Minimalism has become a popular trend in the Western world over the last couple of years, making its way into our mainstream media and pop culture. With people like Marie Kondo encouraging us to remove things from our life that don’t spark joy and with people moving into ‘tiny houses’ with only the absolute essentials, I was starting to wonder whether I owned too much stuff. The short answer is yes.
Minimalism can be described, by those who practice it, as the process of identifying what is essential in your life and eliminating the rest. It is the art of prioritising only what you need to make space in your life for the things that you love and are passionate about. Like anything it can have its extremes, with people eliminating all but 100 of the most vital things in their life and only wearing the same clothes every day. But interestingly, minimalism also comments on the attachment we have to ‘stuff’ and the sentimental nature of what we own. For example, clearing out your wardrobe can become a trip down memory lane when you’re faced with the potential threat of having to throw things out. The memories about when you bought it, who you were with when you wore it, or the funny memory you might have tied to it. The stuff we own can sometimes mean more to us than its physical presence in our life.
Minimalism can also be the act of making less decisions. If you own less stuff, there are generally less decisions to make. This is like eating the same breakfast every morning. When you wake up, you don’t need to think about what you fancy for breakfast, because you already know. This gives you more brain space to sit and enjoy your morning cup of coffee, decision free.
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The idea of minimalism is one that is particularly intriguing, as our society is slowly moving towards a more sustainable way of living. There are also many studies surrounding minimalism that show a direct link between removing non-essential items from your life and increased happiness. So, in an attempt to begin a movement into more minimalist living, I’ve found some inspiration in the form of blogs, vlogs and podcasts. Seeing people make slow and steady moves towards this type of lifestyle gives me hope that it could be possible for me too.
Here are some resources on minimalism if you fancy learning more, or even throwing yourself in the deep end and giving it a go.
Muchelle B: One of my all-time favourites, Muchelle produces content that inspires me to live a more productive and simplistic life. She’s a bit of a gem so check her out!
https://www.youtube.com/user/muchelleb
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Matt De’Avella: Matt is a self-declared minimalist, who creates content surrounding self-improvement and his journey into minimalism. He posts 30-day challenges, including meditation, cold showers and waking up at 5am, as well as other inspiring content.
https://www.youtube.com/user/blackboxfilmcompany
The Minimalists: These two guys used to work in corporate business until they realised that chasing the money, the fortune and the fame wasn’t making them happy. So, they quit their jobs, sold their stuff and started their journey into minimalism. They have a podcast that looks at all aspects of minimalism and how they found themselves integrating it into their life philosophy.
https://www.theminimalists.com/podcast/
Also check out this article recommending some books on minimalism if you fancy more of a deep read.
https://upjourney.com/best-books-on-minimalism-and-simple-living
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Loads of HCX love xox