When many people hear the word Minimalism or hear someone talk about living a simplified life, they will often immediately picture someone with unkempt hair, growing their own fruits and vegetables out in the woods somewhere, in a shack that's barely bigger than an outhouse, and nothing inside - like the abandoned shack people stumble upon in movies. Nothing could be further from modern simple living for most people. Here's a way to find JOY in intentional, simplified living:
1. Don't think about just removing everything from your home or office. Instead, think about what surrounds you that you really love, enjoy, or brings value to your life. What makes it feel like it's truly "your" space? For example, let's say you own 100 movies. Do you find yourself not watching 80% of them? Then get rid of them. Donate, give them away, or throw them out. Do you have a bunch of mismatched dishes and glasses from different sets over the past few decades? Keep what you love and ditch the rest. Too many sheet sets? Keep maybe 1 or 2 per bed, and a spare set for either traveling or unexpected guests. Toss the rest. I had an overgrown collection of baseball stuff from out local MLB team. I kept the pieces I really enjoy and donated the rest.
2. Check out modern minimalism. Spend some leisure time on Pinterest, YouTube, Netflix documentaries, etc. and see how others are simplifying their life. Even if you never want to be a true "minimalist" you may pick up some ideas or inspiration to create a better, simple life. Figure out what colors, styles, textures, that you love. Figure out what you hate. Make your space reflect who you are.
3. Seek quality over quantity. Instead of hundreds of pieces of inexpensive, poorly-made items that aren't really bringing value to your life, invest in a few quality pieces, whether it's clothing, furniture, decor, art, etc. so that what you do have is what you love, and it'll last a long time, saving money over the long haul.
It's hard to explain, but once you get a little ways down the road on this journey, you'll discover that you feel less anxiety, have more mental clarity, and you'll begin to really enjoy slowing the pace of your life. Instead of wasting time and money shopping for things you don't need (but are told by advertisers you do), you'll free up both to do more of what you enjoy - getaways, time for friends/family, or just alone time to decompress and recharge. This could turn out to be the best year of your life, a real turning point for the better, if you intentionally make the right decisions in 2018.
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