When we think success we often correlate this word with money and fame, but is that always the case? Does the amount of money and possessions one owns equal the amount of success and happiness in their lives? Recently, more and more people are choosing to embrace a minimalist lifestyle. This lifestyle change can be scary and stir up some questions.
- What does it mean to be a minimalist?
- How can being a minimalist bring you happiness and success?
- Do I need to sell all of my possessions?
In the era of one click checkout and two day shipping it is easy to get carried away with online shopping. The running joke is that you go to Target for one thing and leave with ten. How can someone with all this shopping convenience stop cold turkey? If we stop accumulating things, will it make us more successful in the long run?
What is a Minimalist
To be a minimalist you quite literally live by the motto “less is more.” If you choose this lifestyle you are choosing to only possess the things that you really need. You choose to remove all the excess things from your life that are mere distractions. It is more than resisting the urge to buy a new pair of shoes or a fancy sports car.
Minimalism doesn’t mean selling all of your possessions and moving to the woods where there is no electricity. Don’t bite off more than you can chew and start slow. There is no rule book when it comes to living this minimalist lifestyle. Some people take it to the extreme and choose to live off the land, but that is not necessarily the only way.
You need to decide what works best for you and work towards your goal. Decide what is important for you and the things you need in your life, and ditch the rest. Start small and declutter your closet. Once that seems easy move to your skincare or electronics. We don’t need a Gucci belt or ten different pairs of Jordans to make us happy. If this seems like you are throwing away money, try selling the items you no longer find a necessity in your life.
Benefits of Choosing Minimalism
There are countless amounts of benefits when making the leap to live the minimalist lifestyle. At first it may seem intimidating and as if you are throwing your money away. Once you jump in head first this lifestyle change will begin to open your eyes to a more fulfilled life. Instead of glorifying our possessions and living through our phone screens, owning less allows us to appreciate more.
Here are some benefits that may persuade you to choose minimalism.
- Saves you money
Not to state the obvious, but buying less and spending less will save you money. Choosing this lifestyle change and sticking with it will save you money in the long run. An extra incentive to getting rid of some of your possessions means the option to sell them. There are so many platforms that make it easy to sell your items, and score you some extra pocket change.
- Less Clutter
When we start getting rid of more and more unnecessary things in our life you will notice your space begin to grow. Normally this works only for a few weeks or months before people break and begin to buy more useless items. By moving slow and starting with just a toe in, allows for a higher chance for success. It is a skill that you have to work on and work towards, not something that can happen over night.
- Clean and Stress Free Environment
Once you successfully begin the decluttering process you will notice a sense of empowerment. When you clean out your space and make it more open there are less opportunities for distractions. You notice you become more productive and motivated. It is freeing to be able to move effortlessly around your house with more space. Also, having less possessions means there is less to clean or clean around, and more time to get important things done.
- More Productive
Like we spoke about above, when our space is clean and open it allows us to focus on what we need to get accomplished. Especially when working from home, having a more open space allows for a clear and more creative headspace. Instead of focusing on the material things you can take up a hobby that you are passionate about. Activities like taking a cooking class or learning another language that you may have put on the back burner will now seem achievable.
- More Freedom to Create Memories
Lastly, and possibly most importantly, allowing yourself to make this lifestyle change gives you the ability to appreciate the memories you create. Instead of putting value on the possessions you own you put more value on the experiences you create. Saving money by selling your unnecessary possessions, and not buying the items you don’t need, gives you the opportunity to do more things like travel. Instead of keeping your nose in your technology, pick your head up and enjoy the life this minimalist change has brought you.
Is This Lifestyle for You?
After reading all of the positive benefits from becoming a minimalist, do you think you are up for the lifestyle change? Pioneers like Albert Einstein and Steve Jobs, who as we all know are extremely successful men, chose this lifestyle and flourished from it. They chose success and happiness not from possessions, but from their experiences and passions. You don’t need to make this change in a night, but slowly integrating it will set you up for success and happiness in your future.