Lifestyle Minimalism vs. Keeping Busy

Lifestyle Minimalism is where you slow down and dedicate your life to things like journaling and contemplation. You're divorced from the ideas of success or material gain.

Keeping busy is where you're more productive and driven to achieve results.

Which one do you practice?

I want to achieve more of the former, but keeping employed requires more of the latter. Ideal world I'd spend a ton of time just writing and researching, but for now I have to make some kind of income. Well... I don't "have to", at some point I could choose the alternative (poverty probably?), but every day so far I've continued to wake up and go to work.

I live a frugal life and since I know what really went wrong in my life and despite being extremely intelligent, I have no more remorse about not being "successful" in life as it was not my fault in the 1st place. And as society mostly encourages you to do stupid things with your money, I'm happy to have more than enough money to make my living. Anyway the most important things in life you cannot buy at all. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-yMnOrCkNo
Keeping busy is no problem for me. I do that myself. House, garden, there is always something to do and to solve problems. Self-determination and self-efficiency are good against stress, which is the main problem for someone like me.

Lifestyle minimalism sans journaling. Contemplation almost seems like a waste at this point. Not sure what to do about anything anymore.

Its easy to be less concerned with material wealth when you actually have it...I want to be successful and get material gain, so to not be concerned with it, I've gone nearly 10 years doing nearly nothing but contemplating, thinking, writing, watching movies, listening to music, reading books, and lack of material gain has resulted in me being basically homeless with no money. I now am starting to go against my nature and seriously look for work (may be starting soon) and then get a proper place again of my own, but sitting around doing nothing is not a thing I can do anymore at the current time, and unless I come into a lot of money soon, for years at the very least I'll be forced to waste my time being unable to do nothing.

Got to stay busy. I have too many bad memories. Almost all of them are bad. Some of them run though my head over and over and over and over.....

Parador wrote:Got to stay busy. I have too many bad memories. Almost all of them are bad. Some of them run though my head over and over and over and over.....

I can relate. The only difference is that some of my "memories" never happened. (They're more maladaptive daydreams).

Minimalism.

After giving it much thought, I'm inspired to pursue lifestyle minimalism (thinking, reading books, writing, listening to music, etc), a slow paced life. I think when I'm on my deathbed, I would regret keeping busy doing meaningless things or pursuing material gain and success.

Parador wrote:Got to stay busy. I have too many bad memories. Almost all of them are bad. Some of them run though my head over and over and over and over.....

Me too, Parador. The worst thing for me is a job or activity that doesn't use my brain enough. When I was younger I did waitressing and outdoor work and the stress in my head was awful.
Even working in my garden, a pleasant activity, is spoiled by bad memories, replaying or revising of old arguments, hurts etc. I have to garden with the radio on to combat this.
So keeping mentally busy for me is extremely important. Luckily my current job occupies my mind sufficiently. But I try to live a simple life nonetheless - reading, music, learning, etc.