Minimalism
- Wilfredo Jr. Bernante
- Mar 23, 2019
- 5 min read
What is Minimalism?
Minimalism isn't just about decluttering and getting rid of everything that you own. At the very core, minimalism is about promoting the things we value most in our lives and removing anything that distracts us from those values. In today’s culture, we are very attached to our possessions. Many people believe that in order to have a good life, you need to accumulate many things. Whether these things be cars, homes, clothes, jewelry, etc, it’s a common belief that the more you have, the happier you will be. The truth is that happiness cannot be purchased at a store. If you are never happy with what you already have in front of you, and you are constantly wanting more, you will be trapped in this cycle for life. Consumption can turn into a major problem - the things you own can quickly end up owning you. They can hold you back in life and prevent you from living life to the fullest.
Minimalism and Freedom
How can possessions hold you back in life? When you base your happiness on the number of material possessions you own, you will never be free. You will be trapped into a consumeristic, materialistic lifestyle, even without realizing it. When you start to let go of the idea that happiness comes from consumption, you will find a newfound sense of freedom in your life. You can start to seek happiness elsewhere, such as in relationships and experiences. This is freedom.
How to be a Minimalist
Becoming a minimalist doesn’t mean that you need to immediately get rid of everything you own. Instead, you simply need to focus on the things that bring value and joy to your life. When you are trying to determine if a physical object is worth it or if it belongs in your life or not, ask yourself this question: “Does it bring me value, purpose, and happiness?” If the answer is yes, keep it. If the answer is no, remove the item from your life. This is a great place to start because it provides a clear boundary between the things that bring you joy and purpose, and the useless things that you have accumulated over the years that serve you no benefit.
Benefits of Minimalism
There are many benefits that come with a minimalistic lifestyle. One benefit is a healthier and clearer mind. We normally don’t associate our physical possessions with mental and emotional health. However, the connection between the two is undeniable. The fewer things that we own, the better our mental clarity is. Think of how much at peace you feel when you are in a clean, organized room compared to one that is full of clutter and mess. Another benefit of minimalism is that you will have extra money. If you don’t spend money on useless items that serve you no purpose, you will have more money to spend on things that matter to you. For example, instead of spending money on an expensive car, you can spend money on a plane ticket to create lifelong memories and experiences.
Slow Down
Another core concept of minimalism is slowing down. We live in a very fast-paced, consumerist society. Everyone is always racing to buy the newest product or the newest model of a product. We live extremely busy and fast paced lives. We spend most of our lives working to buy things that we don’t need, instead of focusing on the things that we are passionate about and bring us value. Once you discover that you don’t need as much as you think, you potentially have the freedom to work less and focus more on your passions. Whether this is art, exercise, relationships, nature, sports, volunteering, etc, you will have more time to do these things. Once you are no longer caught up in the race of consumerism, you can truly slow down and take the time to do things in your life that bring you joy.
Relationships and Minimalism
Once you begin to transition to a minimalist lifestyle, you may find that your relationships with your friends and family improve. Today, most of us compete with people in our life. We all want the nicest car or the biggest house. Once we stop trying to impress people and compete with them, we can start to actually connect with them. Relationships aren’t supposed to be built on competition and material objects. They are built on shared experiences, true connections, and memories made with each other.
Statistics About Stuff
It’s crazy how much stuff people own. Here are some statistics that portray the sheer reality of how much stuff we own.
• The average American home contains 300,000 items (LA Times).
• Over the past 50 years, the average size of an American home has almost tripled in size (NPR).
• British researchers found that the average 10-year-old child owns 238 toys, but they only play with 12 on a daily basis (The Telegraph).
• 3.1% of the world’s children live in America. However, these children own 40% of the toys consumed globally (UCLA).
The History of Minimalism
The concept of minimalism is nothing new. It has been around for thousands and thousands of years. It’s also not just a trend in developed nations. Think of third world countries around the globe. Many families and children in these places are naturally minimalists. They own little, yet they do not complain about it. In fact, many studies have found that despite owning less, the people in developing countries are actually happier and lead more meaningful lives than the majority of people in developed countries. One reason is that these people don’t have hundreds of material possessions weighing them down. They have time and energy to focus on their relationships and passions in life.
Minimalism Quotes
Here are some powerful quotes about minimalism that truly show how long this life changing concept has been around.
“There are two ways to be rich: One is by acquiring much, and the other is by desiring little.” (1948. Jackie French Koller)
“Any half-awake materialist well knows – that which you hold holds you.”(1936. Tom Robbins)
“Less is more.” (1886. Mies Van Der Rohe)
“Too many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people they don’t like.”(1879. Will Rogers)
“It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor.” (1 BCE. Seneca)
Additional Resources
If you want to know more about minimalism, here are some blogs, websites, books, and documentaries that you can check out.
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