Never underestimate the importance of removing stuff you don’t need.
Encouragement provides us with motivation to persevere. It invites us to dream dreams of significance for our lives. And it begs us to work diligently with optimism and promise.
Overcoming the pull of consumerism is a difficult challenge regardless of our stage in life. Simplicity requires encouragement. To that end, I hope you will find motivation in these articles below.
Each post was intentionally chosen to inspire simplicity in your life. For maximum effect, find a quiet moment this weekend and enjoy them with a fresh cup of coffee or tea.
Is America Suffering a ‘Social Recession’? | The Guardian by Anton Cebalo. Polling in America has demonstrated a marked decline in all spheres of social life, including close friendships, intimate relationships, trust, labor participation and community involvement.
Why Having A Minimalist Living Style May Be Good For Your Health | Glam by Amanda Vining. An excess of items in your environment can result in increased anxiety, frustration, and the hormone cortisol, which is produced in our bodies when we feel stressed.
Can You Treat Yourself While Living Minimally? | The Simplicity Habit by Cora Gold. Being a minimalist doesn’t have to mean always going without. It just looks different.
Why Minimalism Might Make You Happy Even If You’re Skeptical | No Sidebar by Karen Trefzger. Minimalism is about removing the things you don’t need or want in order to make time and space for the things you value. If you care about restoring an old car or creating a setup for model trains, you can still do either of those things as a minimalist.
7 Secrets to Simple Living: The Ultimate Guide for 2023 | Heart’s Content Farmhouse by Katie Shaw. Stop chasing more… bigger… busier. When you embrace simple living, you can be content with what you have.
Recently Released Inspiring Videos
15 Little Changes You Can Make in Your Home to Help It Serve You Better | YouTube by Joshua Becker. Does managing and maintaining your home cause you stress? If so, here are 15 easy ways to make caring for your your home less stressful.
The One Sentence You Need Each Day to Set Your Intention | YouTube by Joshua Becker. To choose a life that is not wasted, but to center our energies on pursuits of lasting value is one of the best decisions we can make.
This article speaks to the motivation we need to simplify our lives. Perhaps some find that chasing trends and possessions, a form of Bad Parenting to themselves, leads to unhappiness. Like in a frustrating game, we need to reset and focus on what truly matters. These articles offer a chance to step away from the social “recession” and find joy in simplicity. It’s a level we all deserve to unlock.
Thank you for sharing, Joshua. I appreciate you and your thoughts on minimalism. I’m figuring out what matters. Thank you
Oh boy…for sure you were reading my mind when i.woke up this morning. “Make your bedroom your project today”
And behold I stumbled into your article ” count my blessings right.
Thank you Joshua 🥰
Yep I was thinking start w/closet, and the rest you, Joshua mentioned. Thank you.jb
I do like the concept of minimalism with more open spaces, that less is more, and making room for the things we love. However, I have observed some of the homes that have embraced extreme minimalism and I find they appear cold. The cushions are gone from the sofa, the walls are empty, the book shelves surrounding the fireplace are empty of family treasures and books. I do not like clutter but I felt sad for this family.
Joshua, why is it that every “weekend read” now contains an enormous amount of ads that must be waded through in order to read about how to cut down on buying more?! Doesn’t that seem incredibly hypocritical to you? I have always enjoyed the reading selections but haven’t had time in a good while, so thought I’d take time this morning. What I found was that the continuous string of interruptive ads made it actually stressful to read, not calming like it used to be. What a disappointment that even here, in a place that is devoted to encouraging less materialism, principles lose and the dollar still wins. Very disappointing and sad…
Must be your settings, I didn’t get any ads.
Thanks for the comment and feedback Suzanne. I don’t have any ads on Becoming Minimalist, that’s the website I control. I don’t have any say or control in how others craft their website. Nor from the beginning, did I ever make a principled decision to only link to ad-less websites. (I don’t get paid for ads on someone else’s website.)
Suzanne, you’re absolutely right – the constant barrage of ads on many sites is truly nonstop. Ad-blockers help, but in the end I’ve pretty much stopped visiting any blogs or websites that use them.
(It almost goes without saying – this site is a breath of fresh air!).
Very good articles. Thank you for sharing them.
You are welcome.
I agree!
Many interesting articles. I most certainly fall under the American suffering from social recession. If I could put my finger on when I wanted to lock myself away I would say about 5-6 years ago. I couldn’t attend gatherings without political battles breaking out. Then came Covid and more medical/political battles. Then the upswing in gun violence and who the perpetrators surely are. Then immigration. On and on whether it’s family or friends. We don’t engage, we just listen. I’m worn thin from it all. My husband and I still socialize but on a much more limited bases.
I treated myself to wool socks. I’ve found I prefer them in warm and cold weather. They even make them for sneakers and ballet flats! My plan is to get rid of a bunch of other socks, since I haven’t been wearing them, any way. 😊