Less Is More: 19 Reasons Being A Minimalist Is The Best Way Of Life
There is a revolution happening and it's not something political — it's a lifestyle choice. People are choosing to become minimalists to better their lives in a way that has proven effective for hundreds of years.
The minimalist lifestyle is steadily gaining clout among Millennials and changing the way we treat those around us, how we perceive media, what we do to enrich our lives and how we focus on our passions. But, what does it mean to be a minimalist?
At its core, being a minimalist means investing your time in the important things in life. Sound broad? Yeah, the issue with this statement is that people have trouble identifying the parts of life worth their time and energy.
It's hard to be a minimalist; it requires you to be highly self-aware of what your actions mean.
No one book can teach you to understand the meaning of life, but by following people who have found happiness in their lives, you can identify what you should be doing. The more self-aware you become, and the more you understand the value of your possessions and your time, the better your life will be.
Right now, it's more important than ever for us to be minimalists because the obstacles we face in society require us to be adaptable. College debt requires you to be more frugal; chasing your dreams demands incredible focus, and maintaining your health, both mind and body, involves making time for exercise and reading.
Moreover, to have loving relationships, you need to invest time and cultivate your ability to be empathetic.
Many people choose one of these routes: sacrificing intelligence for having a strong body, taking on debt to invest in relationships or focusing on passions at the expense of their relationships.
But, the truth is, we can have our cake and eat it, too. We don't have to sacrifice parts of our lives to help other areas. All we need to do is let go of what's holding us back — the little things.
I'm talking about the 15 minutes you spend each morning deciding what to wear or how you won't sacrifice your boring job for a lower-paying one that would make you happier.
These little fixes are all over the place; it's time we do something about them because the results are profound.
Gandhi is the most well-known minimalist. He led a social and political revolution that culminated in one of the most historic changes ever: More than 350 million Indians were able to break away from British rule.
Gandhi didn't have social media; all he had was an idea — nonviolent resistance — he believed would change the world, along with a great understanding of the value of time.
Not surprisingly, some of the most revolutionary leaders, other than Gandhi, were minimalists, too: Martin Luther King, Jr., César Chávez and Nelson Mandela. They understood the power of a minimalist lifestyle, and it's about time we do, too.
We need to wake up and realize that the beauty of the world can easily be held in our hands if we embrace minimalism.
It starts with stepping outside of yourself to analyze your actions and how they impact your life and those around you. It then requires one simple question: "Do I need to do this?"
Don't be upset when you discover how much time you spend unproductively. Instead, look at it as a great opportunity to make your life more enjoyable. It's quite incredible what you can achieve when you focus on what brings your life value.
These are 19 reasons why becoming a minimalist is the best choice you will ever make:
1. Less stress
When you have fewer things to worry about, allowing you to focus on just the important ones, your thoughts become less cluttered.
2. A willingness to take on entrepreneurial risks
With more focus dedicated to what you need to do to get where you want and fewer things holding you back to do so, taking on entrepreneurial ventures becomes part of your lifestyle.
3. A better love life
By being more self-aware and able to make time for that special someone, you will never fall out of touch with him or her.
4. More friends
Minimalism gives you more time to make new friends and keep in contact with the ones you already have.
5. Ease of travel
You don't need that much to travel. As a minimalist, you leave less behind and bring less with you. You know the importance of traveling is the experience that comes from the destination, not what you bring along for the ride.
6. A healthier body
Minimalists know that concentrating on keeping your body in shape is important, no matter whom you are.
7. A healthier mind
With less junk taking up space in your mind, a great diet and mindset for accomplishment, your brain can perform at a higher level.
8. More confidence
As a minimalist, you're healthy, strong-minded and focused on the important things in life. All of these things motivate you to be the best version of yourself.
9. An understanding of presence
When looking at physical objects, or even analyzing your thoughts, you make better judgments of their importance and whether they can help you become a better person.
10. An appreciation for what goes on around the world
Minimalists understand that one of the best feelings in the world is helping people, which is why they spend a significant amount of time making those around them better off.
11. More respect for people
A minimalist lifestyle allows people to understand their potential, and because of this, they see others around them with the same potential to achieve success.
12. Always on time for appointments
By understanding what matters, you know that showing up on time makes a world of difference to the people who are expecting to see you.
13. More careful with what you say
Since your thoughts are more filtered, you're more careful not to offend people and place a greater importance on transferring your thoughts in a clear and cohesive way.
14. The little things make you happy
The bed in which you sleep, the food in your fridge and your gym membership remind you that not so many people enjoy the same benefits in life as you do, no matter how small.
15. An ability to create opportunities where others see none
Through focus and a solid grasp of what you can accomplish with less, it's no surprise that you can make a difference in situations where others would give up.
16. Being incredibly empathetic
Through understanding what makes us happy and what we, as humans, need (and don't), minimalists see people in a different light and consider their feelings.
17. Success at an early age
By being determined, knowing what you want and being able to remove the white noise in order to achieve your dreams, even young people can make a big difference.
18. Always smiling
Having appreciation for the little things in life, helping people discover their potential and giving back to society in a number of ways will give anyone a smile.
19. Purpose
Minimalism helps you recognize and appreciate what makes life beautiful. Furthermore, it invites the idea that almost anyone can change the world for the better; as a result, you don't lose the inspiration of just how important you are to the world.
