Minimalism is all about living a simpler life, and it can also bring more joy into your life.
If you are like me, then you may have had moments of losing things, your train of thought, and even relationships. If that sounds like you too, then minimalism may be the right lifestyle choice for you. This lifestyle choice can work wonders in all areas of your life because minimalism is all about holding on to what serves you and what you love.
In this article, I will share with you how minimalism affects your relationship with material possessions, your mindset, and even your relationships with others. To really understand how minimalism affects relationships with others and why you should consider becoming a minimalist, let’s start at the beginning of how someone would typically start their journey towards becoming a minimalist.
Material possessions
This is first on the list because it is the easiest thing to work on. All you must do is go through each section of your home and work on clearing away the clutter. Sounds easy, right? It depends on what method you use to minimize.
You can choose getting rid of things by sections in your home, by getting rid of a certain amount by a certain time frame, by packing everything up and unpacking what you use, by maintaining what you have by choosing what goes out when something new comes in, etc. Some people may think this process goes by too slowly for them and may decide to get rid of everything at once, but I would advise people not to do this unless they are willing to accept the consequence of losing so much so soon, even if that means gaining immediate gratification. There are also some people who may struggle with sentimental items.
Remember that those items may hold special memories, but you can easily hold on to the memories by either taking a picture of the special item(s) or you can try to find a way to reuse the item for a different purpose. Once the material possessions are dealt with, you may notice a change in your mindset, if you hadn’t already.
Your mindset
Once your mindset shifts from wanting more to wanting less, you may experience more moments of peace and harmony. Everywhere you look, you see something that you are using or something that makes you smile and think of pleasant memories. For example, when you are searching through the best foodie blogs and finding the ones that suit you because when you look at these blogs, you feel inspired.
You may also have a better idea of what you want out of life and can think clearly about how to move forward from here. You may even decide to toss out toxic relationships while you are at it because minimalism is not just about material possessions or a refreshed mindset.
Relationships with others
Toxic relationships don’t always seem toxic in the moment, even though you may feel that something is off. By becoming a minimalist, you will begin to experience what love should feel like because you have already gone through the experience of loving yourself by being with yourself long enough to get rid of that which no longer serves you or brings you joy. When you become a minimalist, your relationships with others improves because you can recognize when something needs to change and what that change might be, rather than pretending otherwise and adding to the pile in the form of emotional baggage. Did it feel good to get rid of the physical baggage? I would be surprised if it didn’t feel good. Imagine how it would feel to get rid of the emotional baggage in the form of toxic relationships.
However, just like with everything in life, minimalism can be taken to the extreme. You don’t need to get rid of everything you own, every thought you think, and every person you meet in your life. All you must focus on is what feels right at this moment and what you could do to make it better. When you have a healthy relationship with minimalism, you can enjoy the time spent with loved ones, enjoy the moment as it is, and not be thinking about your to-do list as often as you once were. Becoming a minimalist is a lifestyle choice that I decided upon a year or so ago, and I must say that clearing out the clutter has really changed my perspective on life.
Image Credit: EveryPixel
