Have you ever felt overwhelmed by stress and worry over anything, whether it be money, technology, work, or one of the other myriad issues facing each of us in the modern world. Whilst the great revolution in the digital and consumer worlds has brought great advances, it has also made life more complex, and introduced new and greater pressures. Anxiety, insomnia, or obsessive levels of stress are all too common, and for many people there’s a feeling that their life is missing a purpose.
There is an alternative: minimalism. Minimalism is a lifestyle for people who believe that the constant need in the modern world to buy things to define your personality, to fill your life, and make you happy is misguided. Minimalists believe that the pursuit of more stuff brings only superficial happiness, and the time and money spent on these material objects that bring only surface level emotions actually actively distracts from the things in life that bring meaning, purpose, satisfaction, and true happiness - love, relationships, and following passions. This article includes a bit of information about minimalism incase you want to look into this new lifestyle choice.
Minimalists have decided to reject the consumer lifestyle that they see as a root cause of much of the issues facing people today, and to free them from what’s holding back, allowing them to focus on what will bring them a clearer, happier life. Many minimalists feel much happier, more content, and live better lives after choosing this new lifestyle choice.
Minimalists take a huge range of forms, from people who declutter things they don’t use or need, to people who have less than 100 possessions and travel around the world, without any ties or fixed abode.
But there are several features that bring minimalists together. The first is their drive to declutter - getting rid of rubbish that they don’t want or need. Many minimalists do this using checklists, whilst others go through their house with a bin bag evaluating what they do and don’t want, use or need. They then do the same thing every day for as long as it takes, considering the value of objects in their life continually over a long period of time.
Minimalists also agree on not buying new stuff to replace what has been thrown out. The urge for “one last shop” is strong for many, but it renders the whole exercise pointless and should be avoided. Remember, minimalism is about disregarding the supposed need for more things. Don’t replace what you’ve lost object wise with more objects. Minimalists instead seek to replace them with experiences and memories. And many minimalists encourage friends to get them not objects as presents, but instead experiences things of sentimental value.
But, generally, minimalism is extremely personal. It is the pursuit of what makes you truly happy in life. It’s about following dreams, enjoying what you have, and filling your life with things that bring true, deep, happiness, and a sense of completeness and purpose. Every person has different things that they value and treasure. Different things will bring these feelings to different people. If shopping and ownership brings you genuine happiness, then carry on. If it’s family, spend more time on that. If you have a passion you want to follow, then spend time and money on doing that. But for every person it will differ. Your version of minimalism will be like nobody else’s. Don’t compare your minimalist lifestyle to someone else’s. That would be like comparing apples and cucumbers - they won’t be the same, but that’s ok, and you’re both right as long you’re following what brings you happiness and fulfillment. If that all sounds good to you, then why not try a minimalist lifestyle?
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