Does not rhyme with Mike Wazowski

New shoes are nice. They are clean, they fit snuggly, everybody notices that they are new, and compliments you. (CONFESSION: Compliments are the best). But as I was walking to the gym today I felt myself in a little bit of a consumerism bind. I've had my gym shoes for longer than most, about 8 years. I desperately want a new pair, not because they have holes, or are dirty or run down. Nope I want new shoes because I live in America, the land of the free-to-buy-new-shoes-before-the-old-ones-are-used-up. This is a major dilemma, you know, for the minimalism part of my conscious. This is also a major bummer.

Why should I give in to these deviant temptations? And why should I get rid of perfectly good shoes, that I bought and paid for, that I have yet to use up?

TOMS is one company that is attempting to shed some light on the shoes issue. Started in 2006 by Blake Mycoskie (does not rhyme with Mike Wazowski) with a pretty simple business model: One for One, which expands past just shoes. I am sure your familiar with the company (otherwise click here) and the point of this all is...

...the point is...

Kudo's to Lee Hughes.
You really used those up.

...well the point is I don't need new gym shoes, although I may want new gym shoes. The point is minimalism isn't just about giving stuff up, its also about giving up getting stuff. Giving up getting stuff. Give it up already!

Right now while I am sitting here lamenting my shoe non-issue approximately 300 million children and 1.5 billion adults in the world don't have shoes, let alone a dilemma about whether or not they should buy new shoes. Why do I need to over consume? Why can't I be satiated with the pair that I have now!? I am by no means preaching that you wonderful, kind, readers should stop reading, package up all of your shoes and ship them to an impoverished country. Please, don't do that (at least not before researching where to send them: Soles4Soles). I am merely trying to justify not buying new gym shoes. Because I simply don't need them.

Meanwhile Brian literally wears his shoes out - you have to be able to see toes through duct tape repair patches before they can be relinquished. Thinking I won't go that far, but I know I can use up my gym shoes a lot more before even thinking about new ones.

Need not,
Josey