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<\/p>\nI want to get something off my chest\u2014this might be wildly unpopular, but here goes: minimalism is not about stuff. Not your stuff, or not my stuff.<\/p>\n
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Decluttering stuff<\/a>\u2014getting rid of things we no longer use, don\u2019t need, or simply have too much of\u2014is part of the process, but does not define the process.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what I mean: \u201cminimalism\u201d for the sake of \u201cminimalism\u201d is only a temporary solution to a problem I feel is much bigger than what we own. I love what Lisa Avellan of Simple & Soul says here:<\/p>\n \u201cMinimalism isn\u2019t about your stuff; it\u2019s about your soul\u2014the \u2018you\u2019 underneath all of the stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n One of the biggest mistakes we make is that we think there is a concrete definition of what minimalism really is. Is there really a quantitative method of establishing if a person is\u2014or isn\u2019t\u2014 a minimalist?<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how The Minimalists define minimalism:<\/p>\n \u201cMinimalism is a tool that can assist you in finding freedom. Freedom from fear. Freedom from worry. Freedom from overwhelm. Freedom from guilt. Freedom from depression. Freedom from the trappings of the consumer culture we\u2019ve built our lives around. Real freedom.\u201d<\/p>\n Their definition classifies minimalism as a noun, rather than a verb. They consider it a thing, rather than an action. Minimalism isn\u2019t a destination, it\u2019s the vehicle that takes us to the destination: a simpler, happier life<\/a>.<\/p>\n I believe there is no right or wrong way to do minimalism. There\u2019s no right or wrong way to be a minimalist, either. I realize there\u2019s a whole lot more to the conversation than that, so I want to share what I think minimalism is.<\/p>\n Based on my experiences, here are five truths about minimalism:<\/p>\n 1. Minimalism is a tool.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cMinimalism is a tool to rid yourself of life\u2019s excess in favor of focusing on what\u2019s important\u2014so you can find happiness, fulfillment, and freedom.\u201d \u2014 The Minimalists<\/p>\n In my opinion, this one is pretty self-explanatory. The image some people have of a minimalist lifestyle<\/a> is giving up all of the modern conveniences of the world. They imagine living in a cabin in the woods without electricity, a wood burning stove and a bathroom you have to go outside to use.<\/p>\n Being a minimalist<\/a> means you value yourself more than material things. It means making decisions based on what you need instead of getting everything you want. It does not mean the things you buy are cheap. It means they are something you need, regardless of how much they cost.<\/p>\n Minimalism can be the bridge which helps span the gap of where you might be in your journey, and the place you want to be.<\/p>\n 2. Minimalism is a mindset.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cOwning less is great. Wanting less is better.\u201d \u2014 Joshua Becker<\/p>\n This is a tough one for me, and I suspect for countless others. I think it\u2019s easy to think that if someone gets rid of X amount of things, or removes X amount of things from a calendar, they\u2019ve achieved \u201cminimalist\u201d status.<\/p>\n The truth is, minimalism is about the desire for less<\/a>, rather than having less.<\/p>\n There have been a few times that I have thrown something out, given something away, or gone without\u2014only to realize that my heart wasn\u2019t in that choice.<\/p>\n I want to set my sight on a life of wanting less<\/a>, rather than owning less.<\/p>\n 3. Minimalism is an accountability partner.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cHere is the secret to subtraction. It doesn\u2019t matter what you remove. What matters is that you stop adding it back.\u201d \u2014 Erin Loechner<\/p>\n How many times have you given away a bunch of clothing, only to go back out and buy some more? I don\u2019t know that it happens immediately, I suspect I am not the only one who\u2019s chosen to give away five pairs of jeans, only to replace them with more pairs of jeans.<\/p>\n It\u2019s been a while since that has happened to me, but these days I am trying my best to really be intentional<\/a> about the things I declutter. I\u2019ll ask myself:<\/p>\n \u201cWhy are you putting this item in a bag?\u201d When I spend time to actually think through what I am doing, it allows me to process the feelings I have (or don\u2019t have) about a particular item of clothing or something in the house. And when I do make the decision to part with it, I make myself a promise that I won\u2019t go out and replace it.<\/p>\n 4. Minimalism is a metric.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cAbundance is a full heart, not a full house.\u201d \u2014 Courtney Carver<\/p>\n I\u2019ve been really fortunate over the past couple of years to realize just how much this is true. After building a 4,000 square foot home<\/a> and coming to terms that I\u2019d be just as happy (or even happier) in a smaller one, I knew I had started to figure this \u201cminimalism\u201d thing out.<\/p>\n My heart is so full these days, and it has nothing to do with what I own or don\u2019t own. It has nothing to do with where I live, what car I drive, or the types of clothing in my closet. It has everything to do with being intentional with the time that I have, and experiencing the joys of living a quiet life<\/a>.<\/p>\n I love what Katrina Kenison shares in her essay, Why You Must Have Time Alone<\/a>:<\/p>\n \u201cIn solitude, we see more clearly. Alone\u2014in moments of prayer or meditation, or simply in stillness\u2014we breathe more deeply, see more fully, hear more keenly. We notice more, and in the process, we return to what is sacred.\u201d<\/p>\nThe Truth About Minimalism<\/h2>\n
\n\u201cAre you sure you don\u2019t need this, and will you miss it if it is gone?\u201d
\n\u201cCan someone else use this more than you can?\u201d<\/p>\n