I DISCOVERED IT BY ACCIDENT . . .
I wanted to be a minimalist. I liked the sound of the word …. ‘minimalism.’
It seemed a little romantic. I could picture my life;
clouds of white, sparse furniture, no clutter anywhere.
But then, I discovered the truth . . . that minimalism is more of a concept.
Think of minimalism as your foundation, a guiding light, a journey.
A goal that leads to action. But, do you ever arrive?
When do you consider yourself successful?
A minimalist?
After trying for years and never quite feeling like I had arrived, I discovered the truth about minimalism when my family was suddenly displaced from our home overnight. We lived without most of our belongings except clothing for six months.
To learn more details about what happened, read:
Before the mudslide took our home away, I had been trying to be a minimalist by getting rid of stuff and organising…
- I purged and organised.
- I tried hard over time.
- I felt like a minimalist failure.
Then, finally, I realised that I didn’t struggle with attaining ‘minimalist’ status because I needed to purge more stuff or try harder.
The Truth
LIFE IS MESSY!
I realised WHAT REALLY CAUSES OVERWHELM:
‘ACTIVE’ DAILY CLUTTER!
THE TOP FIVE CAUSES OF CLUTTER ARE YOUR DAILY ACTIVITIES:
- BATHING
- EATING
- DRESSING
Why? Because it takes a lot of effort to clean up after ourselves all day long.
Bottom line – it’s a lot of work to take care of a home every day!
And not only that, it’s a mental load to get others to help and do their part!
As you might imagine, in order to keep your house in minimalist condition, it is a 24/7 job!
Of course, the minute you let anything pile up, you can feel like you have too much stuff, like a minimalist failure.
With all of that being said though, working towards your goal of minimalism and all of the effort that you put towards your minimalist lifestyle WILL result in LESS time and effort when you do have to pick up your entire house in ten minutes flat!
Why do so many people seek out Minimalism?
There are so many opinions out there about what minimalism is and why people are seeking it out.
THERE ARE PODCASTS, BLOGS, VLOGS, BOOKS, AND EVEN DOCUMENTARIES ABOUT MINIMALISM.
I was reading, watching, and listening to all of them.
Before the “minimalist” movement, I followed people like Peter Walsh, the organisational guru who became famous on The Oprah Winfrey Show, among others. He was one of the first in the decluttering movement. He also wrote a ton of books, of which I have many!
http://www.peterwalshdesign.com/tv-media/
I was trying so hard to live up to the values that others were teaching.
No doubt, I think that’s why so many of us love self-help books!
Nowadays, though, we have so many more alternatives.
I love it, actually! Podcasts are even better than self-help books because you feel like you’re getting to know the host. It’s very personal.
I think you’ll agree that people have been seeking and searching for answers about how to make our homes less cluttered and more peaceful for a very long time. But today it’s even more relevant.
One thing, though. A lot of leading voices make us feel like the only problem is consumerism and owning too much stuff.
I definitely think that’s a huge part of it, but there are other BIG REASONS why people are seeking out concepts like minimalism.
what are we really looking for in minimalism?
What do people need from minimalism?
I think we’re all looking for a way to control our own environments when the world feels out of control, especially now, during this time of the global pandemic.
That’s a pretty simple concept and it makes a lot of sense. Life has gotten so complicated in so many ways. We’re expected to do everything; be everything to everyone.
So many things are more difficult today, too. Younger people may not even realise this because they haven’t known anything different. Let’s just look at one thing: technology.
one way life is harder
Technology has put these new expectations on us:
Know everything – Knowledge is at your fingertips
Always be available – Even work has become 24/7
Respond to people right away – Answer text messages immediately
Technology has taken away our attention – People have their phones by their sides and can’t be present with each other.
Technology makes some tasks more difficult – For example, you can’t figure out your passwords or access your accounts.
This is the shortlist guys!
Coincidentally, just after I started writing this post, I had three back-to-back incidents of technology blockade, meaning, I couldn’t easily do a task on my computer because of access problems. It is extremely frustrating! So much so, that I feel it’s causing me physical anxiety. This is the new reality.
Other social ills making life difficult today:
The biggest hit today is low wages – So many people are working hard for low wages. Some even have multiple jobs to make ends meet.
The high cost of housing – accompanied by low wages, this is a social crime!
The cost of healthcare (or lack thereof) – A generation ago most people had healthcare through their jobs. Now, we not only have to buy our own healthcare insurance but manage it too! Tons of paperwork arrives in your mailbox weekly.
If you do have healthcare through your job, you might find that there are fewer and fewer doctors and other providers who will do the billing for you. I know that this is the case for me. Now, I feel like my life is an office job with no pay!
The high cost of education – It is unreal that people are leaving college with debt as high as a mortgage. Even in lower amounts, this renders us as indentured servants, working for years to pay off these loans.
OKAYYYY!!! So, I got a little pessimistic? … or realistic?
But, the fact remains, we are all so overwhelmed that we need to figure out how to get control of our lives.
It’s no wonder people are looking for ways to simplify.
Can minimalism help you feel more in control?
The short answer is, “yes!” Minimalism feels like an answer, and it can be.
Controlling your environment and making it more pleasant can make you feel better.
It’s where you live. Your home. Home Sweet Home. It matters. It makes a difference in YOUR life.
If you’re interested in learning more about minimalism, check out my new post called, So You Wanna Be a Minimalist.
Here are a few thoughts that can help you to incorporate minimalism into your life.
Think of minimalism as more of the theme of your life. How do you want your life to feel?
Think of minimalism as a journey – You will make progress slowly over time.
Think of minimalism as your guiding light – Do the research and decide which concepts of minimalism make sense for your life.
Think of minimalism as your foundation layer – Think of laying a foundation for your life. What would be the most important and impactful change for you?
Think of minimalism as a goal – Don’t put pressure on yourself to be a minimalist. Don’t think in terms of success and failure.
synopsis
The truth about minimalism is that it isn’t just about getting rid of stuff. It’s about making your life feel better for you.
Minimalism is a state of mind, a concept.
Minimalism is a goal that leads to actions.
Minimalism is a journey. It’s a process. It won’t happen overnight.
Minimalism can make your life easier and feel better.
Minimalism can help you feel more in control.
WHAT ARE OTHER PEOPLE SAYING?
QUOTES:
“Minimalism is a tool that can assist you in finding freedom. Freedom from fear. Freedom from worry. Freedom from overwhelm. Freedom from guilt. Freedom from depression. Freedom from the trappings of the consumer culture we’ve built our lives around. Real freedom.”
- JOSHUA BECKER (Becoming Minimalist)
“Minimalism is intentionally living with only the things I really need—those items that support my purpose. I am removing the distraction of excess possessions so I can focus more on those things that matter most.”
What about you? What does minimalism mean to you?
Please leave a comment.
I’d love to hear what you think.
