Yes indeed, I did what they said couldn’t be done! It’s been one year since I sold my car! Many said I couldn’t get by in Southern California without a car, because our lack of mass transit. We have no subways or trains to speak of, other than a metro rail, with a very limited-service area. With that said, not having a car has been effortless. It represents another aspect in lifestyle by design.
I now walk, bike or take the bus everywhere I need and on rare occasions I Uber when no other options will work easily. I feel so much lighter without the expense and energy it takes to own a car. No more maintenance, fuel, insurance, parking tickets, street sweeping tickets, breakdowns, annual registration, broken windows from people stealin stuff, trips to the DMV, traffic jams, road rage, etc. And since COVID hit the city bus has been free, so almost all of 2020 the City of Long Beach has chauffeured me around at no cost to me.
Another benefit to not owning a car is the increase in my daily non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT). Because I now walk or bike to work, to run errands, grocery shop, attend appointments, etc. I now average nearly 100,000 steps per month (~50 miles) and about 140 miles on fixed gear bike per month. That’s a lot of extra calories expended in a month that before would have been just me sitting on my ass in my car. And it makes commuting and errands so much more enjoyable. I love walking around the city and every time I ride my bike I feel like I’m 12 years old again!
Learning to transport myself around under the power of my own legs has been an amazing experience and I don’t think I’ll ever go back. Well, I guess I would have to reassess if I lived in some place where the weather was cold most of the time 🥶
Thanks so much for watching and if you feel so inspired please, like, subscribe and share these videos! If you have any questions for me, want to have a cocktail together or would like to discuss working together you can reach me at [email protected] 🧘🏻♂✌🏼
#blackedoutbuddhist #lifestylebydesign #minimalism
——— Contents of this Video ———
0:00 Intro
1:12 Start of My Minimalism
3:02 The Big Move Into A Smaller Place
4:29 I Get Rid of My Car
7:54 Reflections On My Decision
8:11 How I Get By Without A Car
11:58 Outro
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