What I gain from living simply and minimally

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Living simply and minimally allows me to be rid of excess and focus on what’s important and valued in my life- giving me more happiness, purpose, fulfillment and freedom. It’s not just about decluttering- that’s just a means to an end. Simple living has enabled MORE of the the following positive things to come into my life:

PEACE AND GROWTH

Embarking on the simple living and minimalist journey has given me the calm and space- both within and without myself- to experience peace and mindfulness and be more in tune with myself. It has allowed my inner self to come forth more strongly and speak to me as to what I want out of my life and how I would want to live it in order to experience more happiness and joy, purpose and fulfillment, prosperity and success and how I can be of value and help to others. It is helping me to experience personal growth- a result of more clarity, money, time and space which comes from focusing on the essentials.

CLARITY

By getting rid of excess in my life, I have become calmer, more aware and mindful of myself and my surroundings and freer. This sense of peace and lightness has brought with it a sense of clarity. Clarity provides me with more awareness of myself, the people around me and my surroundings and with it, more appreciation and gratitude for my life, experiences, relationships and the stuff I already have. It has also shed light on what I want from life, how I want to live it and how I should go about realizing it.

MONEY  

Living simply and minimally makes me think twice and sometimes thrice about spending money. Spending less means having and saving more money; it can also mean needing less financial demands and hence working less. On my simplifying journey, I realised just how much stuff I own and have- much more than I need. I need  little moving forward- for I have more than enough for my needs now. Before buying anything now, I ask myself if I need it (frequent or occasional use? is there anything I have that does the job just as well? can I borrow it from somewhere if I use it infrequently?) If it’s useful (and on certain occasions beautiful and inspiring) and what it brings into my life (happiness, inspiration, health, productivity etc.?). If I’m not sure, I leave it. On many of those occasions when I have deferred or decided against purchasing, I had made the right decision. On those occasions when I decided to spend, I value quality over quantity. Well- made products and freshly produced food gives me more pleasure and saves me money in the long run.

TIME     

We all have the same 24 hours a day-generally speaking  time is one of the few things we enjoy equality in. Time is also one of those few things that are limited, priceless and once passed can never return. So why waste precious time on doing work we dislike for the bulk of our lives while we dream of pursuing stuff that inspires and excites us  during break times, weekends and holidays? Why waste time (and emotions) on people and relationships that drain our energy, feed us with doubt and negativity and stifle us rather than help us grow? Why waste time on commitments and engagements that we are obliged to say ‘yes’ to not because we want to but because it’ll be bad, selfish, antisocial or a career suicide? Why waste time on watching junk TV programmes  when we could be spending time with loved ones, having a nice meal or reading a good book? Why waste time on cleaning and organizing clutter? Once I have decluttered my jobs, relationships, engagements and stuff, I freed up loads of time which I can spend on pursuits I enjoy,  time with the important people in my life and doing things that that are inspiring and fulfilling.

SPACE

Minimalism has created space both in myself and in my environment. It has freed up space for me to think and reflect, to see and listen, to enjoy and to appreciate and to be inspired, dream and to grow- it has allowed me to be me.  It has also allowed my home to flow with energy and be filled with light, beauty and possibilities.

The ‘how’ of simple living and minimalism is relatively easy. But it is the ‘why’ that inspires and motivates us to embark on this journey.

There is beauty in simplicity

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COMMENTS (2)

  1. I really agree with you about the clarity. That has been one of the major advantages of decluttering for me. I am far from a minimalist, but I am paring down to make room for the important things. It’s so nice!