Minimalism is the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of anything that distracts us from it. It requires a conscious decision because it is a countercultural lifestyle that stands against the culture of overconsumption that surrounds us.
The world we live in is not friendly to the pursuit of minimalism. Its tendencies and relentless advertising campaigns call us to acquire more, better, faster, and newer. The journey of finding simplicity requires consistent inspiration.
For that reason, I hope you will make an effort this weekend to find a quiet moment with a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy some of these hand-picked articles to encourage more simplicity in your life.
If Getting Back to Normal Means Mindless Shopping, Forget It | The Guardian by Suzanne Moore. The cycle of consumption has been transformed by the pandemic and we have seen through the miserable con of ‘retail therapy.’
7 Things I Love About Minimalism | Medium by Megan Holstein. Minimalism saves time, saves money, and makes me a better person.
The True Essence of Minimalism, and How You Can Live It | Pop! by Nel Villagracia. Minimalism isn’t just about living in an empty space and wearing black and white clothes every day. It’s a state of mind that goes much deeper than what it looks like on the surface.
Your To-Do List Is, in Fact, Too Long | Harvard Business Review by Peter Bregman. The one-thing list reflects a strategic and intentional choice about what you will do next and continue to focus on until it’s done.
What is the Diderot Effect? (And How to Overcome It) | Joshua Becker on YouTube
Maria Pinto says
I witnessed some mindless consumerism on Sunday. Having just moved I was in need of a few furniture items and decided to go to Ikea. The weather has been about 110 all weekend and when I arrived at the store there was literally 200 people standing in line, in the heat, not socially distancing, waiting to go shopping. There were also many children in line as well.
In California the smoke from the fire is toxic which combined with the Covid is a toxic recipe for disaster. No shopping is worth risking one’s health.
Hannah says
I had the same experience at IKEA and was not thrilled. Went home and ordered the item I needed online, via their click and collect option. Received an email when it was ready, parked in the designated click and collect parking area, entered via the returns/exchanges doorway (not the main entrance), showed my ID and was driving away from the store within 5-7 minutes. Incredibly easy experience without the mindless browsing or excessive crowds, a welcome difference from the usual IKEA experience!
Maria Pinto says
Yes Francine that reminds me of an old Twilight Zone episode where each teenager has to go through a conversion to a “new body” with only two models to pick from.
Conformity kills individuality, and what a boring world it would be when some people strive to look like one another.