A defining feature of the minimalist lifestyle is purging your material possessions and living only with the items that, are necessary, adds value to your life or brings you joy. The concept ‘less is more’ is predominant in minimalism. The common practices of minimalism include getting rid of duplicate items, reducing the number of items you own as a whole and having a capsule wardrobe. Decluttering your physical possessions is a basic feature of minimalism.
Minimizing your possessions to the basic essentials is only one side of minimalism. Minimalism is a way to simplify your life so that you have more time to do the things that you enjoy and love. Principles of minimalism can be adopted to other areas of your life such as your relationships and how you handle your money.
I would argue that, decluttering your material possessions is the easiest part of adopting minimalism. It is easier to get rid of that extra blouse in your closet, than to remove yourself from bad relationship. It takes less time and less effort to donate that extra handbag you have not used in a year, than it is to become a conscious consumer. Some of these changes will take a lot more time, effort and mental energy to implement on a day to day basis. However, they will be more beneficial to you, your mental well-being and your finances in the long run.
Minimalism and Relationships
Thinking of 'Relationships' from a minimalist’s perspective can be somewhat controversial. Applying minimalist principles in to your relationships certainly does not mean that you cut off all contact with your family and friends and live alone. Minimalism encourages you to surround yourself with what brings you happiness and joy. It is obvious that our family and friends contribute a lot to our physical and mental well-being. As the famous saying goes you are the average of the five people that you spend the most time with. This means your relationships play a large role in your health, your finances, the quality of your life, and your job performance.
Today in the era of Social Media, we have the illusion of having hundreds, if not, thousands of friends. However, it is important to have a close circle of family and friends who you can trust and look for advice. We all have only 24 hours in the day. It is important to prioritize who we spend our time with. We can make a conscious choice to spend a majority of that time with people who are positive, kind and help us be the better version of ourselves. Spend time with people who inspire you, motivate you and make you happy to be around them. Listen to people who tell you the truth, even if you are not willing to hear it. Try to avoid people who are constantly negative and drains you of your energy (or at least limit your contact with them).
Minimalism and Money
The relationship between minimalism and money can be described very simply as 'if you don't spend on what you don't need you will be able to save more money for things and experiences that you actually add value to your life'. Being a minimalist changes the importance that you attach to money and material possessions. Money is not the sole factor you consider when deciding on a career. This does not mean that someone leading a minimalist lifestyle, has no interest in earning money or their job or advancing their careers. Minimalists will focus on building a career from what brings them joy and helps them improve their skills. They look for opportunities that provide them with the ability to do what they love. They take on challenges to improve themselves and overcome their fears and limitations. Minimalists like spend on experiences rather than material possessions.
Once you decide to limit your material possessions to what is essential, it is easy to buy higher quality items and, take care of what you already own. You become content with what you own and you don't feel compelled to buy the latest item on the market just because everyone else owns it. You are not driven by the latest sale or bargain. You don't feel the need to keep up with the latest trend, simply because you are aware that you do not need it as it does not align with your conscious lifestyle choices. You become a more conscious consumer and evaluate what you buy based on the value it can add to your daily life. This in turn helps you to save and invest more and to build a better financial future.