So…what is minimalism and what is the whole minimalism movement about?
Quite simply, minimalism means you can’t own more than 100 things, you can’t own a car, you can’t live in a traditional home, you DEFINITELY can’t have a television, you have to travel to exotic and remote places all around the world…
And you should probably start a blog.
Ok, I’m obviously joking. But seriously, what is minimalism? I’m curious because the movement appeals to me, and so does decluttering and living more simply.
Why Do a Minimalism Challenge?
I recently wrote an article about 6 Ways to Declutter, and those are 6 actual things I’ve done to declutter.
But the week after I wrote that post I went on a planning retreat out of town for work and…
I kind of had an emotional breakdown.
I’ve been extremely busy with work, and its been by choice. I have a full-time job, but I also have this bloggety-blog that I LOVE and want to grow and build on. But on top of those things, I also take on side jobs, because the blog doesn’t currently earn any money and I need to find some way to make them sustainable in the meantime.
I’ve written and talked a lot about self care, and how to practice self care when you’re extremely busy. And finding tiny time in my day to practice self care has been helpful…
But it’s time for a reset.
I want to simplify, and I found this great 30 Days to Minimalism Challenge by a YouTuber named MuchelleB. I won’t do the entire challenge, but I’m going to focus on the areas I need the most help in, and I’ll be sharing those with you a couple times a week right here on my blog.
What is Minimalism?
I’m guessing you knew my introduction was nonsense, but seriously, what is minimalism?
Sometimes when people think of minimalism, they attach it to rules and restrictions, but minimalism isn’t inherently about any of those things. According to The Minimalists website, minimalism is ULTIMATELY about finding freedom. Freedom from the feeling of overwhelm, worry, guilt, and the general trappings of the consumer culture in which we live. In short…
Minimalism is a tool to rid yourself of life’s excess in favor of focusing on what’s important—so you can find happiness, fulfillment, and freedom.
THAT is a statement I resonate with.
My ultimate goal in learning more about minimalism is not to become a minimalist per se. It’s to rid my life of excess distractions and noise. Excessive belongings, too many commitments, spending too much money, not prioritizing my health, living in clutter…
It’s so much noise.
I want to cut the noise so I can more easily refocus and RELAX.
What Are The Minimalist’s 5 Values
According to Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus who wrote Minimalism: Leading A Meaningful Life,
- Health: strive to be the healthiest version of yourself. Take care of the vehicle you are in – regardless of what that looks like to you.
- Relationships: which relationships in your life require more attention, and which are of little to no value for you? Ultimately, the only person you can change is yourself. Focus on the relationships where there is mutual respect and value.
- Passions: Is your work or career meaningful to you? If not, is that important to you? How can you embrace your passions and manifest more of what you love into your life?
- Growth: Stagnation leads to death. How do you constantly pursue growth so you can live your fullest life?
- Contribution: Contribution is an extension of growth. How do you add value to