“Choices are the hinges of destiny.” – Pythagoras
Because of the nature of this website and our personal story, I have the opportunity to read scores of e-mails from people who have decided to choose minimalism as a lifestyle. Usually, I tell them the same thing, “Good for you. Enjoy the journey. You’ll never regret following through with your decision.”
And make no mistake about it, minimalism is a decision. It is a choice to live counter-cultural. We have been told since birth to consume and collect. Deciding to become a minimalist rejects those messages and intentionally chooses less instead.
While life is full of decisions, some of them are bigger than others. Some of life’s decisions can be made without much forethought. But other decisions should be made only after all of the consequences have been considered. Becoming minimalist is one of those decisions – it is not a decision to be entered into lightly. While on the surface, minimalism seems like just throwing away a bunch of clutter. It is, in fact, a journey that will ultimately end in your heart, mind, and soul.
Because of that, it would be wise to think through the impact that minimalism will have on your life before choosing it. Consider how this one decision will affect your entire world:
It will rock your emotions. As you begin to purge your possessions, you will begin to wrestle with the “why’s” of your belongings. “Why do I have a basement full of stuff I never use?” “Why have I held on to old t-shirts or jerseys from high school?” “Why have I never thrown away these mementos from a past romance?” or “Why exactly is it so difficult for me to part with these items?” The truth of the matter is that you have known all along the location of your garbage can, recycling bin, or local goodwill. You have kept all that stuff for a reason… and discovering that reason is going to be an emotional process.
It will rock your values. At its core, minimalism is the intentional promotion of the things you most value and the removal of anything that distracts you from it. In order to remove nonessential items from your life, you will need to identify the essentials. You will be forced to identify and prioritize your essential values… maybe even write them down. As a result, you may come to the difficult realization that you have spent much of your life pursuing things that aren’t really all that valuable.
It will rock your view of society. Our world invents, produces, promotes, and purchases material possessions at an alarming rate. Our world loves stuff. It’s how they find security, impress their neighbors, and prove their worth. Becoming minimalist not only changes your view of possessions, it changes your view of society, culture, and its messages. And while your mindset has changed, society has not. So be prepared, culture begins to look much different when you are on the outside looking in.
It will rock your lifestyle. There are countless practical benefits of minimalism. You will have more time, more freedom, more money, and less stress. Subsequently, your lifestyle will begin to change. You may choose to get out of debt, work less, travel more, or start blogging (at least, that’s what I did). No matter what you decide to do, minimalism is going to change your lifestyle.
It will rock your relationships. Once you have made the decision to become minimalist, you will find minimalism to be a topic of conversation that surfaces regularly. People will be intrigued with your new lifestyle and they will ask you about your progress. You will enjoy speaking about the positive impact that the decision has made on your life. And they will soon desire the freedom that you are enjoying.
It will rock areas of your life that you never dreamt possible. The principles of minimalism will eventually creep into other areas of your life. You will soon begin removing nonessential items elsewhere in your life. Eventually, you will simplify your time commitments, your goals, your screen time, and maybe even your diet. A simplified lifestyle naturally flows out of a minimalist lifestyle.
Minimalism is a lifestyle that should not be entered into lightly. But don’t get me wrong, minimalism is a lifestyle that should be entered.
Just consider how this one decision will affect your entire life:
- You will recognize emotions that are keeping you from living life.
- You will live life for things that are valuable and lasting.
- You will recognize the false truths championed by society.
- You will experience a lifestyle you never thought possible.
- You will inspire and encourage others to live in freedom.
- You will ultimately simplify almost every area of your life.
On the surface, minimalism seems like just throwing away a bunch of clutter. But it is, in fact, a journey that will end in your heart, mind, and soul. And that’s why you’ll never regret it.
Marci says
This weekend we started to de clutter, simplify , unload, minimalize!! What ever the word may be its been such a great feeling and we have asked ourselves why we have hauled all this stuff around for years or stored it in bins? We also have family dishes and items from great grands and grands etc …
My friend and I are doing a large bag a day at the least :)
Thanks for everyone sharing .. Soo good! I am encouraged!
Jack says
I discovered a secret I’d like to share with others.
Living in an old quality motor home is the cheapest way I’ve found to live. I bought a 1982 Blue Bird Wanderlodge (QUALITY) for $10K (paid cash) and live in an RV park for $400/month! There are so money advantages to living in an RV. I can move my house if I want, I’m totally self-contained if I need/want to be, only 280 sq-ft to heat/cool, no property taxes, no foreclosure, if rent goes up I can just move. No one ever shared this way of life with me–I thought it was just for old retired people with money. Older quality motor homes like Blue Birds can easily be bought for under $20K and they are built much better than any house I’ve owned. The only downside is I’m single and have had no luck finding a partner whom embraces this lifestyle.
Melissa says
I’ve been thinking of taking this on for quite some time now. It’s really difficult for me to imagine a life without all of the things I have but I know that there are other things which are more important to me. It seems like all of my possessions simply suck away my time, space and stress me out. I’m glad to initiate this journey.
Thank you for the wonderful article!
Greg says
I would like to weigh in and accomplish three things (forgive me I’m studying to become an English teacher at the community college level – so if you don’t get the joke you are probably better off). First is to thank joshua and responders for well-articulated and heart felt points made. Second is too deal with the whole age thing; and third ask for any constructive advice that may cross your mind. At sixty I find myself torn between wanting to live life for life’s sake (be here now) versus finally learning to store acorns for the winter – never done well. I have flirted with a few careers, the longest being thirteen years as a social worker, after earning an MSW during my forties. So, while many would say that it is.. well.. sexy to be a man whose passion is helping others, few would (understandably) argue that one should do so at his own expense (well-being). I do not want to turn this into something Freudian, I just want to say that I am struggling with whether to move to the country, live on a few veg planted acres, and live in a renovated school bus – and that dileema sums up my deep dark secret when it comes to dating. On the dating sites it seems that the vast majority of women have been world travelers – with photos for proof – and they enjoy the finer things in life. No jealousy, resentment, opposition here; I just don’t want to be part of all of that. . . and yet, I like to think that I am a man’s man (translates to not a macho bone in my body, but willing to sacrifice that body for those I love), but here’s another rub: “I loves me some shoes!” I have more than a few pairs and fine myself coveting my neighbors’ (though I hasten to add mens’. . .) Whew! so that’s what it feels like to come out! I guess what I’ve taken too much time and space to say is that I am afraid. I think that I love and accept myself. I don’t think that I am needy. I think that I can be happy on a five acre estate with a garden and trees, and dirt on my knees and my twelve year old dog, Daisy, who really does love me hangups, shoes and all. I would just prefer to do it with a partner, and I am trying to find the courage to attract, find, or manifest her, if you will. As such, whether you are young or old, sane or not, please just pick one or two points here and respond from the heart. Thanks for listening.
Greg says
Oops, spelling disclaimers regarding previous post from greg.
“too” should have been to. . . “deelemma” should have been dilemma. . . “fine” should have been find. These darned computers just don’t spell as well as the old school typewriters did – I apologize.
Deanna says
I am inspired. I have dreams of getting rid of all my stuff. The problem is the follow through. When I get to the bookshelf or to my closet, I start thinking that something is useful or that I might want it in the future. How do I overcome these things? Thank you.
Annemarie Lorenzini says
I loved this article! How can I keep getting your stuff!
ali d says
dang…how much of your precious time did it take to write that response? I’m sorry I wasted mine reading it and writing this comment.
di says
I thought you believed in minimalism.
Why are these posts becoming lengthier, more drawn out, taking more time to read, involving several concepts, repeating the same phrases, getting off the subject, taking longer to explain, extrapolating the obvious, reiterating what has been already said, not quite as short, taking up my precious time, becoming too involved, needing further explanation, assuming others are without logic or common sense, restating the same thing…
Greg says
Well said. Thanks. I’m new to this.
Eepers says
Di you are being too harsh. Minimalism does not equal misery and dumping negative emotions on others. There is something I think you need to let go of and it is not stuff. It probably started in your childhood. Think about it. Seriously.
Dana Drew says
A real estate agent once set me straight on how to sell a home. She said how a prospective buyer will not like a ‘junky’ looking place. After decluttering my home, I remember looking around and wondering why it couldn’t have looked that great all those years I was living there. My house sold very quickly soon after but I never forgot that wonderful junk-free look with the cleared off counters and tables! I then strived for this look in each new place I lived in.
Lately, I have been really wanting to apply this same principal to other areas of my life and this article gives some great suggestions to ponder. Wake up call – the part in your post about how we may come to realize that we have spent much of our lives pursuing things that aren’t really all that valuable. Ouch! That struck a nerve. Oh well, better late than never.
SilverOctopi says
So very well said. At first it’s just the idea of paring down your belongings, but it really is so much more than that in the end. I’ve been working on a minimalist lifestyle for the past year or so, and I’ve learned things I had no idea I was getting myself into – just from going through my stuff! As you said, there is a reason you’re keeping it, and behind the object is a lesson waiting to be learned and old emotional clutter waiting to be worked through. It will spring itself on you and ultimately you will be grateful. Although the brief period of therapy I’ve had was a tremendous help, minimalism is a very deep and effective therapy in its own right.
di says
As is this blog.