The Benefits of being a Minimalist
When I was young, I was always on the lookout for more stuff. Food, toys, and really anything that appealed to me at that age just like any other kid. But my parents always taught us the value of how to save money rather than spend it on material things. In my childhood, I used to buy comic books since they’re not that expensive. Through this, I was able to discover my talent in the arts by copying the artwork of some of my favorite characters.
I kept hold of this materialistic urge to purchase more ‘stuff’ until I started working at my first job, but instead of collecting toys and some kid’s stuff, I’d rather buy clothes, shoes, and other things which I adopted in our society of consumerism. Buying so many of these things will try to fit you and accept you as a person in the corporate world. This brought me so much stress in life not only at my job but also in my personal life, which all lead me to think: WHY? Why work so hard and spend my money to impress people that I don’t even like? One day, I watched a specific video on YouTube that made an eye-opener in my life. Since then, I’ve watched this video Minimalism documentary by the Minimalist. I was fascinated with that type of lifestyle, and I have since found out that there are a lot of people that have been focused on this more purposeful way of living for quite some time
“Love people and use things because the opposite never works – The Minimalist”
Minimalism had such a big impact on my life because it brings me a more meaningful value of time. It is the most important thing in my life rather than material things. It can give you more peace of mind and more focus in life. I had this quote on my personal bio that said “The more you know, the less you need.” – an Australian Aboriginal Proverb. And that makes sense for me, especially in sports like running which I love doing in a full-distance marathon. I learned that you don’t need to have excessive things with you because it will slow you down in the long run.
So here are the things that I benefit most from being a minimalist.
Clutter-Free. If you have minimal stuff that you own you may actually gain not only space in your home but also time for cleaning and organising your personal belongings. You can easily locate each thing that you organised for its purpose. Having this as a minimalist also gives you at least peace of mind. Why not try to do it once or twice a year? It will not consume too much of your time. And if you are having a hard time letting go of some things, put them first in a box. A year after, if you still not using them that’s the time for you to let go. Try to donate them, someone needs them more than you do.
Stress-Free. Well-organised belongings and a clean environment will bring you peace of mind that will never be achieved while you have a lot of stuff. No more worries about how to clean and organize your stuff by having a lot of excess stuff that you might not even need or you already forgot that you have it. You may now be satisfied with what you have right now and because of that, this will now bring joy and satisfaction into your life. And while decluttering, also helps to destress in life.
More Time. With less clutter and stress, you now have more time with your loved ones. Spending more time with them at your home or anywhere gives precious memories rather than on things that will not last. You can now easily manage your time and energy on what’s more important for you like achieving goals and focusing on your priorities. And also building a new habit that will help you to have more time on creating new skills that can step out of your comfort zone. The fewer things in your home the lesser time to spend cleaning.
Financial Management. Being a minimalist will makes you realise the “needs and wants” in your life. In my experience, when I started applying this in my life I noticed that I’m now more aware of the quality I’m buying that can last longer instead of buying cheap ones that you throw away later. And now you know how to spend your money wisely.
Helps our environment. Minimalism not only helps you with all of your additional worries in life but also helps our environment by not buying excess stuff. Because you are now more aware the things that you buy can possibly add harm to our environment. An example of this is instead of using single-use plastic, why not always carry an eco bag or maybe just your bag that can carry many of your things? Why not rent or borrow attire for a single event that you may not wear again? Or buy a second-hand one like in thrift stores that are also in good condition or almost like new. It also saves you money right?
Now, here’s what I want you to think well I’m not forcing you to be the same as me as a “weird” guy but If you love what you have right now then save it well if you REALLY LOVE IT. But I want you to take your time for what’s more important to you that brings you the happiness and contentment in life that you deserve.
Worry less? Be a minimalist 😉
Here are some resources that might help you to start your own journey.
Film(Documentary)
Minimalism(Youtube) | Less is Now(Netflix) – The Minimalist
Youtube Channels
Words By: Felix Flores Jr., Graphic Designer at Atteline