You’ve probably already seen the word empiricism, but you may have never seen it called this.
Empiricism is the idea that experiences make us happier than possessions. If you have a Pinterest account, you’ve probably already seen a billion quotes and posters with this message!
If you are an empiricist, you prioritize experiences over things. You’re more likely to spend money on a weekend getaway than to upgrade your TV or buy a designer handbag.
I think most of us would call ourselves empiricists, or everyone reading this blog. Surely everyone would rather spend their holidays than with a handbag? But we still get caught up in consumerism and forget that those experiences make up our lives and make us who we are today. I tend to. It’s easy to get sidetracked and go back to pointlessly spending money on things that don’t matter, leaving you with little time or money for experiences. It’s also easy to forget that you need to prioritize and plan your experiences. Of course, sometimes experiences just happen (like the impromptu beach barbecue that led to an all-night beach party that wasn’t planned but was the highlight of the summer), but most experiences are planned months in advance and Booked and paid.
When I started diving into the world of minimalism, I came across the word empiricism.
Minimalism is the belief that having fewer possessions will make you happier. Removing all the clutter and junk from our lives makes us feel calmer, more fulfilled, and gives us the head space to focus on what really matters.
Minimalism is the belief that material things only make us happy temporarily. I buy more because I feel the adrenaline rush of buying something new, but it quickly subsides.
Our capitalist economy relies on our materialistic values and obsession with “keeping up with the Joneses,” but many of us are turning our backs on capitalism and embracing simpler, more minimalist ideas. I’m living a life.
Discovering minimalism was a big change for me. This is not a lifestyle I would 100% adopt. If you met me and came to my house, you would never guess that I am a minimalist. But honestly, it changed my life and the way I think about everything.
It may sound crazy now, but I never thought about the fact that buying less meant working less. If I worked less, I would have more time. If I had more time, I could do more happy things. And isn’t that what we all want? What could we spend more time doing that would make us happier?
And what makes most of us happy? Well…experiences make us happy.
Empiricists are a little different from minimalists. Because, although they adopt many of the principles of minimalism, they buy things just because they are fashionable or fun. Experientialism doesn’t mean turning your back on consumerism completely, but rather carefully purchasing what you need and what makes you truly happy. But the relationship between minimalism and experientialism is primarily about shopping less in order to free up the time, money, energy, and headspace to have as many experiences as possible.
Now, some of you may be reading this and thinking that this is nothing new. I think a lot of people have probably gone through their lives without putting a label on them.
Yes, I think that’s true. However, for those who are new to this, it may be helpful to label this concept for further reading and research.
If you want to read a little more about this, there are six books that I highly recommend.
1. Time and How to Spend it: The 7 rules for richer, happier days
Time is the most precious thing we have and this book is about cherishing every moment of our short lives. We live in an era where most people have more time and money than ever before, but why do we always feel stressed, busy, in a hurry and have no time to do the things we love? Do you feel that there isn’t one?
There are seven “rules” to help you make decisions that will help you use your time effectively. Author James Wallman talks about the fact that experiences make people happy and that we should aim for a life full of experiences.
But how do you make that happen, and how do you decide which experiences are worth pursuing?
This book contains the most scientific evidence and support from authoritative voices suggesting that experiences are what make us happiest.
Who should read this?
Anyone who wants to get more out of life should read this book! If you spend most of your free time working, scrolling, or doing household chores instead of going out and living life to the fullest, if you’re one of the many Brits who spend their time staring at screens, I highly recommend this book!
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I recommend listening to this on Audible. Some sections are a little long, so it’s easier to listen to it than to read it. I also enjoyed going back and listening to the first chapter again, as it’s packed full of interesting and thought-provoking content.
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2. Stuffocation: Living more with less
This book is also by James Wallman and is very good.
We live in a world where many people have more “stuff” than ever before, and we buy all of this stuff thinking it will make us happier. But the scary thing is, none of this makes anyone happy. In reality, “stuff” just makes us work harder to pay for it, and we work all the time → feel miserable → buy things to feel better → use that money. You get stuck in a cycle of working more to pay the bills.
This book details the origins of consumerism and how marketers make us think we desperately need all these “stuff.” When consumerism becomes fragmented and simplified, I feel a little foolish for falling for it.
Who should read this?
Anyone who feels stuck in the rat race and wants to get out of it.
travel hack tips
Get this in paperback. This is the kind of book you can read slowly or choose chapters at random. Everything is in no particular order, so you can choose what you like.
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3. Ikigai: The Japanese secret to a long and happy life
“Ikigai” is a Japanese word that means a reason to get out of bed in the morning, or a reason to live. It’s “yours.” There is no literal translation in English, perhaps because we don’t prioritize finding “what we want to do” outside of the workplace.
The self is also called “one’s flow,” and this is also mentioned in “Time and How to Spend It.” Flow is when you are so engrossed in something that you completely forget about time. These include knitting, gardening, cooking, crossword puzzles, jogging, and writing. Whatever it is, it seems to lead to a long and happy life.
This book is not directly related to empiricism, but is about finding experiences outside of your career that make you happy.
Who should read this?
There is something comforting about this book. This is a wonderful book that is easy to read for people who want to live a happier life without any formal or macho messages. A happy life is slow and simple, and this book emphasizes that.
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Get this in hardcover. It’s such a beautiful little book and would look great on your coffee table.
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4. Be a Freerange Human: Escape the 9-5, create a life you love and still pay the bills
This is the first book I read about lifestyle careers, and it’s about building a flexible career that fits your life, rather than fitting your life around your work. After all, our lives are more important than what we do to pay the bills, right?
And if you want more great experiences in life, you might choose to work for yourself to have more freedom.
Who should read this?
This book is a great source of inspiration for budding entrepreneurs looking for practical and encouraging information.
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5. The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying: A simple, effective way to banish clutter forever
OK, I know this book may have nothing to do with empiricism and I always recommend it, but it’s a really, really good book. This was the first book I read about minimalism and the first time I realized that I could be happier with less stuff.
The life-changing “magic” in this book is actually just advice for getting rid of all your junk. It’s so simple and obvious, yet so effective. It’s also not as easy as you think, so the examples in this book are very helpful.
Not only do I have more space in my house by having less stuff, but I also have a lot more head room. “A tidy house is a tidy mind” etc…
After reading this book, I have less things to carry, but now that I know what I need, I have also bought fewer things. And because I bought fewer things, I had more money. With more money, I had less time to work and more time to gain experience. Winner winner.
Who should read this?
People who feel overwhelmed with choices. Anyone who feels like their home is constantly cluttered knows that this clutter and confusion can make them feel anxious and stressed.
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I recommend purchasing this in paperback as you can read and read it at your own pace. There is also a Netflix show based on the book, but the overall message is not as clear as it is in the book.
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6. Ultimate United Kingdom Travelist: The top 500 experiences in the UK
Or it could be a book that inspires you and gives you ideas for new experiences. I just ordered this book (I don’t actually have it yet!). Because I know that over the next few months, and probably even next year, most of my experiences will be in the UK. I plan to create a bucket list of 100 experiences I want to achieve over the next few years.
If you’re looking for more things to do in the UK, check out my UK blog post archive for more ideas!
This van life book is one of my favorites. I would like to purchase a van for my road trip adventures. Every time you turn the pages of this book, you will be reminded of that dream and inspired to make it a reality!
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I hope this article on empiricism has given you something to think about and an interesting book to read. If you have any other book recommendations, please let us know in the comments!