Minimalism is one of the words that we often hear these days. Many people have been talking about it and in fact, it even got its own documentary on Netflix. For a lot of people, minimalism is the trend that can save you money, boost your happiness, and save the environment as well. But what exactly does minimalism mean and how can people live in a minimalist way?
If you’re one of the people who’s been noticing that many are getting into minimalist living and you also want to know more about it, then you’re in the right place. Today, we are going to give you an introduction to minimalism and minimalist living.
What is Minimalism?
To put it simply, minimalism is the act of consciously choosing to live with less. It includes less financial burdens like debt and unnecessary expenses. But it’s not as simple as just getting rid of your things. The philosophy of minimalist living is about getting rid of excess things and living life based on experiences instead of worldly possession. It is reducing everything in our lives, especially our possessions, to only the things we really need and love. This way, you will be able to see how having fewer things can free up your life financially as well.
For some, minimalist living is just a millennial fad. But when this kind of lifestyle is practiced for the right reasons, it can actually benefit your life significantly. A lot of minimalists believe that the things you own end up owning you and these can cause you more stress and they can also stop you from doing the things you want.
One example is if you dream to travel the world but you can’t. The question is, what’s stopping you to make that dream come true? It’s likely that people will answer, they have a mortgage, a car payment, and other things they have to pay. For minimalists, those are all possession and should not be the reason you’re not living out your dream.
Living in a minimalist way has huge appeal because it has the potential to offer a calmer, efficient, and focused existence. Aside from that, it also spreads a positive message about consuming better and consuming less just like the philosophies of simple living, slow living, and zero waste.
Benefits of Being a Minimalist
When you choose to live a minimalist life, there are lots of benefits you can get from it. Here are some of them:
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Clarity of Mind
Minimalists do not think of their physical possessions being linked to mental and emotional health. According to studies, it has a massive impact on mental clarity and peace of mind which actually makes sense when you think about it. Imagine the last time you sorted all your things in your storage room and then imagine how you feel when you finally did it. For most people, it likely felt a relief. Something about clearing things can calm people’s minds. You will have a really good feeling when you get to take a load of clothes to goodwill or to other people who might need them more than you do.
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Freedom
Living in a minimalist way can also give you freedom. Imagine how many physical possessions you own, desire to own, or work hard to own and some of them you don’t even really want and just want to get them to impress someone at your office or even in your family. If you let go of that pressure, you will have more freedom to experience the things you really want such as travel, take a day off, work for yourself, or to simply take a job doing work that you actually like.
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Less Stress
Imagine a life where you don’t have to come how to a cluttered house, you don’t have to wake up early on a Saturday morning for something you don’t really want to do in the first place, or you don’t have to show up at the office every day for a job that you honestly hate. See, minimalist living offers you so much less stress.
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Extra Money
When you buy less, it means that you will always have a little extra cash on hand. When you live in a minimalist way, there will be fewer birthday parties to attend, and as well as meals out and impulse purchases. With this, you will have the money to buy something that you really want.
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Better Relationships
When you live in a minimalist way, it means that you will stop competing with your friends and your family to have the nicest house or a more expensive car. This also means that you will be able to connect with them and improve your relationships. This type of lifestyle will teach you that great relationships are not built on guilt or competition because they should be built on shared experiences and great memories.
These are just some of the benefits you can get by living in a minimalist way but these can be wonderful reasons for you to consider it.
Should You Become a Minimalist?
It is indeed great to live in a minimalist way. But you actually do not need to go all out and get rid of everything you own in favor of living this way. And that’s another great thing about minimalism, you can pick and choose what is right for you. For example, you can just simply use a minimalist budget or get rid of possessions that you don’t really need or make you happy.
If you want to try living a minimalist life, you can start with it slowly. For example, you can begin by asking yourself each time you wanted to buy something, “Does this bring meaning to my life?”. And if you really want to become a minimalist, then you can check out our post on the Steps to Get Started on Minimalist Living.