Minimalism is about living with fewer possessions. The main purpose of minimalistic living is you live with the things which you really need and get rid of the things that you can live without. You give a better purpose to your life.
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What is Minimalism?
Minimalism is a lifestyle in which you live with a few simplest things. It helps you minimize distractions and focuses on doing what matters you the most and get the maximum out of life. The concept of minimalism came from the desire to give meaning to the life and add values rather than giving much importance to material possessions.
That doesn’t mean there’s anything inherently wrong with owning material possessions. Today’s problem seems to be the meaning we assign to our stuff: we tend to give too much meaning to our things, often forsaking our health, our relationships, our passions, our personal growth, and our desire to contribute beyond ourselves.
We live in a society which gives so much value to owning materialistic things, for which even they don’t have time to use. It is a vicious cycle and there is no end to it. In this materialistic life, everybody is after getting more and more things and luxury in life. Be it a car, a television, a smart phone, a luxurious house, to just name a few. In the race of acquiring material possessions, it happens that you forget the real meaning of life and sometimes you even lose the track of life.
It doesn’t mean that it’s wrong to own material possessions. But when we assign too much importance to it, we forget the real meaning of life. It happens so that you do it at the cost of your health, your relationships, your passion, and your personal development and growth. Everybody has just one life span with limited time, energy and space to live and enjoy fully. To make most out of the life, you need to check your desire to have all the material possessions. You must not focus on acquiring stuff, but adding values to the life. It’s about giving priorities to what is more important in your life.
Minimalism is not about not owning material stuff. Do you want to own a house? It’s just fine, buy it. Do you want to set up your own business? Great, put your best efforts. An idea of minimalism makes you take these decisions consciously, wisely and deliberately.
Summary: Minimalism is living the life with a fewer items and giving more important to the things that truly matters. It’s about living the life in its fullest.
Minimalist Living
Minimalist living is a simple, but intentional living. It’s a philosophy of life. You curate things that reflect your priorities and mindfulness. You live the life the way you want. There are no specific rules to minimalism. It’s different for different people. You determine how you want to live with minimalism according to your priorities.
You just go by necessity of life. You can still possess things you need, things you have passion for, but the reality is that the materialistic things are not your priorities; they are the things that help you live life in true meaning and give a feeling of fullness. You still can live in a house of your dream or wear the shoes you love.
Minimalism is an idea; it’s a continuous practice that ensures that you live by your vision of the life. In the beginning, you may find it difficult to adapt to the concept of minimalism as you have to make substantial changes in your lifestyle, behavior, your home living and much more.
It relieves you from mundane things of your life and unnecessary distractions. Meaning and focus of your life also changes. Rather than running behind materialistic life, you give more importance to your life values, your relations, the people you care for and.
Everyone can benefit from applying the principles of minimalism to their lives. It’s a process of removing distractions and things that no longer add value to our lives.
At first, minimalism may seem as an overwhelming and challenging task to you, but as you free your life from tangle of having more things, you yourself will see that the stress is disappearing and the world that is built around owning things, starts slowing down. Ultimately, it will be life changing.
Minimalistic living doesn’t happen overnight. You may find it difficult in the beginning. But if you are determined and once you set off the minimalistic approach, you will see the result bit by bit. After sometime, you will see that how much space and clear surfaces you have in your home and your closets are not overstuffed with things. Living with minimal things also relieves you of lots stress and burden. And you will have more time to do the things you actually love.
Tips to Get Started for Minimalistic Living
- Get rid of the things you don’t need any more and I am sure you will find many. Say, the things you have not used in last five years, you can live without.
- Stop buying new things that you really don’t need. You can prepare a list of things that you won’t buy and the things that you will buy when you go to the mall next time or when you shop online. Stop cluttering your home with unnecessary things.
- Try to work out a decluttering method for you.
Summary: If you want to take to minimalistic living, it’s you only who will decide what possessions you want to own and what you want to do without. You will set the priorities of your life.
How Does Minimalism Benefit?
There are multiple benefits of minimalism. To begin with, you may not realize the benefits, but along the journey, the benefits will unfold themselves; you will enjoy the journey, watch that the benefits multiply and find a sense of fulfillment when you reach the destination.
Some of the benefits of minimalism are:
Reduces stress
Being materialistic, having cluttered life and cluttered home creates lots of stress. When you live with the idea of minimalism, you have more space, more cleared surfaces, fewer things to manage and simple living, which reduces much stress and you feel at ease.
More Time
Time is the most valuable and once spent, we can’t get it back. When you have fewer things to manage and worry about, you get more time to do the things you value the most. You can spend quality time with your parents, spouse, children, and friends. You can do the things you are passionate about.
Better Relationships
Minimalism definitely is beneficial to your relationships. With materialistic life, your resources and energy are more shifted towards to them and many times it has negative impact on the relationships. With less stressful life and more time, your relationships turn better and it has positive impact in your life.
Less Financial Burden
When you have fewer things to manage and a few things to buy, it relieves you of much financial burden. You can use the money saved towards better cause. You can enjoy with family and friends, travel to places and explore the world, venture into an area of your interest and more.
Freedom from Consumerism
Minimalism will get you more freedom. You don’t have to worry much about getting materialistic things that you don’t need actually. It begs you freedom from fear of not owning big things, freedom from stress, anxiety and depression. You are not caught in the culture of consumerism.
Summary: Minimalism benefits include less stress to take, more time to do what you want, better relationships, less financial stress, staying away from culture of consumerism and more.
How Minimalism Make You More Productive?
Minimalism get rids you of excess in life and helps you focus on what is more important in life; you find life filled with happiness, fulfillment and free of unnecessary burden and anxieties. It helps you give meaning to the life, which is beyond material life. It makes you differentiate between superfluous things and realistic approach. You also realize that real happiness doesn’t lie in material things, but it is above it. You live a meaningful life.
Minimalism makes you more productive and bestows on you the following:
- learn to live in present
- get free from feeling of discontentment
- better use of time
- get clarity of vision in life
- get freedom from mundane things
- be mindfulness
- follow passions
- personal growth
- contribute to a good cause
- better health
- discover mission in life
- purposeful life
- be more creative
So, what do you want to get surrounded with? Material possessions or something that is more important to you? Consider minimalism as an important decision that you make in your life. In the beginning, you may not realize the importance of it. As it progress, you will find that you become more productive, more conscious and ultimately turn into a better human being.
