Have you ever opened your closet and wondered, “Where did this clothing come from?” If you answered yes, you are not alone.
Years ago, I had a lot of stuff, which is appropriately referred to as “stuff” because these items were useless to me. Not that they weren’t valuable, but I could live without them. So I did what I could at the time, which was to sort it out. Unfortunately, more “stuff” found its way into my home.
I devised a new strategy: don’t buy anything. I kept saying to myself ‘You have enough’, but my supposedly briliant idea just crashed down. I realized I was just punishing myself by doing this. When I made new purchases, the entire cycle began again.
In an attempt to break my spending habit, I discovered minimalism, which brought light into my dark, cluttered world. A breath of fresh air, literally. My shiny-object syndrome became less likely as I consciously applied its teachings. I was finally in command.
But, exactly, what is minimalism?
In a nutshell, I would define minimalism as buying and using only what you actually need, rather than what you want. Why, you might ask? A desire may become obsolete tomorrow, and you don’t want to be throwing things away on a daily basis, do you?
“Reduce the complexity of life by eliminating the needless wants of life, and the labors of life reduce themselves.” -Edwin Way Teale.
And I understand your defense (I’ve been there). You’re probably thinking you can just give your stuff to someone else, y’know donate your belongings to charity once in a while and feel better about yourself. And you’re correct, but this isn’t about you giving or spending. It’s all about your BAD HABITS. You, sir! You and your lack of control, you and your overbearingness in order to prove a point, you and succumbing to peer pressure. Look, just because you can afford something doesn’t mean you should go ahead and get it.
And I know it’s difficult to be a minimalist, especially in this day and age of constant aggressive advertising, but the good thing is you have the ability to block out the noise and focus on what’s most important to you.
Seriously, you don’t need that new hair product that grows your hair for you.You don’t require that new hair product that promises to grow your hair overnight. Take concrete steps toward your hair goal. You don’t need the tea that burns fat instantly. Go out and get some exercise; your future self will thank you. And again, you don’t need that new outfit. You can’t even remember which ones you already have!
With that said, what’s holding you back? Accept minimalism. After all, simple living is abundant.
