14 years ago, I chose to become minimalist.
If you’re new to this site, you should know I didn’t start my life trying to own less. Quite the opposite actually. I chased society’s definition of success in most of the usual ways.
As a result, pay increases resulted in larger homes, with more rooms, filled with more and more stuff. Our income may have been modest, but our spending was not.
My neighbor first introduced me to the word “minimalism” while I was cleaning out my garage. I was frustrated that Saturday morning at how much wasted time and energy (and money) had gone into the project—especially considering all the things I wish I was doing instead.
With that frustration fresh on my mind, when she brought up the idea of intentionally owning less, I was drawn to the possibilities immediately—the life-giving benefits of owning less are not difficult to imagine once you open up your mind to the possibility.
Over the past 14 years, my life has changed dramatically. I typically use this weekend, each year, to reflect on some of the changes that have occurred since choosing minimalism. Here are some of my previous posts:
8 Ways Minimalism has Changed My Perspective
6 Reasons to Embrace Minimalist Living
5 Life-Giving Truths from 5 Years of Living with Less
3 Life-Changing Truths from 3 Years of Minimalism
This year, I find myself reflecting on how my definition of success has changed and where I now find pride in life.
If most of the world is looking for pride in their assets and the square footage of their home, minimalism has prompted me to begin looking elsewhere. Many will consider the pursuit and accumulation of material possessions as a badge of honor. But they are mistaken.
There are better places to find pride than in stockpiles of unnecessary possessions. (tweet that)
Here are 11 Better Places to Find Pride in Life:
1. Owning only what you need. I’m not sure why society has deemed excess possessions a symbol of success. When you really stop to think about the foolishness of spending money, time, and energy on things we don’t need, it’s actually an odd pursuit. Instead, let’s find pride in our ability to discern our actual needs and craft our purchases around them.
2. Living in a smaller home. The average American home has tripled in size in the last 50 years and other nations are not far behind. My family moved into a smaller home 11 years ago and I’d never trade it for something bigger. I’m proud to own only what we need in terms of square footage—you should be too.
3. Contributing to charity. There are countless injustices and needs in this world. From orphan care and poverty to disease, war and oppression. Being generous with our excess dollars by donating to organizations and causes changing the world for good is one of the most honorable (and fulfilling) things we can do with our money.
4. Spending time on things that matter. We all have a limited number of days and hours to live our lives. As Tom Osborne once said, “You can always make more money, but you can never make more time.” To know that we spent our time on things that matter and allocated our energy effectively is among the greatest decisions we can make.
5. Becoming less enamored with money. Money provides for our needs and it is important to provide for our families. But the desire for money, for too many people, has become an unquenchable thirst. The modern definition of success and the American Dream seems to encourage that pursuit. I think it’s important to work hard, but not always for the sake of adding zeroes to our bank account.
6. Being an engaged parent and faithful spouse. Among the highest callings on our life is to be faithful to our vows and healthy consistency in raising the next generation of human beings. If you are keeping both a priority, you ought to find pride in that decision.
7. Finding opportunity to positively inspire others. Legacy is inevitable. In one way or another, your life is going to live on in the memories of those you impacted. If you have lived your days looking for opportunity to give life and make a positive difference, you will leave this world with a legacy you can be proud of.
8. Contributing to a better world. A mentor once told me, “Leave every room nicer than you found it.” He was speaking specifically of campsites, restrooms, or rented facilities. But I have taken his words and tried to apply them to my life in totality—that I would leave this world better than I found it. That my life would be a net positive on the human race.
9. Making the most of your current situation. It is unfair to compare people based on where they end up in life—nobody begins from the same spot. As the old adage goes, “Some people are born on third base and go through life thinking they hit a triple.” It’s never fair to assume everybody should be at the same finish line. However, everybody can start where they are, with what they’ve got, and make the most of their current circumstances.
10. Treating others the way you want to be treated. Remaining true to our conscience and character is among the highest of callings on our life. Of course, there are various definitions of morality and some may change from person to person. But the Golden Rule serves as a good measure for all of us. If you’ve spent your life treating others the way you want to be treated, I’d say you’ve got lots to be proud of.
11. Living life true to your calling. Society shifts as often as the wind and the pressure to conform is unrelenting. But there is no pride to be found following the crowd—at least not in any pursuit that distracts from your highest calling. Ralph Waldo Emerson captured the struggle well, “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”
There are pursuits in life that contribute to pride and life satisfaction. And there are pursuits that do not. Choose the former. Always.
Further Reading
Maxim Dsouza says
Nothing more important than “Spending time on things that matter”. It is pretty common to indulge ourselves in jobs that we hate to make money to buy things that we don’t enjoy.
Wish everyone made their lives simpler and chased only what mattered to their deep inner selves.
Tiffany says
Thank you for this post and continually inspiring me. I found your blog in my pursuit of happiness and contentment a few years ago and you have always been so relatable.
Zoë says
Lately I have been going through my room and trying to get rid of as many things as possible in order to have more space and time. I am by no means minimalist, but I am far less possessive over items than I use to be, which has made my life so much easier!!
Erin says
I love this article in so many ways. Great idea to take time each year to measure progress. We’re on the right path but still haven’t fully escaped the rat race
laura ann says
Contributing to charities: We do, but it’s important to put money away before retirement into some type of savings or investment (bonds, etc), because retirement comes sooner than you think. Several friends have ongoing medical expenses of various types and had to stop giving to local charities, giving what they can to their church. Fortunately we have good insurance (military retirement) whereas many don’t. Something to think about because I know of several people that went bankrupt from catastropic illness, and ended up on medicaid and food stamps.
Mari R says
That’s right. We have to take care of ourselves first to serve others. Love God, love yourself, then love people. Its everyday version is putting an oxygen mask on yourself first, then on your seat mate.
Lanora says
86% of health is what you eat.
So invest in stewardship of body.
Mike Wanek says
I rejoice in the fact that there are still multitudes of people in the world that understand and try to live the truths which you have expressed. Stuff is just part of the masks folks wear in order to hide from reality. Kudos Joshua.
Marisel Hernandez says
Such great article! Some of these reminded me of bible principles that we should all apply in our lives to live a happy and meaningful life. Thank you and Happy ‘Minimalist’ Anniversary!
Helen Picca says
These 11 places are the key to finding happiness. Four years ago, we got rid of all our “stuff” including a 2700 sq ft house and moved to a little cottage we rent by the sea. Couldn’t be happier and more grateful. The simplicity of life can be so refreshing and allow one to discover the importance of nature, eating good quality, locally harvested food, and spending time with those you love. Thank you for all your insight and for spreading the secret to a happy life!
Judie Sigdel says
Thank you for this wonderful post! I appreciate you drawing attention to the things that matter.
Christine says
Loved this writing. That said, I was troubled by the making of “pride” as a goal. Pride can be, and more often than not is, a self focused emotion. Pride in truth does not honor the tenants of thinking of others that this writing so eloquently describes. I would rather have a goal of wellbeing and peace, or inner joy that others are being helped than one of pride for my self because I made certain choices. Perhaps the goal of inner freedom from our personal fear and greed is the quality to be sought after and embraced. The old adage “pride goes before the fall” I believe to resonate with truth.
joshua becker says
Thanks for the comment Christine. I disagree. I think there are moments in life when it is proper and acceptable to feel pride for the life you have lived. The problem arises when people find pride in the wrong places.
Denise says
I think you are both correct, it’s just that the English language just doesn’t have sufficient words to describe the emotion “pride”. It’s like the word “love”, there are more than emotion we are restrained to describe using that single word. Great post.
Judy says
I am proud of all that I have accomplished. God gets the glory, but I’ve certainly done my part too.
Summer says
There are two distinct types of pride, I think: One is the haughty, self-aggrandizing hubris that sets oneself apart in one’s own mind as being better than one’s company. (It can also set oneself apart as “worse than”–hubris turned on its head.) The other type of pride is better described as being not ashamed. It connects us instead of setting us apart. That’s the kind of pride we’re going for.
Laura says
I agree with this comment. You shouldn’t donate or be proud that you are faithful to your spouse. Those are natural things that come out as fruit from a person’s character. I found this article odd as a goal of things to be proud of. These are minimum expectations you should have of yourself.
Margo says
Interesting. I have just found a book online with the title “Courage is Calling” by Ryan Holiday. It is supposed to describe the possible quality and predisposition we have dealing with adversity either with dignity like in death, and grieving, or the virtue that we can embodied in our daily life as we are parenting and showing by example of accountability. It seems like this book is basically, about what one “should” do or don’t to change and “to feel pride for the life you have lived”. I have checked out the book from my lib. and have not been able to be seriously to settle into this mindset of his book. That’s just me being skeptic.