Minimalism in a single sentence: Do away with something and all the pieces that not contributes to the life you wish to dwell.
I just lately had a useful on-line dialog with an individual I’ve by no means met.
I had posted about minimalism on social media (as I are inclined to do) and she or he replied with a comparatively frequent response, “I’m simply afraid I’ll do away with one thing I would like later.”
There are, in fact, no fast and straightforward replies to that concern—particularly after we’ve by no means met. I don’t know the place she lives, how a lot stuff she has, what she imagines her ultimate life to appear to be, and even her propensity to throw away issues that she’ll want later.
So, I provided my typical one-sentence reply to that query, “Aren’t you afraid of maintaining extra stuff than you want?”
Her reply went one thing like this: “No, that’s a dumb factor to be afraid of. Why would I ever be afraid of maintaining greater than I would like?”
And in her reply, I used to be shortly reminded of the one perception that motivates all minimalist pursuits:
There is a hazard in proudly owning extra bodily possessions than I would like.
The specifics of that motivation could look completely different from individual to individual.
For instance, we might imagine to ourselves:
- Proudly owning an excessive amount of retains me from high quality time with my household
- Proudly owning an excessive amount of prevents me from attaining monetary freedom.
- Proudly owning an excessive amount of means I’m unable to share with others.
- Proudly owning an excessive amount of is a hazard to the setting.
- Proudly owning an excessive amount of means my priorities are within the incorrect place.
- Proudly owning an excessive amount of slows down my journey of religion.
- Proudly owning an excessive amount of robs my alternative to pursue better passions.
The particular motivation could change, however the overarching understanding remains to be the identical:
It’s not simply that possessions gained’t make me completely satisfied, it’s that they distract me from the issues that do! And it’s not simply happiness that extra possessions distract us from, however pleasure, which means, function, achievement, and significance.
That’s the lightbulb second that motivates minimalism.
There is a hazard in proudly owning greater than I would like:
The hazard of dropping my life in pursuit of issues that don’t matter.