The true essence of a minimalist lifestyle is determining what provides us the most value
The true essence of a minimalist lifestyle is determining what provides us the most value in life and removing everything that is simply excess. It works on the concept that less is more. Minimalist living is about intention. You make room and time in your life for the things you love and eliminate everything that distracts you from them.
- It’s a very intentional way of living that gives rise to positive changes in almost all aspects of life.
- Choosing a minimalist lifestyle means choosing to live life with great purpose.
- A minimalist lifestyle involves living with fewer resources whether in terms of a house or possession.
- It is a part of the thought process how a person chooses to live with all the minimal things in life and yet be satisfied.
- A minimalist lifestyle is by no means a radical lifestyle but rather an optimal one.
- In a minimalist lifestyle, people let go of things they don’t need with ease and try to never purchase more than they actually need.
This is the basis of a minimalist lifestyle:
- Choosing to have experiences rather than things
- Choosing to live a life of freedom rather than “following a script”
- Choosing to live with less but live light
- Choosing to buy what we need and not what we want
- Find time for things that matter such as pursuing hobbies and indulging in activities that relax you
- Choosing to live in such a way that general waste and effect to the environment is minimized
What are the pros and cons of a minimalist lifestyle?
Living in a minimalistic way has proven to offer the following benefits:
- Instead of feeling like you need more, minimalism forces you to enjoy the things you already have.
- Because there’s less to worry about, you will have a clearer mind.
- Owning fewer possessions and living a minimalist life means that you have less to lose.
- You will experience less stress because you have less to worry about.
- Minimalist living forces you to remove a lot of stuff from your life which means there’s more space for other things in your life.
- It’s easier to save more money because you will be spending less.
- If you minimize the number of time commitments, you have more time left to do something you love.
- You will remove a lot of stuff that doesn’t really align with you and your lifestyle. Now, there’s more room to live your life connected to your true self.
- There’s more time to spend with people who mean the most to you.
- Minimalism leads to a lifetime of precious memories because you have more time and money than ever.
- Less stuff in your house means less cleaning.
- As a minimalist, you will not be over-consuming but rather living more in line with nature and its beauty.
- Everything less means more of what you’re doing now, for example, fewer priorities, commitments (urgency), tools, and choices.
- It is less stressful way of life.
Here are a few cons of living a minimalist life:
- Many people find it incredibly challenging to trade in their material possessions for a more minimalist life. In today’s digital age, with new trends popping up on the internet every day, there is a lot of peer pressure to keep up with the latest styles.
- Living without material possessions (shoes, clothes, and electronics) can seem unthinkable for many.
- A minimalist lifestyle may not be a one-stop solution to all your problems.
- A minimalist lifestyle is more of a process rather than a simple decision. If you wake up one day and decide to go cold-turkey and lead a completely minimalist life, you are more than likely to relapse and go right back to your old habits.