How to be a Minimalist ? | Meaning of Minimalism

The covid-19 pandemic has brought us to ask difficult questions to ourselves. We witnessed people suffering without a stable income or no income at all. The limitations of multiple resources have taught us that maybe less is more! With the lack of online delivery and shops shut down, we realized that we could survive without luxurious expenses; this familiarized us with the meaning of Minimalism and how to be a minimalist With small businesses booming worldwide and people becoming influencers in various fields on social media, we saw many fashion influencers reusing their closets to make a new style statement. The idea is to utilize the most out of what we have instead of going mad over a shopping spree and avoiding the unnecessary.

A wide range of industries has adapted to the idea of Minimalism, from skincare to lifestyle. One great example is the expansion of Minimalism to “Skinimalism,” a new natural and minimal skincare routine trend. The idea of Minimalism is also prominent in the bringing in the art movement; building /interior designers have started to showcase minimal and subtle design instead of going overboard with luxury and expensive decorations.

What is being minimalist?

The term minimalist assists you in finding freedom from worry, guilt, and peace in the simplest of things. Minimalism lightens the burden to “be extra,” but instead, it encourages owning fewer possessions; it’s about utility, elegance, and simplicity.

When you describe a minimalist person, it would be someone whose interest is in keeping things simple. It’s not only about scrapping off the material things but also removing unfulfilling commitments, relationships from your life. The desire or a wish that prevents you from living your best life is better off the hooks than affecting your mental peace. Mental health has been most affected among people who got stuck alone during the pandemic. A lot of us dread living alone, but the lockdown made us do unimaginable things.

 Minimalistic philosophy

The minimalist philosophy means being confident with what you have. The more you have, the more you worry about it. We often confuse the modern lifestyle with unnecessary cluttering that leads to increased anxiety and a sense of dissatisfaction. Sometimes we feel so overwhelmed seeing other people’s lives, we disrupt ours trying to be like them. You don’t need to overload, that’s the general sense of being a minimalist lifestyle.

When you’re little, you worry less, have fewer responsibilities, and have more free will. Whereas when you grow up, you feel the dead weight of obligations and commitments that overshadows your personal growth. It sounds sad, but this is what you have to keep fighting for, to maintain your liberty and being content with less. It’s about learning what matters to you and embracing it rather than stocking your life with trash.  

How to be a minimalist ?

To be a minimalist requires a life-changing experience that allows you to improve your health, well-being, mental peace, and wealth. Who doesn’t like wealth! All of us have been working endlessly to afford a comfortable living, so cutting off unwanted expenses could save us a lot.

While the approach is not brand-new, people are gradually getting on board with the idea. There is plenty of content and videos on the internet on being minimalist, but the most straightforward first step is to find one thing you don’t need anymore and let it go. It doesn’t have to be anything significant, but a small step like this can get you started. The next step is to control the rush to buy new things that you don’t need. For example, we shop like crazy whenever there is a sale online, and these applications market their product so that it’s almost impossible to stop the influx. Finally, to adapt to be a minimalist, you must prevent cluttering your home with new purchases.  

We can apply a minimalistic mindset in all areas of life: How to be a minimalist in your life. 

Material Things

We have all been victims of the paradox of choice. We invest in a ton of material things that we think might make us happy. But, let me break it to you, THEY DON’T! I know it may sound a little harsh, but you should look for happiness in more natural, living things than possessions. You may feel happy for a second, but then poof! It’s gone.

Sentimental attachment to objects is a real thing, and it can be toxic for you! However, if you think you’re not able to detach from it and cannot purge possessions, you need help! So, this is about how to be a minimalist when it comes to materialism. No moving further about the meaning of minimalism in other parts of life.

Time

Always find time for yourself. I cannot put enough emphasis on taking a break and having a little ME time. The main lesson here is to be productive. Rediscover your hobby; invest your time and energy to improve your skills. Some people find pleasure in cooking while others explore their creative side.

It can be as simple as keeping a journal. Writing is a potent therapy. It can help your clear your thoughts and better organize them. You only have so much time, don’t spend it on things you don’t want to do. It’s that simple! Enjoy your evening with a hot cup of tea and rejuvenate. You deserve it!

Relationships

In relationships, the meaning of minimalism is to stamp out toxic relationships or friendships. It means cutting out people who bring you down and engaging with people who want to see your rise. They slow you down. It’s tough for extroverted people, but those who know when to be an introvert are winning at this. You don’t need any negativity around you, fill your surroundings with positive energy, and that includes the people you’re spending time with.

Health and well-being

The most critical of all is your mental and physical health. Most people are running around carrying emotional baggage. This restricts them from running free. A minimalist would say “throw it out,” but people tend to cling to it. Negative emotions are unproductive. Your mental health has more to do with your whole body than just your brain. It makes you lazy when you keep stressing about unnecessary details. You need to learn to let it be and sometimes – go with the flow! Limit your superficial desires to allow your mind to focus on positive change. Start working out, focus on your diet, crush all negative barriers and be the best version of yourself.

Summary

 So, it is about how to be a minimalist and the meaning of minimalism. Summarizing it, a minimalist mind can change the outlook of your life. Work towards making the most out of every situation. Improve your eating habits, your finances, cut off social media time, stop packing up on alcohol, and show them there’s nothing you can’t do! Minimalism is different for everyone; we need to forge our way to this lifestyle. We also need time to get used to the idea. I hope that you do find your path and recognize your style. Throw the unnecessary or not, as long as everything you have has a clear purpose, go nuts!