There is more to Minimalism than owning fewer possessions and owning less stuff. Minimalism is about Intentionality. We live in a world where we see 1000’s of advertisements daily, and every single ad calls for our attention and affection. Minimalism is about being intentional with our time, our money, and our energy.
“Minimalism isn’t about owning less; it’s about making room for things that truly matter.”
What this article will cover?
Our society praises surplus and overconsumption at every turn. This article will help you recognise that excess carries with it a burden.
It will help you reject the idea that you can find happiness and fulfilment in possessions. That our lives are created and designed for something far greater than that.
As you read further, you will be introduced to 10 simple ways in which Minimalism helps you pursue more and more of your values, by rejecting possessions and removing those distractions.
1. PRIORITIES CHANGE
Our culture begs us to own more. But over time you realize material possessions are just a delusion.
Minimalism simplifies your life by not having a ton of things to think about. You start drifting away from worldly possessions and focus more on experiences.
It helps stay on top of things you need to be doing and focus your time on more important things
2. MORE TIME
Our possessions consume our time more than we realize. People tend to spend a lot of their time browsing the internet for clothes they can’t afford or worrying about the money they have.
Everyone hates the cleaning part. By owning less, we spend less time on cleaning and organising our possessions.
You will have so much more time than before to do the things you love if you adapt to a Minimalist Lifestyle.
3. FINANCIAL FREEDOM
Minimalism lets you remove the clot of clutter that’s clogging your financial stability. It teaches you to spend money on essentials and stop spending everything on the Wishlist of things you don’t necessarily need.
When you commit to own fewer things, you are less likely to fall for new clothes and gadgets, every time you get your paycheck. You get a better understanding of Assets & Liabilities.
The money saved can be used to invest in your career or overcome student debt. This mindset will influence other areas and result in passive savings.
4. LESS ANXIETY
When you have less stuff, you have less to tie you around any particular space. Clinging onto material possessions creates stress because we are always afraid of losing them.
As we own fewer things, we bring about a sense of calm, peace, less worry, less anxiety, less burden and less stress.
As Randy Alcorn says, “Every increased possession adds increased anxiety to our lives.”
5. QUALITY OVER QUANTITY
We have all been guilty of having a closet full of clothes, and still staring at it not knowing what to wear. More is not better… better is better!!
You can buy 10 shirts that are “just a good deal” or you can buy a handful of shirts that are your new favourites. When you own fewer things, ironically you have more money and space to invest in higher quality.
Not that you have to, but now you have the option to make that choice. And the same is true for anything else you buy.
6. JOY OF GIVING
Just because we get rid of something doesn’t mean it’s not useful to someone else.
Charity is at the heart of Minimalism. We focus on the greater purpose of life and start contributing beyond our selfish desires.
Donating clothes to the homeless, or books to a library are ways in which we can give back to society, and more importantly spread smiles.
7. SELF-GROWTH
True happiness is the ultimate benefit of living a minimalist lifestyle. You will learn to let go of all these preconceived ideas about what you should be doing or what other people expect from you.
You begin to invest in your health and well-being and focus wholeheartedly on what truly drives you.
The simplification of things and your outlook on life allows you to have space to focus all your energy on things that add value to one’s life.
8. ENHANCED PRODUCTIVITY
Anyone who understands time management understands that being busy doesn’t mean you are being productive. Minimalism is not just less stuff; it’s about being less busy.
Simple actions of keeping your home, workspace simple and neat promote creativity, allowing you more physical space to work
Tidying leads to procrastination so remember what the Minimalists say “Don’t just Organise, but Minimize.”
9. SETTING EXAMPLES
It’s shocking how many relationships we maintain out of a sense of duty or because it feels inevitable. Minimalism teaches us to cultivate the relationships we want.
People will see you living an energetic, more peaceful lifestyle and will pick up on that vibe. That small pay-it-forward impression could significantly improve someone’s life.
If you have children, they’ll grow up valuing family, friendships and experiences over latest gadgets, big houses, fancy cars and expensive jewels.
10. MINIMALISM SETS YOU FREE
The feeling when you let go of things that are weighing you down is just liberating.
A prime example is freedom to dictate your time the way you want, rather than getting carried away but worldly distractions.
Minimalism sets you free from the comparison game. It is a tool for helping humanity focus on what is important in a bid to find happiness, fulfilment, and freedom.
PRO TIP
You can hover over each star to view its name. For example, the Red Exclamation is called “red-bang”. To search for just these, you would use the Search “has:red-bang”
Wrapping Up
Not enough money? Not enough time? Too much stress? Discontent? Minimalism can solve some of the most pressing problems in our lives. You can find solutions to all of them by owning less.
Even going through your stuff and throwing out a couple of trash bags or donating some of the good stuff to charity is better than nothing.
Minimalism means different to different people and this journey is about a lot more than just things. If you want to dive deeper into understanding and adapting a Minimalist Lifestyle. Click Here
