Embracing minimalism in this consumerist society we live in today can be quite challenging, but it's rewarding, and I believe that many of us can't turn away from this path because of how much our lives have been affected positively.
Reflecting on my experiences today, I remember how people laughed at me for embracing a different approach to life. I lost relationships that presented themselves as a lifetime deal, and honestly, I doubted if I was doing the right thing for a moment because only a few people (family) around me saw the good in my new approach to life.
But, after reflecting on my lifestyle over and over, I concluded that embracing the minimalist lifestyle is worth everything that has happened to me in the last ten years of my journey because I have gained more and lost nothing.
Whenever I tell people that I have lost nothing on this journey of minimalism despite disposing of feelings, emotions, possessions, and even people walking out of my life, they think I am only trying to hide my pain, but that's not the case. I strongly believe that everything I had to part ways with doesn't add value to me, so there has been no regrets.
I was ignorantly practicing minimalism as a teenager because I hated having my space cluttered. My mind is always somehow wired to my environment, and it influences my productivity a lot of the time. Fast forward to when I learned about minimalism properly; everything changed completely, and it was beyond just decluttering my space.
It happened that I had this emotional baggage I was struggling with it about a decade ago, and it was quite a heavy burden. I struggled with it for a while before meeting a minimalist who guided me with a minimalist approach to disposing of the emotional baggage. The process took some time, but in the end, I found peace, and from that moment, I knew minimalism was just the perfect way to live.
The way minimalism helps clear the mind and improve focus is on a completely different level, so for someone like me who easily gets distracted with so many happenings in life, adopting this lifestyle is non-negotiable.
After I was able to dispose my emotional baggage, life feels different and I understood the importance of living with a clear mind. My thinking improved, and making positive decisions about my life happened with ease, and even when things don't go as planned, I don't feel tied down by regret or guilt, which made moving on quite easy.
I started setting my priorities right and knew what to focus on at a given time. My productivity level pumped, and I don't feel physically or mentally exhausted, unlike before when I easily burned out due to different kinds of stress. I became happier, and my excessive mood swings became a thing of the past, all because I adopted the minimalist lifestyle.
Gratitude and contentment are two important things missing in many humans lives today, but I knew adopting the minimalist lifestyle could help me achieve them.
Growing up, I had big dreams, and thinking about them all the time deprived me of happiness because fulfilling those dreams was beyond me. I didn't have the resources or help, and constantly revisiting these dreams was draining. It was so bad that my real-time progress meant nothing to me, and I didn't appreciate myself for a moment.
I was constantly thinking about the future but eventually learned about the power of gratitude and contentment plus how they can make life a lot more beautiful. I needed something to help me stay hooked to these new knowledge and the minimalist lifestyle had a clear plan which is living in the present and finding happiness in simplicity.
I eventually tapped into this practice, and the future doesn't bother me anymore. I remember a few years ago when someone said to my face that I don't look ambitious and it really made me laugh. I am not ambitious because I don't talk about building a house on Banana Island; I don't talk about buying exotic cars or doing other trending stuff, but do these things really make me someone without ambition?
My answer is no because I only need a roof over my head and not a house in the most expensive part of my country. I need a decent car to move around with my family and not a 2024 Lamborghini model, so it's not like I don't have ambition; I am just contented and happy with the point I am in in life.
I am now at a point in life where I celebrate my small wins, and it even encourages me to keep going. There is no pressure whatsoever, and I am glad to live as simply as possible.
Understanding that minimalist would be a win for me automatically means it would be a win for my environment as well because the lifestyle helps in cutting down waste. I have always been the type who put my environment into consideration a lot of times and the minimalist habit of reusing, recycling and managing waste actually works for me.
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I find joy in working on my craft, going for secondhand items that even save me costs rather than going for trends when there are so many used products sitting in declutter stores. The minimalist lifestyle put less pressure on the environment in terms of tearing apart nature just for getting resources to keep producing things that end up as waste and that makes me happy. I feel great practicing a lifestyle that feel concerned about the environment.
In conclusion, I have all the reasons in the world to adopt minimalism, and there is no regret after a decade. I still have a lot to explore as a minimalist, and with time, the knowledge I keep acquiring from other minimalists will definitely help me improve my lifestyle further.
All Image Are Mine.
What a lovely reminder that it's in the here and now that we live (not in dreams, plans, ambitions, etc). It really sounds like you've crafted a beautiful, well-rounded and fulfilling life for yourself, George. Which can be hard for some to understand. They are in a different place in the journey, so, you know. Each with his own :) Lovely response!
This image belongs to millycf1976 and was manipulated using Canva.
Gratitude and contentment!!! Very key instruments to living a happy life. I'm still struggling with gratitude, but I have that feeling that I will get there soon.
Lovely #kiss.
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STOPHonestly you lost noting, you even gained a lot because you are now focused on what makes you happy and your personal growth.