The Freedom of Minimalism and Why It's Maybe For You
Have less and feel better about it.
I lie awake frustrated and annoyed. I felt trapped in my life, and the chain and balls that shackled me here were all around me. I was breathing heavy, yet felt like I was starved for air. My possessions that seemed to give others comfort were only a reminder that to do anything, I first had to deal with the mountain of items collected in a year since moving into my first apartment.
Urgency took hold, and a midnight frenzied me started to pack everything I hadn't used in the last week into boxes. Twenty percent… forty percent…eighty percent of everything I owned was now packed away.
The following day I gave and threw all of it away. This was the moment in my life that I realized that I felt free and less stressed by owning less.
I continued on this path, and because I tried to buy what was only needed, I had fewer loans and monthly bills than my friends.
My place may not look as nice on the surface as others, but it's everything I need and makes things simple. That was roughly six years ago, and as I get older, I continue to remove items that don't have value in my life.
Minimalism
what is minimalism? Essentially it means living life with fewer possessions and resources for your benefit and the benefit of society. It doesn't mean that you have to sacrifice everything in your life and join a monastery. It simply means(to me) only living with what you need.
You Can Travel Easily
When you have fewer monthly payments and things, travel can be financially realistic. I have also noticed that minimalism transfers over to packing when you travel. For example, I traveled to 5 countries with only a backpack before the pandemic. I saved loads of money because I didn't have luggage, and it also made getting through security simple.
You Can Work a Lot Less
Being a Minimalist means, you will have to spend a lot less money. As I mentioned early, monthly recurring costs from credit cards and other loans are less common. As a result, you find you don't need as much money to support yourself. So you could save that money, or you could also cut back on hours at work.
My recent work history hasn't had me working more than part-time in the last few years. I have spent my free time reading books, writing, drawing, learning new hobbies, seeing friends/family, and hiking. It has been fantastic compared to when I used to work 55–70 hour weeks out of high school. I'm also young and healthy with no kids, making it realistic for me. I understand this may not work for everyone because of family and health.
Having all of this free time has been a big part of my mental health improvement. That makes minimalism worth it for me.
Small Spaces Will Be More Comfortable
Living with less means needing less storage. As a result, tiny homes and vans become realistic places to live comfortably. Not only does this save you money, but it also can be less impactful on the environment if done correctly. For example, tiny homes produce only about 2,000 pounds of annual CO2 emissions compared to the 28,000 a typical home produces, according to aia.org. That is 7.14% of yearly CO2 emissions compared to a traditional house.
That's insane!
How To Become a Minimalist
I think minimalism can be accomplished by asking yourself these simples questions.
Do I need this?
Can I survive without it?
If I never used it again, what would happen?
Have I used this in the last week?
How has this improved my life, if at all?
Can someone else benefit from this more than me?
Final Thoughts
Minimalism isn't for everyone; it's not a one-size-fits-all. I have chosen to live the way I do because it works for me.
What works for you?
