“Contentment is natural wealth, luxury is artificial poverty.” – Socrates
there were many reasons that we chose to become minimalist and simplify our lives. we were frustrated with clutter. we discovered the time that was wasted managing our possessions. we realized that joy was not found in our possessions. and we determined that we value other things far more than physical belongings. this initial process of simplifying our home required energy, effort, and encouragement.
but the process of remaining minimalist and living this counter-cultural lifestyle against all odds requires something completely different. it requires contentment. contentment is the lifeblood of minimalism. and without it, the journey towards minimalism is short-lived. discontent will always rear its ugly head and become the great obstacle to fully thriving in a simple life.
not only does contentment provide the opportunity for minimalism, it also reduces your stress level, improves your outlook, relaxes your body, and makes your life enjoyable. there is an unmistakable freedom that follows contentment: a freedom to be who you are, enjoy who you are, and live the life you were destined to live.
yet in our consumeristic-culture where discontent is promoted and material gratification is encouraged, learning to be content can be very difficult. it is certainly a personal journey that we all must travel and nobody’s journey will look the same. truly, there is no one-size-fits-all, seven-step program to fully-attain contentment in your life… but here are six keys that have helped us further develop contentment in our lives:
1. become grateful. it is impossible to develop contentment without gratitude – they are inseparable. and a grateful person is one who has learned to focus on the good things in their life, not the things that they lack. when you begin to question what you have to be grateful for, just start making a list – a literal list of all the good things in your life. don’t worry about finishing, you don’t need to. the simple discipline of beginning the exercise will undoubtedly shift your focus back to the many good things you already have.
2. take control of your attitude. a person who lacks contentment in their life will often engage in “when and then thinking” – “when i get _______, then i will be happy.” instead take control of your own life. remember, your happiness is not reliant on the acquisition of any possession. your happiness is based solely on your decision to be happy – and this may be one of the most important life lessons you can ever learn.
3. break the habit of satisfying discontentment with acquisitions. for many of us, it has been ingrained into our lives that the proper way to diffuse discontent is to purchase the outward item that is seemingly causing the discontentment. almost no energy is spent determining the true root of the discontent. are you dissatisfied with your wardrobe? go buy new clothes. not content with your vehicle? go buy a new one. we have gotten into the habit of satisfying our discontent by simply spending more money. we must break that habit. understand that material possessions will never fully satisfy the desires of your heart (that’s why discontent always returns). the next time you recognize discontentment surfacing in your life, refuse to give into that bad habit. instead, commit to better understand yourself and why the lack of that item is causing discontent. only after you intentionally break this habit will true contentment begin to surface.
4. stop comparing yourself to others. comparing your life with someone else’s will always lead to discontentment. there will always be people who “appear” to be better off than you and seemingly living the perfect life. but be advised, we always compare the worst of what we know about ourselves to the best assumptions that we make about others. their life is never as perfect as your mind makes it out to be. you are unique. you are special. and it’s always better that way.
5. help others. when you begin helping others, sharing your talents, time and money, you will find yourself learning to be content. the practice will give you a finer appreciation for what you own, who you are, and what you have to offer.
6. be content with what you have, never with what you are. never stop learning, growing, or discovering. take pride in your personhood and the progress that you have made, but never become so content that you cannot find room for improvement. contentment is not the same as complacency. as soon as you stop growing, you start dying.
30 dumb inventions
here is a list of 30 dumb inventions as photographed by life magazine. an appropriate alternate title could be “30 more things i’ll never need to buy.” the list includes a motorized surfboard, a cigarette umbrella for rainy days, and illuminated tires for your vehicle.
rhee’s story
recently, rhee shared her story of becoming minimalist through our share your story page. we hope you will enjoy it as much as we enjoyed it.
Hello, my name is Rhee and I’m from the Philippines. I met my Life Coach last September when I thought my life was in total chaos or disorder. She fed me alot of thoughts about the so many ways on how I could improve my lifestyle and my life itself. She did all these things for free, I didn’t pay her anything but an endless Thank you. I was so lucky because the truth is she helps others too but with a certain amount like 500 dollars for an hour. See how lucky I am? Not only that, she is a Minimalist and I came across this website last week when she told me to read about minimalism.
The moment I read about the stories here, I knew that my life’s going to change in another aspect. I love things, I love keeping old things, old papers which are of no use, old clothes I thought I could still wear someday and a lot more. I moved to a smaller apartment last week as well, and it is only then that I realized I have been keeping a lot of these stuff. So after reading all I can in your website, I stayed all night last Friday and Saturday and sorted everything I can. I threw away those useless papers which I only kept for old time’s sake. Packed some clothes which are ready to go to anyone who would like them. Gathered all accessories I no longer use and more. I was so tired and irritated at the same time because I do not know where to put the other stuff that I have. Of course there are still that I cannot let go because of sentimental value, but I know that I’ll be able to finish everything well. I have started a life of a minimalist, I’m turning 24 and I know it’s never too late to declutter.
Today when I arrived in the office I gave away some clothes, accessories and other things and they were all gone in less than 10 minutes. 
I’ve never felt so glad. I don’t feel so light yet since I know I still have to give up a lot of things so I can fully live a minimalist life, but I know I’ll get things done soon.
Thanks for the inspiration. Your site is a big help.
hooray for you rhee. we have a special fondness for people who are just finding minimalism and beginning their journey. i’m sure it will lead to less chaos and more oder in your life.
we are always looking for more stories to share. consider sharing yours.
potential
you will never become greater than that which you most desire.
the new neighbor
leaning on his fence one day, a devout quaker was watching a new neighbor move in next door. after all kinds of modern appliances, electronic gadgets, plush furniture, and costly wall hangings had been carried in, the onlooker called over, “if you find you’re lacking anything, neighbor, let me know and i’ll show you how to live without it.”
benefit #27 – get out of debt
“A debtor is a slave to his creditor.”
i was inspired by a news story that i heard recently. emanuel and sheree dixson became only the second family in the history of knoxville habitat for humanity to pay off their mortgage. they purchased the home in 1998 and retired the mortgage seven years ahead of schedule by making extra payments at every opportunity. earlier this month, emanuel left for his second tour of duty in iraq.
i heard sheree interviewed on a morning news show. when asked how they were able to accomplish this task and pay off their mortgage so early, she said, “we work hard. we clip coupons. we buy generic products. and we are careful to only buy the things that we need.”
i have written previously on the financial benefits of living a minimalist lifestyle. one result of this financial benefit is the ability to get out of debt, stay out of debt, or never go into debt in the first place.
we all know people (or maybe we are living it ourselves) who have gotten caught under the crippling weight of financial debt and can never seem to get ahead. now, they find themselves living a life not for themselves, but simply for their creditors… and that is no way to live.
buy only the things you really need. live a minimalist life. stay out of debt. and enjoy the freedom that comes from refusing to be a slave to your creditors!
to see our family’s spending plan: a guide to control your spending.
to read more benefits of minimalism: benefits of minimalism.
eric lewis on minimalism
cartoon by eric lewis, the new yorker, november 18, 2002
car-free living
i own a car. i drive it everyday. i’m pretty sure i could never live without one. there’s a chance you are in the same situation.
or maybe you are not. maybe living without a vehicle is not quite so out-of-reach for your lifestyle. maybe living without a vehicle is just the step you need to take to start saving money or getting healthy. if so, you may be interested to hear that tammy strobel at rowdykittens.com has just released a new e-book titled “simply car-free. how to pedal toward financial freedom and a healthier life.” if the idea of living without a vehicle is an idea that intrigues you… you may enjoy taking a look. the e-book currently sells for $9.95.
people who choose minimalism as a lifestyle may face any number of doubters – these may be friends, colleagues, or parents. but what do you do when the biggest doubter of all is usually your biggest supporter? when the person you have chosen to live life with the closest, doesn’t see the benefits to your decision? when the person you love the most doesn’t support the new you? and the fact that you live together only complicates the issue… you share one space and so does your stuff.
when my wife and i decided to become minimalist, we agreed together to pursue this new lifestyle. but, we’ve still had plenty of disagreements along the way about how much stuff to unload, how much stuff to keep, and how our purchasing habits would change. our two most common areas of disagreement seem to revolve around clothing and childrens’ toys. because we are not always on the same page, we have learned to compromise together.
but what should be done when your partner is on the complete opposite side of the spectrum – you are pursuing minimalism but your partner is a self-described hoarder or packrat. what steps can help these two lifestyles coexist?
1. refuse to let stuff separate you. i have heard from a number of people who have taken steps to minimalize their life, but in the process they have become so frustrated with their partner that they have allowed strife and resentment to set in. refuse to let that happen. remember, you chose minimalism for a reason – most likely, you chose minimalism because you were frustrated with material things cluttering your life and preventing you from truly living it. you decided that you valued other things more than your possessions… like relationships with the people you love. if that is the case, it would be foolish to allow things (even if they are your partner’s) to again come between you and your most treasured relationship. your loved ones are just too important. realize that you can’t change someone else. instead, rest patiently being assured that 50% minimalism is better than 0%.
2. begin by purging your personal items. resist the temptation to remove your partner’s belongings without permission. start with your own stuff and minimalize as much as you can without treading on shared territory. you may be surprised how much clutter you can remove from your home just by removing your own things.
3. let your example speak for itself. certainly, explain to your partner why you have chosen a minimalist lifestyle. but as much as you desire to debate and verbally convince your partner to choose it too, your actions will always speak louder than your words. allow the benefits of your clutter-free life to do their own convincing. a clean, clutter-free side of your closet will always be far more convincing than a thorough explanation of the 80/20 principle. and a refreshingly stress-free desktop or nightstand will begin to look very attractive to your partner the first time they misplace something important.
4. find common ground. likely, there are some commonly used areas in your home that you can both agree need some uncluttering. whether it be a junk drawer, a linen closet, the kitchen cabinets, or the garage, even the worst of hoarders can typically come to the rational conclusion that something can be better organized (no matter how small the area). ask your partner about specific areas in your home that you would like to declutter. you just may be surprised how verbally supportive they can be when you get specific about what you would like to accomplish.
5. be patient. remember that one of the markings of love is patience.
6. if the refusal to minimalize their possessions is systemic of deeper issues, tread wisely. it is very possible that there may be some deep heart wounds that are causing your partner to be a hoarder. your partner may be insecure and find their security in the things that they own. your partner may have such a strong desire to impress others that they depend on their belongings for their purpose. or their hoarding may be a symptom of ocd or another medical disorder. in any case, the correct step is to tread lightly and find your partner the support and help that they need.
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