Derrick Tennant is an international motivational speaker, minimalist, and stand-up comedian with a unique twist: years ago, a brain injury left him with minimal use of his left side, yet also gave him unlimited motivation to chase his lifelong dream of making as many strangers smile as possible.

He has performed everywhere, from cruise ships and comedy clubs to schools, churches, and giant corporate conferences worldwide. Basically, living out of a carry-on bag. Before long, he realized he was brushing his teeth with his travel toothbrush way more often than the one in his $1,500-a-month apartment, which, as a famously chea…no, “ frugal” guy, bothered him. Paying rent for a place he only slept in 3–5 nights a month? That made zero sense. But hey, you need a place to live… right?

Or do you?

Derrick took a long, hard look at how much stuff he owned — and why. And came to a conclusion:

“The reason we have so much stuff is because we have a place to put it.”

So he got rid of the place. “I’m not homeless,” he jokes. “I’m stuffless.”

On April Fools’ Day 2017 (because, of course), Derrick gave up his apartment. He sold, donated, or gave away every last thing. (Yes, there’s a whole blog post coming on that adventure soon.) And for a final masterstroke-or meltdown, depending on who you ask—he printed seven T-shirts, each labeled with a day of the week. Problem solved. He even made one that says “laundry day,” because, in his own words, “I may be weird, but I’m not disgusting.”  He’s since gotten rid of that one.

So now he travels. And travels. And travels. Still on mission: make as many strangers as possible crack a smile. If you’re reading this now, hopefully he’s succeeding.

OK, dropping the third person — because it feels pretty awkward to write about myself like I’m my own Wikipedia page. It’s me, Derrick.

Here’s what I’ve learned so far: you don’t need much. Stuff doesn’t make you happy. People do. And the fastest path to a happier life? Give something away. Practice what I call Selfish Generosity: share your time, your kindness, your laughter—whatever you’ve got. The joy will come back to you so strong that it almost feels selfish.

So welcome to the new derricktennant.com. I don’t know exactly where this road leads, but I’d love for you to come along. Check in, leave a comment, share your story. Life isn’t always easy, but happiness is being able to enjoy the scenery, even across the huge speed bumps and long, unexpected and annoying detours.

If you’d like to keep following my journey, get a laugh, or pick up a little inspiration along the way, sign up below to get future posts. You’ll also be getting some sweet discounts on my amazing sister’s swag over at www.juliescoolshirts.com just for comin along. So jump in and let’s keep each other focused on what really matters.