Over the years, I became more and more fascinated with Minimalism. It gave a sense of peace and tranquility, feeling light and not being weighed down.
What is Minimalism?
Minimalism is the act of living only with things that you need. Perhaps, it is a more formal term for “simple living”, contrasting to a (dangerous) culture of materialism, consumerism, stress, depression, anxiety, obesity, clutter, lack of direction and ultimately chaos.
I have observed that Minimalism can be applied across various areas of our lives, from lifestyle, diet, relationships, interior design, architecture etc. I always find living spaces with minimalist interior design pleasing and relaxing. In addition, they are quite easy to clean too and this makes maintenance a breeze.
I suppose Minimalism is highly influenced by Zen Buddhism, given the parallels of simplicity and focus.
Golden Rules of Minimalism
Minimalism is a simple concept. While it does not have a lot of rules, here are some guidelines:
- Learn to be happy and appreciate with what you already have.
- Identify the things that are important to you. The basic principle is to surround yourself with things that you need and things that are important for you.
- Get rid of things that you no longer need. And very importantly, do not feel guilty about letting go of things with sentimental values if these things no longer spark excitement in your being.
- Surround yourself with people who bring joy into your life.
- Inspire the people you live with to adopt a minimalist lifestyle as well. It is good for the environment as we tend to consume less, need less as you do not need unnecessary stuff.
The Magic of the Minimalist Lifestyle
Practicing a minimalist lifestyle can change your life in many amazing ways, such as:
- It gives you a peaceful mind as you detach yourself from material possessions when you do not have a lot of things to worry about.
- It reduces clutter, thus improving your concentration and focus, freeing up a lot of space for things that really matter, increasing clarity.
- It increases your happiness and appreciation in life, as it allows you to gravitate to the things that are important to you and experience all the amazing simple things that life has to offer.
- It increases your ability to make decisions when you do not have to think about a lot of stuff.
- You’ll save a lot of money when you do not have the urge to own and accumulate a lot of stuff.
- A minimalist home is beautiful as it looks clean, neat and clutter-free.
Minimalism improves the quality of your life in many ways. Deciding what to throw away and what to keep in your life helps you discover who you really are and the things that truly matter in your life. This self-discovery allows you to pursue the things that you are passionate about and discover your life purpose, thus SELF-ACTUALIZATION.
