Minimalist Life Journey, Makes Us Appreciate Ourselves
The richer and more knowledgeable a person is, the simpler the way of life and the place to live. Not without reason, because by making things simple, we can become more efficient in our daily lives. In fact, the complexity is present because everything is so superfluous, as if without a clear concept.
Minimalist living is one of the alternative lifestyles of modern society today. In many countries, many people have adopted a minimalist lifestyle. Not without reason, many live this minimalist lifestyle with the most common reason being to make it simpler and more efficient.
The tendency to have a lot of things has become our habit today. Now is the time for us to start rethinking the things we have. The development of technology and information as well as the ease of shopping for anything in cyberspace makes us seem to be more or less able to manage the desires and needs of the goods we buy. Finally we are trapped in a consumptive culture.
Perhaps many of us feel that we need to think twice before buying the things we want. How important is the goods we buy, what are the benefits for us, is it a priority or not.
1. Having less stuff doesn't reduce satisfaction
American poet, Allen Ginsberg once stated, if we pay twice as much attention to a sheet of carpet at home, it is the same as having 2 carpets. This means that the amount of our possessions has nothing to do with the level of satisfaction we get.
The concept of ownership means that we know we have something and have a strong awareness of what we have. This is sometimes rarely included in our perspective in ownership of goods. As a result, we collect excessive items, and make our homes, rooms, closets crowded with various items.
We do need to have goods, with technological advances to make our lives easier. But the perspective of our benefits and uses tends to be wrong, so we often buy things that are not too important and accumulate them. Again, we are just victims of goods manufacturers with their riveting marketing tricks.
2. Find Your Unique Look
Steve Jobs always wore the same clothes: a turtleneck shirt designed by Issey Miyake, Levi's 501 denim pants and new balance shoes. This combination of clothes is often used by Steve Jobs when he appears in public. Einstein preferred to wear the same jacket. While other people or we prefer to have a variety of clothing combinations, without knowing whether the combination suits us, or clearly describes our personality. Always follow the trend to make us forget our own characteristics.
Steve Jobs and Einstein are some examples of how they discovered their own distinctive appearance. Unlike us in general, who always follow trends, buy anything that is busy on social media or is viral, then buy it. We forget that trending is as fast as the sun rises and sets, tomorrow a new one will appear, and so on until our wardrobe is full of various types of clothing combinations.
3. Without a lot of stuff we become original
What makes a person unique?
Was it because there was a streak of vivid color in his hair? Or because he has big earrings on his lips. Can a man wearing a skirt be said to be unique?
Or someone who buys a gadget that is very expensive and limited edition can be said to be unique?
I don't think being our authentic self has anything to do with these things. All the minimalists I meet are cool and unique people, with ordinary clothes with ordinary appearance styles, such as everyday looks.
Parting with goods is like losing ourselves, but it is quite the opposite. If we go back to history in Europe and look at the photos during the renaissance or the golden age, during which time there were many great discoveries, great ideas of the world were born. All the men wore the same jackets and hats, perhaps even similar items. But it was precisely at that time that many great works were born for world civilization.
If we want to reflect on both history and the pace of our lives, our characteristics are actually shaped by experience, not by things. Then we will find our original, authentic self when we start to reduce or get rid of all the things that bother us.
4. Throw away the things that we have considered 4 to 5 times
I personally always consider the items I want to throw away or donate. Because in the span of our lives, how many items and objects have we collected but it only brings in vain. When the clothes in our closets have piled up, it would be wise if we donate them, if they are still worth using.
Other things like television, gadgets, shoes and so on. Instead of accumulating goods and objects and finally making our warehouse or room crowded with goods, why don't we use the method of upgrading our goods or objects. For example, when our gadgets already feel outdated, maybe instead of just putting them in our warehouse or room, it's better to sell the kit to upgrade it with the latest gadget, of course with consideration of benefits and uses. When we have thought 4-5 times about throwing away and donating our stuff, then do it.
5. Throwing things away reduces what we have, but not who we are
If we want to reduce the number of ownership, it does not mean that we will become itchy, gray and so on. People on the outside will not know that we have reduced our holdings. No child mocks us, no one criticizes us. They will only see our clothes become simpler. Only that.
When we are surrounded by many things, it makes us feel as if it is hard to let go. It's like we're pulling the pieces out of us. But remember those things are not us. Proximity to the things we have, only exists in our minds. Nothing will diminish from ourselves, when those things are no longer there. In fact, we may be surprised in a positive sense, to find that without all of these things, our true selves are starting to come back to life.
Living a minimalist life is not an easy thing to implement, it takes processes and habits that we will definitely feel the positive benefits for ourselves. Maybe the massiveness of social media and the sporadic promotion of goods on social media and the internet make it hard for us not to buy these things. But we need to underline, before we want to buy that item or object, what are the benefits for us and what are the uses for us. Don't let us just become the wet fields of the world's capitalist companies, whose basic goal is very simple, seeking profit.
