3 Easy Intentional Questions for a Crystal-Clear Minimalist Lifestyle
Intentionality is at the heart of minimalism.
You’ve probably seen minimalism on the internet presented as a competition of who lives with the fewest possessions and debates about what is too much to own and what is too little.
However, minimalism is personal and bespoke. The overriding philosophy of minimalism is the intentionality of what you choose in your life with the conscious awareness of:
· materialism and consumerism linked with the exploitation and poverty of others
· the environmental impact of manufacturing and waste
· the ‘buyer’s remorse’ that comes from addictive spending on short term pleasures and the financial stress that follows
· the misinformed social sense of ‘success’ through the accumulation of ‘status symbols’
The incentives for pursuing minimalism are:
· having more time for other experiences by reducing time-consuming shopping, and the energy spent on cleaning and maintaining the items you own
· having clear space physically and psychologically
· saving money, and decreasing your work hours or career by having fewer expenses
· living your values, pursuing a cause or spiritual beliefs with less concern for accumulation of material possessions
Intentionality applies to many other areas of your life too; such as, what you choose to timetable throughout your day, the hobbies you pursue, and the relationships you actively encourage. If you don’t intentionally choose your experiences, someone else will choose them for you!
Here is my story on how minimalism came into family life. Ten years ago, my family of four began packing to move from our two-bedroom apartment to our new and larger three-bedroom house. We were shocked to find that we possessed way too much stuff, literally crammed to the rafters into the attic space. No wonder we’d been struggling with the state of the place and constantly tidying. With a literal ‘stuff’ mountain before us, the realisation that we had to make fundamental changes in what things we allowed into our lives became the catalyst for intentionality to reduce and streamline what we owned.
The process of minimising began in the storage unit and continued once we had moved it all into our new home. After much effort and time over a couple of years, we eventually came to a better sense of balance. A balance that continues to require re-balancing but with less sacrifice of precious moments of our lives.
Having a ‘less is more’ minimalist mindset intentionally drives our need for more space and less clutter. More space physically equates to less mental stress. There is less time-draining need for having to compare, purchase, maintain and find space for new acquisitions. We realise that ‘stuff’ always needs dusting, cleaning and maintenance, which is an investment of time, money and effort. Ownership means a sacrificing of time that you could spend more intentionally in healthier, more mindful pursuits.
Being consciously mindful of what enters and leaves your home also drives your intention for minimalism.
You care for the things that have meaning and give you value, but the rest of the bits and pieces that you don’t really need, or you are ‘saving for a rainy day’, saps the time for enjoying better experiences. With surfaces and floor space already clear, it is easier to get the job done, enjoy the cleanliness of your living space and then get on with something much more rewarding.
The impulse to buy something new, fresh and exciting is extremely thought-consuming as its marketed promise is strong in appeal to the psychology of the consumer mind. You have moments of wanting to improve your appearance, make hobbies or chores more efficient or easier, or increase your status amongst your peers and the general population, and this is the INTENTION of advertising and marketing, to entice you to spend on their product.
However, your INTENTION to not spend, and be more resourceful with what you already own, is the counter-stance of marketing.
Non-spending and the intentionally to reduce your possessions affords you the time and money for more memorable experiences in life. You are not being tied down by the stuff you own or wasting thinking time on the stuff you want to get.
Being intentional is not easy, our world is full of tempting promises, even more so with the rapid, overwhelming spread of digital advertising and targeted lifestyle comparison promoted through social media. You must always be mindful of the intention behind social media and choose what you purchase wisely, in-line with your functional needs and your values.
The following 3 questions are designed to help you with the challenges of wanting to purchase something new, intentionally!
3 life-affirming areas where you can create a more intentional life
1. Whose intention am I fulfilling?
Are you intentionally choosing this possession for the value it will add to your life or are you falling for the intention of the manufacturer who is trying to make a profit at your expense?
2. What feeling am I personally trying to fulfil by possessing this item?
You will be purchasing an item to improve your appearance, make life easier somehow, help you feel more comfortable and secure, or increase your social standing. What personal feeling or functional need is behind your desire to buy this and is there another way you can achieve a similar result or feeling by being more intentionally resourceful?
3. Would I rather have the space free or the space filled by this?
If the item is physical, you will need to provide a space for it. Do you want to give up space for it or do you value your space more? You will also need to clean and maintain it. If it is a digital item, it will add to the clutter of your digital files and possibly be buried amongst your other apps.
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