What if having less, gave you the chance to be more? Here at tentree we believe this to be true. Here are the 5 ways minimalism will positively transform your life:
1) You will be ‘wealthier’
It is a fact that the less we buy, the wealthier we will be. Some people work their lives away in order to accumulate savings and spend their money on things they ‘want’. That certainly is one way to become ‘rich’ though another way to become ‘rich’ is simply by wanting less. We all have those friends or family members (including ourselves) that give into retail therapy to make ourselves feel better. Yes, we may feel good for the time being, though as time goes on those feeling subside and we are left wanting more. When will be ever have enough to feel completely satisfied? It is a vicious circle.
Some of the biggest regrets people have as they get older are ‘I wish I didn’t work so much’ and ‘I wish I traveled more’ and ‘I wish I followed my dreams.’ With that said it is important that we spend more time creating memories then collecting material items, because in the end we will leave this world behind. Memories last forever, ‘stuff’ doesn’t.
“I make myself rich by making my wants few”- Henry David Thoreau
2) Your mind will be clearer
Clear space = clear mind. By ridding our physical space of material clutter, we are also doing our mind benefit. If we have too much ‘stuff’ surrounding us we are more prone to distraction and overwhelming feelings. The more ‘stuff’ your have simply means more to clean, to organize and to think about. There is the saying ‘Four shiny quarters are better then 100 rusty pennies’, a great metaphor for both ‘stuff’ and relationships for that matter. If certain people in your life are weighing you down, holding you back from following your dreams or bringing constant negative energy into your life, then perhaps it is time to reconsider whom you are spending most of your time with. Don’t be a ‘people pleaser’ and don’t be afraid to say no to negative energy. It doesn’t have to mean dropping contact all together, but perhaps limiting the time you spend around those individuals.
By clearing our space around us, we can shift our focus from that of distraction to that of and mental clarity and productivity. Indecisiveness often stems from mental ‘fog’. With that said, making both everyday, as well as important life decisions becomes easier when that fog is cleared. Surround yourself with positive energy and reap the benefits of mental clarity.
‘’The more you have the more occupied you are, the less you have the more free you are”
3) You will learn to appreciate the small things
Life truly is all about the simple things. Those who invest in material items often overlook the simple things, like spending time in the outdoors, conversing with friends and family and just enjoying the present moment. During birthdays, holidays or other times during the year we find ourselves looking for those perfect gifts for other people, when really the best gift we can often give people is the gift of ‘time’. You don’t need a closet full of clothes, a cupboard full of games, or a garage full of ‘toys’ to be happy. Instead what we really need is each other. As human beings we need to feel loved, cared for and understood. We benefit from the positive support of others, conversation as well as mother natures remedies. By getting back to our roots and minimalizing our ‘wants’ we will in turn improve our lives.
‘Some old fashioned things like fresh air and sunshine are hard to beat’ – Laure Inglis Wilder
4) You will set yourself free
By riding ‘stuff’ from our lives that no longer serve us purpose you are lightening our load. You are opening the door to other possibilities and opportunity. Many items we own or accumulate over the year have stories and good memories attached to them, one main reason we have a hard time parting with them. Though some possessions have negative memories attached, leaving us feeling burdened and weighted down. By getting rid of these things you are doing yourself a favor. You are setting yourself free. Free of unnecessary weight and flashbacks. There’s the common saying ‘Out with the old, in with the new’. By gifting yourself with freedom you will begin to seek out new opportunity and be more open to new ideas and the taking on new tasks. You can begin to move forward.
‘Minimalism is not about having less, it’s about making room for more of what really matters’
5) You will be happier
We often ask people, ‘What do you want in life?’ and they reply, ‘All I want is to be happy’. Well… truth is happiness is not a destination; it is a state of mind. Happiness really is really quite simple. Life can be made simple. Though we continually insist on making it complicated. By choosing a minimalistic life you are saying ‘Yes’ to happiness. You will begin to understand the true meaning of ‘wealth’, benefit from mental clarity, appreciate the small things and will have a whole new sense of ‘freedom’.
