10 Profound Lessons Learned by a Long-Established Minimalist
As I have reduced my commitments and expectations over the past 10 years, I have gradually progressed to a simpler and more appreciative life. It has taken time while I have transitioned from some pretty demanding and frantic roles. By creating space to breathe and think more in the moment, the experience has brought deep clarity and a change of heart. Career and social climbing have become less of a desire and as a result, peace and personal identity has been realised more as each day passes.
Learning to achieve your desired feelings with less resources and money spent opens up your path to freedom. Know that having more will not bring you happiness as happiness is not something you can possess. This is a simple but important understanding. Happiness is an experience that is not paid for by time nor money.
Appreciating the simple things in life is at the heart of enjoying it. Being content and grateful for what you have and deliberately choosing to live in the present moment is much better than living in the past or dreaming about what is to come.
The profound lessons I have learned from being a minimalist:
We always have a positive choice, no matter how small, and that choice should outweigh the negatives.
Our choice comes from what we can control, which is our own attitude and our reaction to events.
Everything outside of us can only be influenced by us, we cannot manipulate external circumstances and other people forever, if at all.
When we become too attached to people and stuff, we sacrifice our choice, our time, and our personal emotions and desires. We are being controlled.
‘Busyness’ for the sake of distraction or appearing to be productive is a waste of your life and everyone else’s lives as well. Be meaningful in what you do.
Multi-tasking is an unfortunate myth of being productive. If you want quality, focus on one thing at a time.
Space is everything. Space in your environment and space in your day leads to calm and clarity. Clutter leads to overwhelm, confusion and constant distraction.
Everything in moderation. When we do things to extremes, we wear out our experience and become desensitised. Too much of a good thing and you have little left to appreciate. Too little of a good thing and you deprive yourself of life as it slowly slips away. Find balance.
Know what you want. Don’t spend your life avoiding what you really want if it will benefit you physically and mentally. Avoid destructive desires, distractions and wrong paths thinking that one day you will return to the right path. All you have is now and you should start taking small steps toward what you want before the opportunity has gone.
You are a role-model. A role-model to directly inspire yourself first and indirectly inspire others. This means being true to yourself and not living a lie. Live who you are meant to be.
If you would like to delve deeper in finding yourself and increasing your happiness, please explore my book “Be Happy more often” by clicking here.