There are those that get out there in life and take action, while others simply never get off the starting line. The story loop they are stuck in perpetuates the lie that they can’t do something or they shouldn’t do it or that they simply won’t do it. Adopting a minimalist mindset can flip that story loop upside down in ways negative thinkers never could have imagined.
What causes those thought patterns in some people while others seem to push past all that negative self talk? Thoughts and attitudes play a huge role in determining our happiness and success. A negative mindset infiltrates every aspect of our lives. Words are powerful. In order to reach your full potential you have to be open to changing the words you use.
Typical American Dream
I did all of the things I was supposed to do in order to have happiness. First I went to college, then I fell in love, got married, bought a house, popped out a couple babies, and put the cherry on top with an electric car. How could I hate that classic version of success?
Without clarity about our real desires in life we simply do what is expected of us. We accumulate stuff, pretend we are happy, and float through life. Minimalism is a reset to stop floating and instead focus on what really matters to us.
Trendy advice these days suggests people reclaim their time by saying “No” to what doesn’t serve them. But, everyone’s gut reaction to saying no has lead to fewer people saying yes to happiness.
Minimalist Mindset
One of the key benefits of minimalism is that it helps us to let go of the things that no longer serve us. Mostly people focus on the possessions minimalists let go of. But, they are simultaneously letting go of negative thought patterns, bad attitudes, and lies they have told themselves for years.
Decluttering physical space has a large impact on freeing our mind. A minimalist therefore begins to adopt the mindset of CAN, SHOULD, and WILL.
Can
Shifting your words to admit you can do something, is the first step for a minimalist mindset to start effecting positive change. Admitting to yourself that you can do something isn’t as daunting as confirming you will do it.
Give your mind time to adjust to the idea that you could do that thing. Recall all the things in your life that people have claimed you can’t do, when in fact you did them, and you rocked at them. See, those people who said you can’t were wrong. And those instances in your life are proof that you can do things, even if people in your life said you can’t.
Should
Social expectations are responsible for all the should and shouldn’t narratives in your life. Start to untangle the complicated relationship you have with fulfilling or rejecting expectations. Creating a life based on what other people think you should do will surely cause you to be less happy than you could be.
What you should do is exactly whatever the heck you want to do. Unfortunately, you are just inherently flawed at identifying what you actually want to do separate from what outside influences have said you are supposed to do. At this stage you need to silence outside influence and turn up the volume on your own hopes, dreams, and desires.
Will
After you get your goals in alignment with your true desires, then you will accomplish them. Not being motivated to accomplish your desires is a myth. Being wrong about your desires is what stops people from having the motivation to achieve them.
You may find yourself thinking, ‘I wish my life looked like….’ but, simultaneously you are resistant to take action towards making that life a reality. If that’s the case, then you should revisit options of what you CAN do in order to find a desire that resonates deeply enough to motivate you.
Change Your Mind
Adopting a minimalist mindset is a powerful tool for breaking free from the story loop keeping you stagnant. Shift “I can’t” to “I can.” Change “I shouldn’t” to “I should.” Switch “I won’t” to “I will.”
Minimalism allows us to simplify our lives by decluttering our physical and mental space. Your clear mind will have a different perspective on opportunities and experiences.
Change Your Life
Wildfires were particularly bad in the fall of 2020. Before minimalism I would have just hunkered down and stayed inside to avoid the poor air quality from the smoke. After minimalism I realized, I can leave this geographic area to find safer air for my family.
Wow. My mind exploded with the euphony that I could do something about my circumstance. Then I started saying, I should leave. Weighing your options is loads easier with a minimalist mindset.
Once I got my mind to realize I should leave it was only a matter of frantic internet searches to find the right solution. Twelve hours later we were on a plane to Arizona where we stayed for two weeks in a nearly empty resort.
Sitting in Arizona made me realize how many times in my life I had waited for an obvious solution to my problems. I wasn’t decisive. I let life happen to me. Then, while sitting in that resort, YouTube played a suggested video for a school in the Dominican Republic.
My minimalist mindset allowed me to say yes to wanting more out of life. Not more stuff, just more happiness, more impactful moments, more joyful memories. Two months after returning from Arizona in search of clean air, my family of four lived in the Dominican Republic and went to that school.
Two years later and we’ve traveled through France, Egypt, Thailand, and are now living in Japan. You get to the good stuff in life when you can position yourself in a mindset to say yes. Yes I can. Yes I should. Yes I will.
About the Author: Veronica helps regular moms who are stuck in the monotony of their lives at Nomad Veronica. She teaches minimalism, unlocking motivation, and making money around the world.