For the last couple of years, I have found myself grappling with feelings of depression about my life. I would scroll through social media and compare the thrills and frills lacking in my life and home.
Imagining all the fancy things I could own would temporarily motivate me, but that would quickly become a nagging feeling of dissatisfaction.
Over time, I started to feel immensely insecure because my life didn’t match the material vision in my mind.
Slowly but surely, I felt worse and worse.
Overworking and constantly comparing myself to others only cemented my misery.
Rather than being grateful for the roof over my head, I felt imprisoned by the cage I created in my mind.
More things do not automatically amount to more happiness.
It was a hard lesson to learn, but I finally understand the dangers of being consumed by materialism.
Does that mean I no longer buy new things or seek ways to improve myself or my environment? No! I still have a vision for what I want, but I’m not ruled by it. I no longer attach my sense of worth to what I own, and that has been quite freeing.
I’ve realized that minimalism has had a tremendous effect on my life, and I wanted to write a little blog post about it.
5 Real Ways Minimalism Has Changed My Life
1. It has encouraged me to be present in the moment
So much of my time and mental energy was spent on figuring out how to get more things. It was so exhausting!
Further to that, I was always on social media comparing my life to others rather than enjoying my life.
Since adopting minimalism, I have forced myself to focus on finding joy in what I have and who I am.
It took time and a lot of patience, but I enjoy things again.
Rather than chasing the next surge of dopamine from an online purchase, I use the things I already own and appreciate them for what they offer!
Can you believe that I had a perfect HD TV in my bedroom, but I barely used it at all because I thought that I needed to get the latest 4K TV before I could watch enjoyable shows and movies?
How ridiculous!
Now, I fire up my TV and game, watch shows on Netflix, and enjoy a good movie every weekend.
Never am I thinking about 4K resolution while I’m immersed in a show!
This simple experience made me realize how much I miss out on living life because I’ve been so fixated on chasing new things.
2. I feel more grateful for what I have
There are two ways to appreciate what you have in life: lose it or spend time with it.
Within this context, I was lucky enough to decide to spend time enjoying the things in my home and life.
Because my mind isn’t focused on what I could have but is focused on experiencing the qualities of what I do have, I’m developing a connection with everything around me.
Yes, my Kindle is 8 years old, but I love it!
I love that it still has a wonderful battery life or that it’s super light in hand.
Enjoying these attributes of my Kindle has also reinvigorated my passion for reading. One thing led to another!
Gratefulness doesn’t lead to more happiness or at least prevent deep feelings of depression.
So in saying that, minimalism has taught me how to count my blessings.
3. I have more money and more freedom in my life
I have been the person to make a lot of money and lose all of it within the space of a few years.
I don’t even recall half the nonsense I spent my money on.
But I certainly remember how it felt to be broke!
I swore to myself that if I could earn money again, I wouldn’t waste it on material items I didn’t need.
When I landed a new job and had an opportunity to continue my pursuit of minimalism, I was thrilled to watch my bank account gradually grow.
My relationship with money has changed in the last year or two.
I’m more frugal, but I’m also more realistic about the role money plays in my life.
It is my source of security and freedom, and so I don’t waste it. I am saving money every month, I’m investing, and I’m paying my bills.
Let me just say, life is awesome when you aren’t concerned about whether you have any money to pay your bills!
Minimalism has made my financial life easier.
4. I feel less stress and pursue goals purely for myself
All my goals used to be stressful because all my material desires were placed on top of them.
It ruined the experience of chasing growth, and the process felt daunting.
This time around, I am pursuing growth, both financial and physical, because I just want to see what I’m capable of.
It stems from a place of self-love and curiosity rather than a desperation to feel some sense of worth in society.
Ask yourself this question: Why do you want the things you want?
Is it because they would genuinely make you happy or because you’re chasing social validation or a sense of self-worth? You’d be surprised by how many things have no place in your life, but you feel immense pressure to obtain them because of social pressure!
5. My home is easy to maintain and I learned how to sell things
It’s easy to clean a house that isn’t cluttered with unnecessary belongings.
I don’t dread cleaning anymore, and I feel more in control of my environment!
One of the core tenets of minimalism is functionality, right? Do the things you own serve a functional purpose in your life? If they don’t and they’re cluttering your space, it’s worth getting rid of.
Also, guess what? I even sold a lot of stuff I bought because it had no purpose in my life.
That’s something minimalism directly influenced me to do.
So, for the first time in my life, I tried selling stuff, and I did!
What’s most surprising to me is that I broke even from selling second-hand goods!
If you’d like to gain back some control over your space and experience the positive mental effects it could have, try minimalism.
In conclusion
I enjoyed writing this update on my life because it reminded me of how much I’ve grown and learned over the last year.
The process was messy at first, but not without its fair share of benefits.
Can I see myself returning to my old way of life? Nah!
I enjoy living this way, and I hope that I’ve encouraged you to give minimalism a try.
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