I’ve found that the less stuff I own, the less my stuff owns me.

 

Nathan W. Morris

Some Rewards of Minimalsm

Why you are Gaining not Limiting

This week, I have outlined some of the advantages of choosing a minimalist lifestyle.  Today, I’ll look a little more closely at a number of the benefits that come from setting your intentions and focusing on your priorities.  Simplifying your life does not have to mean limiting or restricting yourself.  In fact, it helps you to think about what is most important to you and help you make your lifestyle more in line with your hopes and passions.

Here are some specific benefits that are part of the minimalism journey.

Increased Space

Creating more open physical space might be the most immediate and obvious benefit of choosing minimalism. When yoyou purge physical belongs and find a place for everything, there is more room to move, less clutter and confusion. As a result, your physical spaces begin to feel more open, less cramped and claustrophobic. You might be more surprised at how clearing visual clutter also opens your mind and frees space for thinking about more important things that too much stuff in your environment.

More Free Time

When you rid your life of physical and digital clutter and distractions, you’ll find yourself with more time.  Less physical stuff typically means less cleaning, less maintenance and less time just organizing and managing things.  Reducing your digital load by cleaning your inboxes and unsubscribing from unwanted emails frees you from possibly hours of distracted and unimportant messages every day.

Peace of Mind

There is often a sense of relief and satisfaction that results from letting go of what is unnecessary in your life.  And you might surprise yourself with what you start to see as unnecessary.  It brings calmness and peace of mind to know that you have intentionally chosen what to keep and what to let go.  And this process can lead to an even more reduced attachment to material things as you focus more on what most matters most to you.

More Confidence

Many of us have been conditioned to believe that material possessions are a measure of success.  As a result, we often fall into the habit of holding on to things to show what we have done and accomplished.  That tendency can also be driven by fear that if you let go, you will miss things and won’t be able to replace them.  In contrast to that expectation, people usually find that their life is fine with much less.  This discovery means that possessions lose their power as you gain confidence and are able to let go of the fear of regretting less stuff.  You will know that you’ll be fine with fewer things, especially when choices for what you have in your life are made with intention.

Increased Happiness

Another benefit of minimalism is higher levels of happiness.  It’s true.  hen you feel in charge of your choices and more in control of how you live, you’ll notice that your mood improves.  You’ll gain more life satisfaction and be happier overall.  It is so rewarding and satisfying to let go of unnecessary burdens and have more times that bring you happiness.

These are a few of the many benefits of a minimalist approach.  I’ll highlight more as we go through the rest of the month.

Take Action

Challenge Questions for the Day 5

Which of the identified benefits appeals to you most?  Why?

What other benefits have you experienced from trying a minimalist approach?

Declutter Challenge for Day 5

Linen closet – sort, fold, organize – and clear any items that are surplus.  Ask yourself how many towels and pillowcases do you really need.

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Banner photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels