Striving to live with less is counter to the common Western way of thinking. Most of us live lives of collecting the latest items, whether it be the latest cell phone, a new car, or a new appliance. Being free of the need to accumulate things brings real peace. Consider becoming a minimalist and enjoy the benefits it brings.
Minimalism places an emphasis on family, friends, relationship, experiences, and personal growth. Accumulating possessions beyond what is necessary is avoided.
Becoming a minimalist can change your life in positive ways:
1. You’ll have less debt. It’s not easy to find someone that isn’t worried about debt. Enjoying a large salary doesn’t seem to make one immune. As a minimalist, you’ll avoid the temptation to buy those things you don’t need.
- If you’re already in debt, you’ll be in a much better position to deal with it effectively.
2. You’ll have more free time. One interesting side effect of minimalism is an increase in free time. By keeping your commitments to the precious few, you’ll have more time to enjoy the things in your life that really matter to you.
3. Discover more about yourself. The whole idea of minimalism is to strip away that which is unnecessary. Focusing on learning more about yourself becomes more interesting. Without the clutter of a job you dislike, excess possessions, and non-meaningful activities to get in the way, you can discover thoughts, feelings, skills, and talents you didn’t realize you had.
4. Less stress and pressure. Living the life of a minimalist reduces the amount of stress in your life. You’ll have less debt, have fewer possessions to get in your way, and you’re free of the need to impress others.
5. You’ll avoid many of the pitfalls of chasing possessions and power. Western society is obsessed with big houses, fancy cars, beautiful people, and power. While having these things isn’t inherently inappropriate, the maniacal pursuit of them can be.
- An overemphasis on money and power are the root of many personal issues.
6. Minimalism is good for the environment. All the energy required to heat and cool large homes comes at the expense of the environment. Everything that goes in the trash impacts the environment. Luxury cars tend to be less efficient and produce more exhaust per mile. When you consume less, you impact the environment less.
7. You’ll be more focused on others. With your added free time and less need to impress others, you can start doing more for those you would like to help or spend more time with.
- Your own life will be easier to maintain, which results in an excess of resources that you can share with others, such as your time and energy.
8. You can pursue more meaningful employment. When your need for income is decreased, a whole new world of opportunity is opened to you. That lower paying job that seems so satisfying can become a real possibility.
- The more you consume, the more you have to earn just to survive.
9. Your life becomes filled with people and activities that are meaningful. Eliminating the unnecessary creates more space for the things that matter. You’ll have more time and space for relationships and activities you enjoy.
10. The items you do own can be of much higher quality. You’ll find that by limiting the number of shoes, books, tools, and other things you own, you’ll acquire items of higher quality. More isn’t better. Better is better. There’s something satisfying about owning and using a high-quality item.
Could minimalism be for you? Do you often wonder if there’s more to life? If so, you’re an excellent candidate to give minimalism a chance. Minimalism is a fundamental change in your focus. Let everyone else worry about impressing the neighbors. You have more meaningful things to consume your time and attention.