Imagine this. A friend challenges you to get rid of every non-essential item in your home. She has recently jumped on the ‘Minimalist’ bandwagon. She wants to declutter her physical space in order to free her mind and focus more on experiences that renew her sense of meaning and purpose. In doing so, she hopes to feel way less attached to material possessions and more connected to experiences that usher in an unwavering sense of joy. So, you decide to join your friend in this challenge. You take inventory of every item in your home and ask yourself: What purpose does this item serve? Can I live without this one thing? What if I decluttered first, and organized second? The idea of getting rid of stuff starts to take root, and before you know it, you’re removing excess items from your living space in solidarity with your friend who wants to assert her new ‘Minimalist’ identity. If you’re anything like me, the question, “Why should I get rid of my stuff?” crosses your mind at least once as you envision joining your friend in this challenge. You’re thinking, “It’s simply not enough to start something without a clear intent for doing so,” and quite simply—you want to decipher whether minimalism is truly sustainable or if it’s just another fad that will come and go. Joshua Becker, author of the book, The More of Less, describes minimalism as voluntary simplicity. It’s this notion that senseless consumerism and extravagant materialism can be replaced with an acknowledgement that it only takes a little to live a life of wellness and simplicity. We tend to assign a great deal of significance to the materials we possess. Our possessions become a status symbol, and when given too much meaning, our association with the stuff we have becomes intertwined with our overall feelings of happiness and satisfaction. Minimalism serves as a reminder to make intentional choices. Rather than succumb to societal pressures that nudge us to fill our days with endless activities, purchase items with little to no regard about how they’ll add value, or assume massive debt, minimalism encourages us to deliberately escape the world of excess around us. Minimalism is about making intentional choices in order to ensure that there is ample space for freedom and fulfillment. The art of doing more with less is all about exploring alternate possibilities even with there being societal pressure to overexert, overstress, and consume beyond our needs. Minimalism is one tool to pare life down to its essential elements. Here are a few considerations for adopting a lifestyle associated with minimalism: Determine What's NecessaryDetermining what is necessary is a deeply personal process. I personally carve out time to reflect on what matters most in my life several times a year. It helps me prioritize, get rid of items that no longer serve a meaningful purpose, and make room for the things I value most. This practice is not only essential to practicing minimalism, but it is also an extension of self-care. It allows me to get deeply personal and decipher which elements in my life are essentially of value. Simply, take some time to reassess your priorities asking, “What are the things that enrich my life?” and “What are the things that no longer enrich my life?” Take a moment to determine what is necessary. This is an opportunity distinguish between what it essential and what is non-essential. It’s up to you and no one else. De-ClutterDoing more with less is not about depriving ourselves. Rather, doing more with less is about creating space for the things that bring us joy and creatively doing more with the essential elements that surround us. Anyone with a disheveled room can attest to moments when they want to tidy up a bit in order to relieve a bit of stress. There is just something quite refreshing about thinning out the elements in our physical environments. It creates a visual appeal that invites freedom. Part of minimalist living is getting rid of things that we no longer use. It’s about having a few simple tools available. It’s about creating a place of respite. It’s about simplifying in a way that allows creativity and freedom to simultaneously coexist. Eliminate DistractionsThere are multiple elements vying for our attention each and every day. Many of us can attest to the quandaries of being bombarded with technological stimuli and competing demands in our lives. Just like technology, minimalism is a tool. It’s a tool that can assist people create space in, what might otherwise be, a cluttered environment. Essential to minimalism is the ability to minimize distractions. It is beneficial to carve out time to become enveloped in a conversation, embrace flow during a creative endeavor, tune-out noise during meditation, or completely immerse in a hobby without being distracted by something misaligned with what we are focused on at the time, Simply devoting blocks of uninterrupted time to the essential elements in our lives gives us the ability to live in the present moment and cherish all it has to teach us. As Linda Breen Pierce once shared, “Simplicity involves unburdening your life, and living more lightly with fewer distractions that interfere with a high quality life, as defined uniquely by each individual.” There are a plethora of resources devoted to the topic of Minimalism. Some of them include: Minimalism: A Documentary, Becoming Minimalist, and The More of Less I came across this YouTube video, which explains how one creative adopted a Minimalist lifestyle. Live well, Sarafina
2 Comments
Melanie
9/20/2018 06:20:03 am
Great read Sarafina! Very in line with how I am feeling at the moment. :)
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Sarafina
9/20/2018 05:45:21 pm
I’m glad it resonated with you, Melanie. I hope some of the resources come in handy as you adopt ‘minimalism’ in whatever way makes sense to you.
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