Image by rawpixel.com on freepik.com: https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/vintage-japanese-art-pattern-illustration_16332905.htm
Welcome back, traveler.
Isn't it time you start demanding more from your day?
This upcoming weekend, my spouse and I are doing some major 'minimalizing' around the house, and they are not too thrilled about it. In fact, my spouse is rather stressed and regretful about setting the whole thing up (friends are coming over to help).
To help relieve that stress I put together this list of tips, so it seemed prudent to share these tips with you. This post starts with bigger ideal-based questions and gradually shifts into shorter practical tips, but each one can help you achieve a minimalist life full of purpose.
Eyes on the Prize
Most of us have heard it before, but in case you haven't, minimalism can be defined as a lifestyle or philosophy where one is in constant pursuit of a meaningful and intentional life with less. It is a practice of self-discipline where you only live with the material possessions that you truly need or those that enhance your life and help you achieve your goals. If you pare-down your possessions, you'll have more time to focus on what matters in your life.
In American culture minimalism can be quite hard. We're the most advertised to population in the world, and many of us are always in search of 'the next thing' to make us happy. But it isn't only our shopping habits that we should watch, spending our time frugally is also important, and removing responsibilities and distractions from our environment can help us on both fronts.
If you are like my spouse, who is stressed at the thought of getting rid of things we once thought we needed, I would remind you to keep your eyes on the prize and remember why you're embarking on this journey to begin with.
- Live Intentionally by Picking 3
We first need to begin with the big picture. If you don't start here, you won't find lasting change. Minimalism will just be a short-lived fad in that myriad of self-help techniques you've tried.
As I've said, your environment should reinforce your goals for your life. Removing distractions and negatively-impacting activities that don't help encourage you to reach those goals is a great thing to do, but what are your goals?
In broad strokes, think about the things that matter most to you. What things make you feel happy or give you a sense of purpose? What do you crave more of in your life? I want you to pick three things. Not ten things you love, only three.
When we narrow down our scope to the most important things, we're creating criteria that we'll use to judge what possessions we truly need. As humans, we're pretty bad at multitasking; there's only so much time and mental energy we can devote ourselves to, so why fight your nature? Sometimes we have to prioritize and give things up.
My three big ones are the connection I have with my family and friends, writing as a medium to express myself (fiction or blog), and learning and self improvement. I wouldn't include a career in your top three if you can help it, because you aren't your job, your much more than it! But, if your work is something your passionate about and it does matter that much to you, go ahead.
Keep the three things that matter most to you written down in a journal or on a sticky note at your desk. It'll give you something to reflect on when you're going through your belongings, and in the years to come.
- Rest Actively
Often, our time off work is squandered on passive activities that provide momentary relief, but lack any feeling of long-term fulfillment. Embracing the idea of "resting actively" can transform your downtime into opportunities for personal growth, connection, and rejuvenation.
How often do you come home after work just to space out in front of a screen? When you walk away from it you might feel a bit more relaxed in the moment, but those lingering thoughts "I should do this", or "I could have taken care of that", eat away at us from the back of our mind.
Wouldn't you feel better if you took care of those things you procrastinated on? If you took the time to work out, go hiking, or create something artistic? Doesn't taking the time to focus on your top three things sound more fulfilling?
I'm not saying you can't mindlessly relax. I'm saying that there's a point of diminishing return. For me, that's about two hours. Beyond that, I begin to feel as though I'm not really living intentionally. I'm resting passively.
I always feel better when I take the time to schedule out my weekends. Even if it's only by "morning", "afternoon", "evening", it still gives me a framework that helps me stay in line with my big goals.
Remember, rest is not just about doing nothing. It's about doing things that truly matter to you and fill your cup. Schedule time for those things.
- Digital Minimalism
This might be one of the hardest parts for some people, and it's definitely the longest section in this article. After all, we're more connected online than ever before, and connecting with people is important... but...
Read the rest of this post on my blog at https://www.jrwarden.com/embrace-minimalism/