels like clutter? Maybe you're like me. It's that closet or the trunk of your car. Or maybe it's social media or the basement. Or maybe it is a recalibration of balance for bodily stewardship. Whatever it is, freeing yourself can have an enormous impact physically and spiritually on yourself and perhaps on those around you.

Good riddance. Wherever our treasures are, that's where our hearts will be. Time to make room.

- Jimmy Peña

For Discussion: Anyone feel like being minimal in certain places?