What I love about minimalism is that it focuses primarily on what causes us to go to extremes: the mind. Because my mom taught me from a very young age that everything is in the mind, meaning that our main problems or difficulties in making changes are in our minds, due to learned habits, culture, or even trauma, and for me, minimalism helps you to be more aware of that, and therefore, by being aware, you take the first step toward making the changes you need to make.
So, something that minimalism gives you is that: learning to be aware, to see beyond the superficial and to notice that there are changes to be made in order to have a more peaceful life, a life in which you appreciate those things that usually go unnoticed by many, nature, qualities, values, and also family and friends. in addition to paying attention to what is lasting and true in reality, not to what is damaged, ends, or even expires over time.
So I could say that from my experience, having a simple and minimalist life means first seeing what makes you feel truly alive, what has real meaning, and what helps you to be a better person above all else. It's not just about having fewer possessions, using reusable items, or having a clutter-free home. For me, it's more about what we have and what we do, whether it's with purpose or with a deeper meaning. For example, having fewer possessions actually means more time, energy, and even resources to devote to something more valuable.
Using things and giving them a second use is also more than just not wanting to spend money; it is more about being aware that it means less pollution, and a clutter-free home is more than just the absence of things, because it is something that even helps mentally, at least for me. This is fundamental, and I have told you on other occasions that a house without so many things is for me like a mind without so many things, because what is around me does influence how I feel.
What minimalism has helped me let go of is compulsive shopping, buying things just for the sake of having them and not because they will actually be put to good use, or having lots of things of the same thing, just for the sake of it, something that doesn't really make much sense. Living a simple life has helped me personally not to feel bad about what others do or have and I don't, because the truth is that something I have that makes me feel satisfied is a life in which I can enjoy something deeper and more lasting than material things.
I can say that my simple life is simple because I decided it to be so, because in it I give priority to things that, from my point of view, make sense, do me good, give me peace and meaning. In it, I have everything I need to live, but beyond that, I have friends who are friends to the core, from the deepest part of my being, and my relationship with my husband has grown much stronger, as we both do activities that are good for us, that keep us together, and that beyond any interest or desire to show off our life full of things, the most important thing is that we love each other in what might seem to many to be silence, but it is deep.
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Dear community, advice is always welcome, and rest assured that I will work hard on that. Although I must admit that lately, even though it's easy for me to read other people's posts, I'm finding it difficult to leave comments, so I need to work on that. Thank you for your interest and constant support, and for making this community my safe place ☺️
What a reflection @jemima1996! You know what? I am in love with how you tied minimalism to the mind. You've made it even clearer that minimalism is not all about having, but it is more about being.
Hey, thanks for that. The truth is, I've reached the age where I understand that everything begins and ends in the mind, so I have to start there. Thanks for coming here 😊
You are welcome.
You're right about simplicity and it's true that minimalism helps us to minimize excessive shopping. Only buying and keeping what matters helps us unburden a lot.
Nice perspective you go there
The truth is, yes, living a simple life, from my point of view, is a way of being more mindful in every aspect of our lives, and shopping and other things are part of that.