Another introduction type of post here; just thought I'd get these out of the way so that there's some context to what I ramble on about.
Over the past few months, I've come across (and done a great deal of research into) a new concept: minimalism. It instantly appealed to me, so much so that I'm in the process of making pretty big life changes. I'd love it if I can document these via this blog.
Delving into the topic of minimalism was overwhelming at first; there are so many online resources and each seems to define it differently. One of my first realisations was this: minimalism is a personal endeavor, from which one can take what they seek. Fundamentally, minimalism is about living a more meaningful and purposeful life, with less. This extract from The Minimalists blog got me hooked:
Minimalism 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've built our lives around. Real freedom.That sounds amazing, right? I knew I wanted to pursue it somehow, right from the offset. The blog I mentioned above is an awesome starting place if you're interested in this, so check it out. Jenny Mustard's becoming minimalist videos on YouTube are really wonderful also; Jenny has been one of my greatest inspirations.
I don't want this to be too long, so I'll let you do a little googling if you're interested. But I have learned a lot about myself so far, including (not limited to) the following:
- I own a lot of things
- I only love a small percentage of these things, and I use even fewer
- I buy things to fill some sort of hole, particularly when I am suffering emotionally
- My wardrobe doesn't reflect my true style, but rather a mish-mash of impulse purchases, as well as far too many pieces which never see the light of day
- I've spent much of my life valuing quantity over quality, not the other way around
- I am stressed out and weighed down by the amount of possessions I am surrounded with
With these realisations, and with the help of some really informative and empowering social media accounts, here are my goals:
- To spend money more consciously, purposefully and compassionately
- To support more individual, ethical and creative businesses
- To gradually reduce my possessions to those which are essential, useful or which I truly love
- To practice gratitude on a daily basis
- To value experiences over possessions, and to pour my energy into meaningful relationships, adventures and projects
I'm so excited, and have already donated loads of my things to grateful recipients. My dream is to move to a new city later this year, and I don't want to be hauling great reams of stuff there, either. However I want to emphasize that minimalism is not so much about reducing your possessions, but on shifting the focus to more important things.
S x
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