“Change the way you look at things and the things you look at will change.” —Wayne Dyer
Eight years ago, on May 26, 2008, my life changed forever.
After spending most of my Memorial Day Weekend cleaning the garage, I struck up a conversation with my neighbor. As I recall, we were lamenting the fact that our day had been wasted taking care of things we owned.
It wasn’t a long conversation, but it was long enough for her to introduce me to the idea of minimalism—that there is more joy to be found owning less than we can ever discover pursuing more.
I actually needed very little convincing. My 5-year old son playing alone in the backyard was all the proof I needed that I owned too much stuff—and it was getting in the way of the life I wanted to live.
Over the course of the next 9 months, my wife and I went through every room in our home getting rid of anything and everything we didn’t need. In total, roughly 2/3 of our possessions were recycled, donated, or thrown away.
To journal the progress, I started a blog, Becoming Minimalist. Now, eight years into its existence, it has reached millions of people around the world with the life-giving message of owning less.
Little did I know, at the time, how much my life would change. But as I look back at the last eight years, I can see how becoming a minimalist has caused my perspective on life to change in very significant ways.
Here are eight that come to mind:
Money. Like most people, growing up, I wanted to be rich. I used to think about it, dream about it, and pursue it. But now, after finding contentment with less, I no longer have a desire for riches. Henry David Thoreau said it like this “I make myself rich by making my wants few.” Now, not only do I no longer desire to be wealthy, I plainly see the temptation and the trap that often ensnares those who do.
Work. Some people view work as a means to get rich—and that’s too bad. Others, on the other hand, can’t wait to escape work, even embracing minimalism as a means to that end. But I see it differently. Minimalism has allowed me to see work as a means to personal fulfillment—not because of the paycheck that it produces, but in the good I can bring to society through it.
Generosity. I now understand that the most fulfilling thing we can ever do with our money is give it away. Most of us desire to be generous people. Buying less makes that possible.
Culture. Minimalism has allowed me to see the world around me in a new way. Very early in my minimalist journey, while doing research for this blog, I stumbled upon The Story of Stuff on YouTube. It changed my perspective on society almost immediately. I began to see how overconsumption is encouraged in every aspect of our economy—from fashion and furnishings to food and housing. And once you see it, you can never unsee it.
Spirituality. There is little doubt that almost every respected religious leader that has stood the test of time has espoused the value and importance of simplicity. For most of my life, I considered this a call to sacrifice—that I should give up “the good life” so others might benefit. However, since discovering and experiencing the benefits of minimalism, I have begun to recognize these teachings are not burdensome at all. They are invitations to a better way of life unburdened with needless weight.
Happiness. I’ve studied quite a bit about happiness over the past eight years. But if I could sum up everything I’ve learned into one sentence, it would be this, “Happiness is not something to be chased or discovered through external circumstances, happiness is a decision we make every single day.” And that makes experiencing it so much easier.
Relationships. I’ve always understood the importance of strong relationships—minimalism has not changed that. But minimalism has caused me to recognize how often we sacrifice those relationships for less important pursuits. And recognizing how those pursuits often distract from the more important ones is the very foundation of minimalism.
Success and Competition. For most of my life, I viewed the opportunity for success as finite—that every time somebody else reached a height of success, it was one less opportunity for me. This often resulted in jealousy and envy. Today, I see it differently. There are countless opportunities to succeed in living meaningful lives. And often times, the quickest way for each of us to succeed in life is to help someone else succeed in theirs.
It’s been a pretty crazy eight years. Looking back on that Saturday morning, I never would have imagined that it would eventually lead to writing books, founding nonprofits, and being on television and in newspapers.
But then again, I had no idea how minimalism would change everything about me—in both my practice and my perspective.
Clint says
“Happiness is not something to be chased or discovered through external circumstances, happiness is a decision we make every single day.”
That hit home.
Susan says
I have to be honest: I’ve heard this quote about “choosing to be happy” a zillion times, and I still can’t understand it, let alone embrace it. I don’t want to go into details, but my life is very unhappy, and even harder, most of the problems are ones I do not have control over. Plus, suffering from depression that is resistant to all meds tried so far adds to the despair. I at least do meditate on what I have to be grateful for.
Jan says
I am trying to embrace minimalism also and am re-inspired by your post so thank you for that. One thing I struggle with though, is the fine line between not being wasteful and being archaic! Is it possible to be both minimalist and modern/contemporary? Surely I am still minimalist by virtue of having not much and it’s ok to have those few things new?
Li says
I love what I read in Joshua’s emails! And I love reading everyone’s comments! They are so encouraging!
I don’t know where to begin! I want to have a simpler life and get rid of STUFF! But when I approach an area of my house to begin going through stuff, I never get anywhere! I can’t make decisions as to what goes and what stays! I make excuses like I’ll need it someday! I don’t know what to do! I feel like a failure!
Jan says
Li,
have you read The Life Changing Magic of Tidying? https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B00I0C46BO/ref=oh_aui_d_detailpage_o09_?ie=UTF8&psc=1 it has very structured approaches to help you decide what to keep. It truly was life changing for me. I am yet to convert my family though!
AGS says
A strategy that worked well for me, was to make the decision so rediculously small, that I could easily accomplish it. I started with a corner of a small room, where my husband housed boxes of old papers. I did him the courtesy of actually reviewing the old papers. Going through a couple boxes took me half a day. Then I went back to the same corner and tackled another couple boxes. And so on. After a month, we could see the carpet. Then I tackled another part of the corner. Countless shredding/burning/throw-outs later, the corner is now less cluttered, and we can use the space for the items we really want. I’ve repeated this effort so many times over the past two years in all parts of the house, and our house is remarkably improved. I spend much less time cleaning/organizing (which was my intent)
Perhaps for you, it’s as simple and just starting with the “1 box” mentality. You aren’t a failure. I’m the only one doing this in my family, and everyone likes the outcome, but no one helps. It’s tiring! Every box, bag, folder counts!
Sunday Arenas says
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SHARING THIS, SIR. I’M STARTING TO LOVE THE IDEA OF MINIMALISM, TOO.:)
Sal says
Wow I watched the story of stuff. We have been ‘becoming minimalist’ as a family for over a year now. If we didn’t need it to, this seals the deal. My kids are set on saving the world. Bedtime devotion turned in to a manifesto. Watch out world. 6 homeschool kids with time on their hands are on it! Seriously, though. It’s overwhelming. Minimalism is a start. But we have to do more. Wow is this message an important one.
Tyson Popplestone says
Great write up once again man.
I’m in the middle of reading Henry Thoreau’s ‘Walden’. It’s blowing my mind on the subject of what I want vs what I need.
Have you read it?
Recommend it man!
Angela says
I’ve never really liked ‘stuff’ much. Always found it a burden.
Grateful now that others feel the same & that I’m not so odd after all. Not that I ever thought I was the only one who felt like that.
By the way, what does June think about all this?
Love everything about what you write about.
Best wishes,
Angela
Tyson Popplestone says
I was exactly the same Angela. I always felt as though my headspace was a lot more clear when I didn’t have a lot of clutter around me.
It was so comforting to realise there were a lot of people on the same page!
RyAnn says
Thank you, Joshua, for all you’ve done to change my life and the lives of so many others, for the better. You are such an inspiration.
Sandra says
Inspired by your words, my husband, Tony and I gave away 2016 items in 2016. It was liberating and all the things you said it would be.
Shelly says
Thanks so much for sharing all that you have learned throughout your journey. It’s so inspiring to read all the validating comments from others, too. I’m so ready to embrace this lifestyle…