You may have heard of the practice of minimalism. The concept can be found in ancient religious groups from Buddhism to Christianity where there is reference to denouncing personal possessions to achieve spiritual gain and focus. More recently, minimalism was popularized in the 1960’s in the art world, specifically in New York with a move towards simpler trends in music, art and design.
At its core, minimalism is a move away from a consumer-driven mindset to one of simplicity. The insatiable need to have more and more has led to two-income households, children who rarely see their parents, and a desire to have at least as much or more than your neighbours do. It has been promoted by advertisers for years and has become ingrained in the modern world.
We buy things to achieve some type of joy, adrenaline rush, or validation from an object. This is always short-lived, and leads to an addiction of compulsive shopping. Minimalism reconnects you with what is truly important in life.
Action – There is no right or wrong way to practice minimalism. It is simply becoming conscious of what is actually necessary in life and developing the awareness that things can never take the place of inner joy. There are many examples of wealthy people who have all the stuff that money can buy who are miserable. There are also examples of those who have little in the form of material possessions who are truly joyful.
Getting rid of clutter and reducing your daily needs to the essentials requires you to be mindful instead of driven by outside forces that compel you to accumulate. This is not only good for mental health, but for physical health as well.
Steps – If you had to choose between your health or the health of your loved ones and your stuff, would this be an easy decision or a difficult one? Imagine your house caught fire and you had one minute to get out. What would you take with you?
If you can let go of objects in your mind, then you can let go of them physically. Begin to release the energy of anything in your environment that has weighed you down for years. Find areas of your living space that could be bare and work to make them that way. Take pictures of objects that have some meaning to you, and then let them go. Stop buying and start appreciating how a simpler lifestyle can make you feel.
You can read about getting rid of clutter here:
Why It Makes You Feel Better – Minimalism provides an opportunity to focus on what is important. It allows you to let go of needing to compete with others or to work harder to make more money to buy more stuff. It frees you up to enjoy the moment and to be self-sufficient, infusing you with a sense of power and freedom. When you know that you already are enough without having more stuff, you release tremendous amounts of energy to both heal yourself and to help those around you recognize their true value.
Example – Have you ever seen kids play with the box that an expensive toy came in rather than the toy itself? It is because we are born with powerful imaginations that allow us to create elaborate fantasies from within. We don’t need something outside of us to access this inner utopia.
Clutter and stuff keep you rooted and stuck where you are. Begin to release the compulsion to buy things that you don’t need and that aren’t important. You will be surprised at how this one thing can improve your overall health and well-being.