The onset of spring delivers the promise of new beginnings. It nudges us to reflect and ask how can we live happier, freer, and lighter. And in my experience, achieving a more fulfilling life is about not chasing more but thriving with less. As a minimalist, I definitely partake in this annual spring ritual of cleansing and clearing out. However, my spring cleaning is not restricted to my physical possessions.
Being a bookseller and book lover, I get quite a lot of apologetic looks and ‘ I’m sorry I’m going to talk about e-books and kindles’ or ‘I’m sorry but I love the Kindle!’ type of comments from family and friends. I want to tell them: ‘Don’t be sorry, you have nothing to apologise for. Bring on the e-books and Kindles!.’
You see, even as I love physical books and brick and mortar bookshops,
There is no optimal time and season for simplifying your life and belongings – when the urge hits you and you are ready to make a new start- that is the right time and you should grab the impetus by the horns and ride with it. That is what I call an inspired action. Unlike a job or chore one has to do, an inspired action is defined by positivity,
Spring has officially arrived though that is rather hard to believe with the weather staying cold and snowy in the UK. That aside, the arrival of spring is worth celebrating with its connotations of new life and fresh beginnings. To me, that means getting a new burst of energy to review my life and belongings with a view to simplify in order to optimize. Makes sense? Not sure? Then read on.
We buy stuff, we get given stuff, we own stuff and we get used to stuff. Many of us derive a sense of comfort (and even warmth), identity and status from what we own. Our stuff are not us and we are not our stuff- we are much more than that. Having the biggest house that we can afford does not mean we are happy and rich- for many it spells debt,
Reviewing and simplifying one’s life seems like a daunting task even on a good day. Just thinking about doing it make most people tired; they imagine going through that ton of stuff accumulated and they think ‘not now’ or ‘too tired’ or ‘let’s wait till summer’. The excuse list one conjures up sitting in an armchair can be endless and very convincing. Very few get past the thinking and wanting and get on to the doing.
