Defining a Minimalist Lifestyle: What It Truly Means
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Want to try out a minimalist lifestyle? Great! But one second… What exactly constitutes a minimalist lifestyle? What does it mean to have a more minimal decor or routine? Let’s take a look before we get ahead of ourselves!
What Minimalism is and What It is Not!
There are a lot of misconceptions about minimalism and a lot of people seem to use it almost as a weapon as something they can lord over other people and use to show off! This is rather defeating the point. Rather, minimalism is about stopping comparing yourself to others and stopping lusting after all the things you see in pricey magazines. Instead, it’s about knowing what you want out of life and knowing how to get there. Simply. It’s about cutting back the ‘noise’ so that you can concentrate on what’s important.
For example, if you are someone who thinks that spending time with family is the most important thing, then you might find yourself stressed at the fact you have to work so much. You want to do the best you can for the ones you love though and so you move them into a bigger house and take them on lavish holidays. You see ads for toys for your kids on TV and you buy them for them. And then you end up working later and coming home more and more stressed. In your bid for ‘more’, you have forgotten what was important to you to begin with!
Instead, if you were to move to a smaller home, take fewer holidays abroad, and buy simpler toys, then you could work fewer hours and have more money left over. Your family would be financially more stable and you’d be much happier and much less stressed. The result is you’d have tons more family time together!
It is What You Make It
That’s minimalism for some people but for others, it might look very different. And this is the key point: minimalism is what you choose to make it. There is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answer here there is only you doing more of what matters to you. And it’s about realizing what the fastest and most efficient way to achieve that is, while removing all those unnecessary distractions that get in the way. It’s about choosing what really matters to you, rather than being told by the media. The rest is up to you!
There is no one right way to live, and as such, there is no right way to be a minimalist. However, there are some key principles that make up a minimalist lifestyle. Some of the key tenets include using as few possessions as possible, living in a minimalistic space, and being mindful of how you use your possessions.
Minimalism can be tough to stick with for long periods of time. It requires both mental and physical discipline to live without excess clutter or unnecessary belongings. However, in the long run, minimalism can lead to more peace of mind and a stronger sense of self-control. By living a minimalist lifestyle, you will learn to appreciate the things that truly matter in life – relationships with others and moments spent alone – more than anything else.
Here’s How To Avoid Feeling Overwhelmed With Decluttering & Minimizing
