What I learned from getting rid of 99% of my stuff | Eagranie Yuh | TEDxHobart
Summary
TLDRIn this inspiring talk, Erani shares her transformative experience of moving halfway across the world with just one suitcase, shedding 99% of her possessions. She reflects on how physical items often tie us to past identities, and how letting go of them can provide psychological freedom. Through this process, she confronted questions of identity and learned the liberating power of decluttering, both materially and emotionally. Erani encourages the audience to consider their own 'suitcase'—what to keep, what to let go of, and how to embrace change as part of personal growth.
Takeaways
- 🌍 Moving internationally with just one suitcase is a liberating experience that forces you to rethink what is essential.
- ✂️ Letting go of 99% of physical possessions can help free you from old identities and create space for new growth.
- 🧳 The process of deciding what to keep and what to discard clarifies what you truly need in life to move forward.
- 📝 Psychological attachment to physical objects, such as papers or old belongings, can hold you back from progressing in life.
- 🎓 We often hold onto items (like university textbooks or memorabilia) as symbols of belonging, credibility, or growth, though they may no longer serve us.
- 📅 Grieving old identities is part of the process when letting go of long-held items, and it can take time to adjust emotionally.
- 💡 Every item we discard frees up energy to focus on answering the deeper question of 'Who am I now?'
- 🏡 Minimalism, in this case, was a way of reconciling with past identities and finding clarity for future aspirations.
- 🛫 Shifting between places and identities can make you feel suspended between stories, creating a sense of possibility and new beginnings.
- 🧠 Our identities are always evolving, and regularly evaluating physical possessions can help align with our current selves and aspirations.
Q & A
What is the central theme of the speaker's experience?
-The central theme is the speaker's journey of letting go of 99% of their physical possessions during a move and how this process helped them redefine their identity and move forward in life.
Why does the speaker believe our psychological state is connected to our physical possessions?
-The speaker believes that physical possessions can hold us back psychologically, as they are often tied to past identities. Letting go of these possessions can help us feel liberated and allow us to grow into new versions of ourselves.
How did the speaker feel about getting rid of their old things?
-The speaker initially found it difficult and took time to grieve, but ultimately found it freeing and liberating. Letting go of their possessions allowed them to cut ties with old versions of themselves and focus on who they are now.
What did the speaker struggle with when it came to letting go?
-The speaker struggled particularly with letting go of paper, such as conference notes and published articles, which represented their past identity as a journalist.
Why does the speaker describe some possessions as 'Talismans'?
-The speaker refers to certain possessions, like conference notes or event programs, as 'Talismans' because they carry emotional significance, representing feelings of belonging, credibility, or personal growth.
What did the speaker learn about their identity after letting go of 99% of their possessions?
-The speaker learned that their identity was not tied to their physical possessions. Even after getting rid of the things that once made them feel like they belonged or were credible, those feelings remained. This allowed them to focus on who they are now.
What role did grief play in the speaker’s process of letting go?
-Grief played a significant role, as the speaker had to mourn the loss of their old identity, particularly as a journalist, before they could move forward and embrace their current self.
How did the speaker’s perspective on possessions change over time?
-Initially, the speaker felt emotionally tied to their possessions, but over time, they began to see them simply as 'stuff.' Once they let go, they realized that these items were not essential to who they were and felt liberated.
What question did the speaker struggle with after letting go of their possessions?
-The speaker struggled with the question, 'Who am I now?' after letting go of their identity as a journalist. This question lingered as they navigated the transition to a new phase of their life.
What advice does the speaker give to the audience at the end of the talk?
-The speaker encourages the audience to think about their own 'hypothetical suitcase' and consider what they would choose to keep and what they would let go of, reflecting on how their possessions align with their current identity.
Outlines
🌍 Embarking on a Life-Changing Journey with One Suitcase
The speaker introduces the scenario of moving to a dream destination permanently, but with only one suitcase, forcing a decision on what to bring and what to leave behind. This sparks feelings of excitement and anxiety. The speaker reflects on their own experience of moving from Vancouver to Tasmania with only one suitcase, exploring the emotional journey of letting go of 99% of their possessions. They emphasize how physical possessions are tied to identity and personal growth, and how releasing these items creates space for new identities.
📦 Letting Go of Meaningful Possessions: The Power of Symbols
The speaker shares their emotional process of letting go of personal items, such as conference notes and event programs, which symbolized belonging and credibility. They explain how these items, though seemingly insignificant to others, held deep emotional value as talismans that validated their identity. Overcoming this attachment was a slow process, but each act of letting go helped them realize that their sense of belonging and credibility was internal, not dependent on physical objects.
✂️ Snipping the Invisible Strings of Attachment
The speaker continues the journey of letting go, focusing on how physical items like old papers and magazines represented past versions of themselves. Throwing away these items allowed them to metaphorically 'cut the strings' that tied them to outdated identities. By releasing these possessions, they could shift their focus inward, rediscovering who they are now, rather than who they were. This process took time but eventually brought a sense of liberation and clarity.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Identity
💡Stuff
💡Liberation
💡Transition
💡Belonging
💡Credibility
💡Psychological Attachment
💡Letting Go
💡Minimalism
💡Self-Discovery
Highlights
Imagine embarking on a one-way move with only a suitcase, leaving everything behind.
The psychological connection between our physical possessions and our personal identity.
Moving halfway across the world with just one suitcase led to the realization that less is more.
Letting go of 99% of your stuff can create space for new identities and opportunities.
Holding on to old possessions can keep you stuck in past identities, preventing growth.
Throwing away sentimental items like conference notes or event programs can still leave you feeling connected to your accomplishments.
Physical objects, like a university hoodie or marathon bib, act as talismans of belonging, credibility, and personal milestones.
Letting go of old versions of yourself is a necessary part of personal growth.
The process of decluttering can be emotionally challenging, as it often involves grieving old identities.
Releasing the fear of letting go is a liberating experience that allows for self-discovery.
The journey of moving and decluttering offers insight into who you are without the physical markers of your past.
Even after discarding the majority of possessions, you carry the experiences and growth that define your true self.
After moving to Tasmania, the speaker reflects on the sense of freedom that comes with minimalism.
Shifts in identity, whether from career changes, moving, or personal growth, are opportunities to reevaluate what you keep and let go.
In the space left behind by decluttering, possibilities for new experiences and identities emerge.
Transcripts
[Applause]
[Music]
imagine you're going on the adventure of
a lifetime your dream home your dream
destination there's just one
catch this is a permanent one-way move
and you can only bring one
suitcase every everything else you must
leave
behind how do you feel about that
liberated like you can't wait for a
fresh
start anxious and slightly nervous about
the prospect of putting your entire life
into one
suitcase I'm here to tell you my
experience of doing just that and what I
learned when I got rid of
99% of my stuff
my name is
erani and for most of my life I've been
telling stories for a living I do this
today as a marketer a writer and a
podcaster before that I was a journalist
and a chocolate expert that is a real
thing before that I was a pastry chef a
chemist a piano
teacher navigating these shifts in my
career have required me to navigate
shifts in my identity
not just at work at home as
well we all do this our identities are
shifting all the time and we have to be
able to let go of the old ones to make
space for the new
ones easier said than done and what I've
learned is that our psychological stuff
is connected to our physical stuff and
sometimes when we're feeling
psychologically stuck it's because our
physical possessions are holding us
back I learned this when I moved halfway
across the world with one
suitcase nearly two years ago my family
and I moved from Vancouver Canada to
Hobart Tasmania tazzy as we like to call
it and we each got one
suitcase hearing this you might wonder
what do you bring
very little and I suggest we might flip
the question around and ask what do you
leave
behind pretty much
everything and that is where the magic
happens because when you choose what to
let go of you get the clarity to see
what you actually need to move
forward today I want to tell you what I
saw when I got rid of 99 % of my
stuff when I told people I was giving
this talk I was surprised how many
people said they still had their
University
textbooks I sold mine a long time ago
but I still had a story to work
out I mentioned earlier I used to be a
journalist I was for about 10 years and
it was a season in my life but by the
time we were planning the move I hadn't
published anything in over a year and I
had no plans
to you know how after breakup a friend
will come to you and say I am totally
over my
ex and you will take one look at your
friend and know they are totally not
over their
ex that was me and journalism we' broken
up I had not moved on I was holding on
to stuff that was keeping me stuck in
that
identity let me be clear when I say
stuff I mean
paper other people might struggle with
sporting equipment
shoes vintage issues of National
Geographic
magazine I struggle with
paper getting started is always the
hardest part and that is why it took me
three months to recycle a bunch of paper
I started in January 2021 with box
number
one box number one was full of notes
from conferences I had
attended I worked from home since the
late
2000s maybe if I had a real job in a
real office I wouldn't love conferences
as much as I do they're where I found my
people and where I made friends
looking back I kept those conference
notes because they made me feel like I
belonged you might have a hoodie from
University a bib from the first marathon
you
ran to other people it's just
stuff to you it's a Talisman that says
You
Belong I took box number
one and I threw it in the recycling bin
in February
2021 I tackled Box
2 Box 2 was full of event programs from
things I had spoken at looking back I
kept them because they made me feel
credible you might have a letter of
recommendation or business card from a
long past
employer to other people it's just stuff
to you it's a Talisman that says you're
credible I took box number two
and I threw it in the recycling
bin in March 2021 I dealt with a shelf
of
paper I was a print journalist so every
time I wrote a story I had a magazine or
a newspaper to show for it and I would
just add it to the
shelf that day in March I pulled down
the very first story I'd ever published
from
2009 500 words about hot chocolate
I remember the version of me who wrote
it I felt terrified to contact the
editor horrified that she said yes and
nauseous the entire time I wrote it sure
that I was going to reveal myself as a
complete and utter
fraud I also remember the prickle of
electricity that went up and down my
sternum the first time I saw it in
print I remember
thinking I want to do that
again and I
did I had all this paper to show for
it looking back I kept all that paper
because it showed me how much I'd
grown maybe this is why people keep
their University textbooks
to other people it's just stuff to you
it's a Talisman that shows you how far
you've
come by this point in the process I had
started to Slough off some of this
identity box number one made me feel
like I belonged but I thrown it in the
recycling bin and I still felt that
way box number two made me feel
credible but I had thrown it in the
recycling bin and I still felt that
way so this day in March I was able to
look at this shelf of paper and see it
for what it
was
paper I took that paper and I threw it
in the recycling
bin and on March 13th 2021 I wrote this
in my journal
cut Clips out of magazines and recycled
my old
life why did it take me three months to
recycle a bunch of
paper two
reasons
one I need a time to
grieve when you do something for 10
years it becomes part of you when you're
no longer that thing there is a sense of
loss
two I was afraid to let
go because if I let go of being a
journalist I would have to face the
question it left
behind who am I
now I didn't have an
answer I got rid of more stuff and I
learned slowly to be okay with the
spaces left
behind it took me 3 months to get to
that point but it turns out it was the
catharsis I didn't know I need it it
turns out that getting rid of your stuff
is really
fun it's freeing it is liberating and
after that I had a real sense of
momentum to the point would scan the
apartment looking for things to get rid
of and feel genuinely disappointed that
we still needed
everything and what I've learned is
this there is a little bit of us in all
of our
stuff it felt like there were invisible
strings tying me to every scrap of paper
every worn out t-shirt every book I had
planned to read read and didn't and when
I got rid of the things I snipped the
strings instead of my energy going out
to my stuff I could focus it
in and I could begin to answer that
question who am I
now fast
forward July 2022
we had sold gifted or donated every
piece of furniture every household
appliance every refrigerator
magnet we had closed up the apartment
given away our
car we had gotten rid of
99% of our
stuff more
important we had reckoned with the old
versions of ourselves contained within
it
that last week in Vancouver we stayed in
a
rental me my family our
suitcases it was the weirdest
feeling like we were suspended between
stories we'd effectively written the end
on the Vancouver chapter of our lives
but the tazzy chapter hadn't yet
started and in that space space in
between it felt like anything was
possible I recognize that not everyone
has the opportunity or the privilege to
move internationally and restock their
lives on the other end I'm incredibly
grateful that we were able to do
that my point is not that you should
move internationally with just one
suitcase my point is that our identities
are shifting all the time we change jobs
have children move
house you might swap knitting needles
for crochet
hooks you might decide the marathons
aren't so good for your knees but this
kaying thing sounds kind of
cool every shift in identity is an
opportunity to
ask what am I choosing to keep what am I
choos Ching to let go of do my physical
possessions reflect those
choices the last day I lived in
Vancouver I packed my suitcase for
tazzy I had Consolidated those old
versions of
me their experiences are my
experiences but I am not them
I'm
me
now when you go home tonight I invite
you to think about your hypothetical
suitcase and what it might feel like to
get rid of
99% of your
stuff what will you
keep what will you let go of
up
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