Minimalism & the minimalist mindset
“Happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have.” -Rabbi Hyman Schachtel
While I don’t exactly own the least amount of things, I still strive towards only purchasing high quality things that will last a while and things that actually bring purpose and value to my life. I’ve learned that minimalism isn’t a competition of owning the least number of things, rather, it’s about owning things that bring happiness & meaning to my life.
Find what’s essential, let go of the rest
What is minimalism?
As a minimalist, every possession serves a unique purpose and brings happiness. It’s about consuming less and living more. Many of us are so caught up on the rewarding feeling of purchasing stuff to fill every corner of our homes, and so focused on the accumulation of stuff that we forget what’s really important to us. Minimalism can help establish what’s truly important in our lives and enable’s us to make smarter, more mindful choices.
Minimalism isn’t about having the smallest number of items in your life, instead it’s about making the most out of the items you do have, and appreciating the things that add value to your life. Minimalism is Knowing you don’t need every clothing piece to fill an entire closet, or every book that’s been published, and knowing you don’t need an abundance of materialistic objects in life to be content with yourself. Being at piece with what you have and expressing gratitude and appreciation towards the things that add true value, will enable you to enjoy life in a simplistic way. Living in a minimalist environment should never leave you feeling empty, instead it should leave you feeling fulfilled and happy that each item you own brings so much meaning and purpose.
is there happiness in having less?
Our self-worth should never be determined by what we own, because material objects can only make us happy for a short amount of time. Not to mention, unnecessary objects waste our time, money, and energy. This is something I’ve realized over the past year and a half after traveling to Europe with a group of friends. I realized that true happiness stems not from owning the most stuff, rather it comes from surrounding yourself with inspiring people in beautiful places. I’ve learned that experiences are far more valuable than anything I could ever own.
Personally, I’m obsessed with the feeling I get from de-cluttering & minimizing my belongings, and I love bringing in items that add joy & purpose to my life. I strive towards only owning objects that tell a story, come from a small business or a unique place I’ve been, and serve a useful purpose, instead of purchasing an object or clothing item that came from a random place with little meaning or purpose behind it.
Why i cherish a minimalist environment
For me, working in a minimalist environment allows me to feel at peace with myself. It makes me happy and it allows my creative side to flourish when I’m not attacked by an abundance of clutter. I’m able to attract creative thoughts, think deeper, clearer, and become the most productive version of myself. Working in a minimalist environment is the only way I can expand, create, and work smart on a deeper level. I find I’m able to get sucked into my creative work-flow easier when the space around me is minimal, clean, and only surrounded by objects that add meaning and value, rather than needless distraction & clutter. For me, a minimalist environment is a happy & creative environment where I’m able to think, create, and expand on a much deeper level.
Minimalism is not a competitive sport, and there’s no need to go too far and part with things that are really necessary for you.
Finding what you value most in life
Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland 2017
How to find what’s essential in life & minimize what’s not:
Minimalism is attempting to reduce anything that isn’t essential, so you can express gratitude towards the things that are precious to you. Applying this idea to every aspect of your life will help you realize that there’s actually more to gain in life than to lose, by simply minimizing your belongings.
When you let go of an object, you actually gain much more than you lose. There are more things to gain such as time, energy, space, and freedom from what might be holding you back. Rather than thinking about the loss of certain items, direct your attention towards everything you’ll gain.
Start by finding a place such as your closet, dresser, or underneath your bathroom sink and pull everything out! Then begin sorting out all the items you pull out, into four separate piles:
The first pile is for everything you use on a daily basis, your essential items you use regularly.
The second pile is for items you plan to donate. These items might be things you no longer use and perhaps aren’t adding value to your life.
The third pile is for items you wish to sell. These items may be things you feel are worth a little bit more, and are higher quality.
The fourth pile is for items you feel you’ll use in the future but don’t need now. These may be items you’re saving for a special time/event or may be sentimental and you can’t get rid of at the moment. Take all the items in this pile and put them in a box, put the box somewhere where you can’t see it, like a closet. Keep the box in the closet for a month and at the end of the month bring the box out. If you take anything out of the box keep those specific items, and the remaining items you can either sell or donate.
After finding a spot in your home and creating separate piles for each category, it’s much easier to distinguish between what adds value into your life and what you can do away with. Letting go & donating what’s no longer serving a purpose in your life, may add value to other peoples lives.
Consume less stuff, produce less waste:
Minimize anything you have multiples of! Try reducing anything you have multiples or duplicates of, to just having one of that specific item.
Take photos of the item before parting ways with it. If you fins it hard to minimize at first this will help you to part with the items easier. If you know you’ve saved a picture of the item, you’ll easily be able to remember your experiences.
Get rid of items you haven’t touched in a year and don’t have plans for using in the future. Free up the time & space you use maintaining things you never actually use.
“Living simply is not about living in poverty or self-inflicted deprivation. It’s about living an examined life where one has determined what is truly important and enough...and then just let go of all the rest. ”
How minimalism can benefit your life
Allows you to tap into who you are. One of the biggest benefits of minimalism is that we are able to find out who we truly are when we own less, because we’re able to tap into the real “us” when we aren’t surrounded or distracted by our possessions. I believe that experiences are what builds our unique characteristics, not material objects. I believe our own originality is hidden behind all the things that distract us.
Preserves time. By simplifying the amount of materialistic objects you have in life, you allow yourself more time to focus on your health & well-being, relationships, passions, and goals. By eliminating any objects that don’t had value or meaning to your life, you become more mindful and deliberate with the choices you make. Make it a personal challenge to eliminate everything that doesn’t add value or relevance. Try eliminating one item a day for a month and retain only the items that resonate strongly with you. Let the freer, happier, healthier you shine through!
Enhances physical & mental well-being. Your physical space: Ask yourself how cluttered your living space is? Look at the objects you own and decide what is essential, what you don’t really need, and what you could get rid of. The importance to downsizing isn’t just getting rid of stuff, but making sure you don’t keep bringing those items back into your life.
-Minimalism affects how we manage our time. By prioritizing the most important tasks in our day we can minimize our schedules and focus on spending our time effectively and efficiently.
-We can achieve mental clarity by eliminating objects that aren’t serving a purpose any more. By removing items that weigh you down will enable you to cultivate a focused mindset and clearer vision.
Promotes less comparing with others. Adopting a minimalist lifestyle will enable you to be content with what you have, knowing that everything you own adds purpose & value. When you stop comparing yourself or your belongings to others, you’ll be able to tap into who you really are. There’s always going to be someone who’s better than you at something, but personally if I kept comparing myself to every other blogger or website creator there is, I probably would have never been able to create a single page on my website. If we get sucked into the vortex of constantly comparing ourselves, careers, relationships, and our belongings to others, then we’ll become completely paralyzed. When you let go of unnecessary things, you’re also letting go of the process of comparing yourself with others. Once you only own what adds purpose to your life, you can easily shift your attention from others to yourself and you’ll start discovering who you really are.
Adds value to your life & what you own:
If you save big purchases until a noteworthy occasion, then that item will become more valuable to you than the price you paid, since it embodies your memory of that item. The next time you buy something, try and link it to an achievement, memory, or experience, so you can minimize the amount of new stuff you collect. For an example, if you’ve almost finished writing your first book or you feel really good about the progress you’ve made with a painting, then wait until you’re finished writing your first book before you decide to purchase something new. If you’ve been wanting a new plant for your bedroom, what until you’re done with a large project to purchase it, which could link your growth & progress to the thing you bought.
Really try and tie the things you purchase with monumental progress, achievements, or experiences to help you save & spend your money in a happier way. If you apply this method to everyday life, then everything you own will add value in some way to your life, allowing you to minimize the unnecessary stuff. Only bring new things into your life that will bring joy & happy moments in the future!
Makes you a more productive human:
Productivity isn’t about cramming as much work as you can into one day, because you’ll end up burning yourself out before you ever develop a set routine. True productivity is about creating a sustainable and balanced life that you can keep up everyday.
Setting priorities: You must first minimize every task that doesn’t currently support what you’re trying to accomplish. If you’re trying to write your first book or create a video series, you must drop every task that doesn’t support your goal. Start prioritizing your goals so you can accomplish what you desire.
Staying organized: Minimalism allows for less clutter, which means less cleaning and less distraction. This enables you to be as productive as possible without distractions from clutter.
Finding your passion: When you find work you love, it’s still work. However, you’ll have more motivation to get started. This is true productivity since procrastination is uncommon when you’re embracing your passion and doing what you love. You’ll find yourself naturally drawn to whatever it is you’re doing, rather than forcing yourself to do a job that leaves you unfulfilled at the end of each day. If you hate your job, stop wasting time and make a change.
The three aspects of your life minimalism impacts:
Physical space: How cultivated is your living space? First look at all the objects you own and decide what’s essential and what brings the most value into your life. Then decide what you need and don’t need, downsize and get rid of what’s cluttering your life. The importance to downsizing isn’t just getting rid of stuff, but making sure you don’t keep bringing more stuff into your life that isn’t needed. Before purchasing another item, ask yourself “is this going to add significant value to my life.” If the answer is no, then you probably already have enough versions, styles or duplicates of the item you’re about to purchase. Developing a minimalist mindset takes time and effort in a world full of mass consumption & accumulation, but it’s all about finding balance and value in the things you do have.
Mental space: Minimalism will help you fully clear your mind of any clutter, on going chatter, or worry. When you begin implementing minimalism into your lifestyle you’ll suddenly notice how you’re able to think more creatively and clearly. You’ll feel less bogged down, more energized, and you’ll be able to clearly visualize what’s important to you.
Time-management: Minimize your busy schedule by prioritizing the most important parts of you life or tasks for the beginning of the day. Try and avoid overbooking yourself with hours of work, school work, sports, and clubs, because this just causes more stress and mental clutter. This results in a lack of mental clarity and you’ll end up getting less done than you anticipated, if you over commit yourself. If you feel you’re getting overwhelmed with the amount of work or things you have on your to-do list, start by prioritizing what’s urgent or needs to be taken care of that day. If you prioritize the main tasks of your day or the tasks that will take up the most time, you’ll end up feeling way less stressed, you’ll be able to narrow your focus on what’s adding value to your life, and you’ll be able to accomplish a whole lot more at a faster rate. Don’t save large assignments or tasks for the last minute, instead do those things first and save the little tasks for the end of the day when you’re most tired. This way of organizing and prioritizing what tasks are important in your day will help you improve your time management skills, help you become a more efficient human being, and allow you to be as productive as possible, while still enjoying life.
References:
Becker, Joshua. The Minimalist Home. Thomdike Press, 2019. Print.
Becker, Joshua. The More of Less: Finding the life you want under everything you own. Solon, Ohio: Findaway World, LLC. 2016. Audio book.
Kondo, Marie. Spark Joy. London Vermilion, 2016. Print.