Living in today’s world means being constantly surrounded by a culture of consumerism, where value is routinely assigned to how much we own, how much money we spend, how expensive our possessions are, and often times, how much we can show off to others.
But there is another way to approach life—one that offers freedom and meaning and satisfaction beyond material wealth. It’s called minimalism.
Consumerism, the relentless pursuit of buying and owning more, is a treadmill that never stops. It promises happiness around the next corner, with the next purchase. However, the joy derived from a new acquisition fades quickly, always leaving us longing for the next best thing.
This endless cycle of desire and disappointment leaves us with cluttered homes, strained wallets, and distracted minds.
Contrast this with minimalism, an intentional decision to own less and live more. When you choose minimalism, you choose freedom—freedom from debt, freedom from clutter, freedom from the passion to possess, and freedom from the stress that comes with simply maintaining too many possessions.
Minimalism frees up not just physical space, but mental space as well, allowing us to focus on what truly enriches our lives. When the pursuit of material possessions is removed from our affections, we are freed to discover a new (and better) way to live. Minimalism isn’t about removing joy but about making more room for it.
It’s about embracing gratitude for what we already have. Instead of seeking the next shiny object, we take time to appreciate the blessings already present in our lives and look for better ways to contribute.
By choosing minimalism, we decouple our self-worth from our belongings. We reject the narrative that equates happiness with material accumulation. In doing so, we free ourselves to live for relationships, development, and contribution.
Owning less is better than accumulating more. Minimalism allows us to reclaim our time, our finances, our spaces, and our peace of mind.
But minimalism isn’t solely about personal gain. By stepping off the consumer treadmill, we are better able to contribute to our communities and the world. Free from the pressure to constantly acquire, we find ourselves with more resources—time, money, and energy—to give to causes that truly matter to us.
Remember, minimalism is never a one-size-fits-all philosophy. It’s not about fitting your life into a prescribed box. It’s about making room for more—more peace, more experiences, more growth, more contentment, more of what truly matters to you.
Minimalism is the intentional promotion of our greatest values by removing anything that distracts us from them.
So, consider this your invitation to step off the path of consumerism and begin your journey towards minimalism.
It’s a choice to live a fuller, more intentional life.
Minimalism is about living more by owning less.
By choosing minimalism, you’re not just enriching your own life but also making a conscious decision to contribute to the world around you. Now, doesn’t that sound amazing?
You never know how much stuff you have until you move from an eight room home to a two-room apartment lol.. less is definitely more, there’s nothing that I got rid of that I miss or need. The amount of time and money to maintain a big property and home is mind-boggling in comparison. 😊
Ditto.. did the same last year and it’s very liberating!!
I have neglected my life for others the last few years. I have a lot of work to do to become clutter free. I love books. Whenever I see them for free, I pick them up. I also have a lot of clothes.
I too have devoted my time to loved ones , who have now passed.. I also have lots of clutter in my life , which needs to be set free…I have books, clothes, kitchen equipment etc… Let the feeling free process begin 😊
Same! I love books too. But when I moved from my house I had to call the library to come get them, I had over 600 books. There really was no practical reason to have that many books. Anything I want to read I can get online or at the local library. Same with music.
“Minimalism is the intentional promotion of our greatest values by removing anything that distracts us from them.”
~Joshua Becker
This was so well written with such valid points!! I agree that essentially, less is more.
So well written. Echoes my intention to live without the self imposed shackles of consumerism and frees me to live more like a butterfly.
Amen,
It’s important to understand the difference between processing & releasing. I myself have become accustomed to consuming without limits. I look forward to challenging myself.
How do you let go of your possessions.
I really want to become a minimalist but I can’t stop thinking about all the wasted money.
Holding on to items you don’t need won’t bring back the money — it only reminds you every day of the money wasted and continue to add cost (mental and energy) to your life. Don’t feel guilty. This article might help: Feel Guilty Getting Rid of Stuff? Don’t.
I think it’s how you get rid of things, maybe a school, old people’s home or library might be able to use books. A single mother or playgroup could use toys. Furniture and household goods could go to people setting up new homes. it doesn’t have to go to a landfill. You (we) could be a blessing to many people.
Good insight. Love it!
This is the absolutely right!! Great point,we getting lost in life to worry about materials things and we can’t concentrate in our own life with out mentioned no space to learn about other important things in life.God bless the human race.
Thank you for this great article,truly i learn a lot from this and soon will embrace minimalism..
To me minimalism doesn’t mean getting rid of everything but keeping those things that mean something to you or that have a purpose. This us different for each person. For instance, I have a sizeable amount of Christmas items because they bring me joy.
It’s great reading this article. I personally have never been a recles consumer. I sometimes did buy things l didn’t necessarily need, but overall I never did overspend. I never had a car loan, instead l took public transport for a couple of years, saved up for a car which in turn l paid for with cash. I never ever had credit card debt, l pay the balance each month in full. I mainly use the card because of the cash back feature. (Before cash back l used debit cards) I lived in a nice, inexpensive, condominium in Miami Florida, with a beautiful swimming pool and basic gym facilities and relatively low association fees. I payed off the condo in just 5 years. I did spend money on a beautiful kitchen and bathroom, because l like being comfortable in my surroundings. I never made a lot of money, nor had stressful jobs, except for one corporate job which l left after less than 3 years. I’ve always been very active, swimming, walking 4 miles per day, light work-outs etc. Since organic food became more widely available l started exploring and consuming those products, more and more. I moved to another city, living, again, in a condo with great amenities which l payed for with the proceeds of the Miami condo. I am retired now, have savings, a small pension, social security which allows me a comfortable life. I always travel on a budget. I’m surrounded by nice people and friends, and a great dog! I count myself a very fortunate person.
❤️
Well done!
You seem to have an ideal life! I wish I had ‘ considered my options ‘ before life sort of caught up with me
Now I’m considering the future, but it’s a bit late!
Don’t despair, it’s never too late. Freeing yourself from stuff gives you more opportunity. I cannot wait to clear the shed of stuff, the only things being meaningful are my photographs which are my only memories of adventures and my family. The garden and plants bring me joy. Start now!
Never to late
God bless
It’s never too late 🥰
Living that life now of not owning but exploring new places the world offers, simply amazing how little one needs to be happy and to learn from other cultures that don’t have as much or the opportunity to advance but their happiness out weighs that of a person always looking for the next material gain,simply put their gain is seeing one another happy and content.
As we say simplicity is the key,minimalist I wanna adventure into it.