Contents

1. Introduction
2. (Re)learning how to value
3. Doing more with less – maximise the potential of what you have
4. Making space for what matters
5. Conclusion

Introduction

Minimalism is a modern lifestyle that has boomed in popularity over the course of the past two decades. Interestingly, minimalism originally started as an art movement that became popular in the 1960s with artists such as Piet Mondrian at the forefront.

Though technically minimalism is not a new concept (as it draws parallels with many ancient spiritual interpretations regarding the way should be lived, e.g. Buddhism), it is very much a novel counter-cultural movement as it rejects the accepted and normalised way of living in modern developed countries; one highlighted by consumerism.

As such, in modern societies we are constantly encouraged to buy and to derive our values and feelings from the products and services sold by the plethora of manufacturers, whose main focus is to profit.

Though this system works, and has increased the overall quality of life of virtually everyone in modern society, there are numerous downsides to this way of life, many of which are mental in nature.

Having said that, in this week’s post I’ll show you how embracing minimalism can help you transform your life for the better.

(Re)learning how to value

It is generally believed that the number of people affected by mental health conditions are on the rise. One particular study highlighted an increase in the rates of depression since 2015 (Walrave et al., 2022).

Considering that modern living standards are better than virtually any other period, how do we explain this increase in unhappiness?

I’ve previously written about the importance of the organising principle (here), and why the lack of harmonised values is so detrimental to our health. In short, conflicting values create what is called cognitive dissonance within us. This is a feeling of mental discomfort, or perhaps confusion due to a misalignment of internal and external values.

One of the main reasons why people are increasingly unhappy in modern times is because they are unaware of what they truly value. The result is a deep-seated sense of emptiness or restlessness. Such feelings may be ignored for a time – and it’s easy to do so by keeping busy – but eventually these feelings will rear their head.

Growing up within society, we are raised within a sea of voices, with each voice advocating certain values. Going about our daily life, we continually find ourselves in the midst of a crossfire of a multitude of values. Living as long as humans do, it’s inevitable that we’ll eventually pick up some of the values of that our environment presents us with, even if they don’t align with our personal values.

For example, the numerous ads you see on any social media platforms, streaming sites, or even on the billboards outside, are all designed to present and project certain values. Indeed, the very zeitgeist of a society tends to percolate into the psyches of its people.

As such, sooner or later, you might find yourself drowning in the sea of your own values, some of which you might not recognise outright. Out at sea, it’s only too easy to get lost, unless there are stars that can help us navigate home.

Minimalism forces you to reconsider your values

By embracing minimalism, you get to choose what you decide to value and what you decide to let go. Keeping the things that you need and truly value heightens their impact on your life and keeps your mind focussed on the big picture.

Likewise, getting rid of the things you don’t need will streamline your life and reduce your likelihood to stress about them. This is especially relevant since it’s so easy to ‘hoard’ things that we don’t need.

You might argue that all this clutter adds to the ambience and personality of your home, but on the other hand, studies show that clutter and messiness increase our stress hormone levels, and the clutter is more likely than not to impede the basic tools that make you a productive powerhouse (click here to find out what’s makes you a productive powerhouse in the first place).

Doing more with less – maximise the potential of what you have

Having fewer things allows you to make more use of the things that you do need and value. This is an important notion, as it provides several opportunities for you to live a better and more meaningful life.

Master the things you own

Having only the things that you value and make an impact in your life enables you to gain a deeper appreciation for them. By this I mean that since you’re focussing more time on them, rather than spreading your attention thin over a larger number of things, you’re more likely to fully maximise their use.

Having fewer items forces you to spend more time with them, and with deliberate and consistent effort, you’re much more likely to master them compared to if you were to have more.

Boost your resourcefulness

Having fewer things is also a good way to boost your resourcefulness. Much like mastery, developing your personal resourcefulness is easier to do when you have fewer things as you might find yourself lacking the necessary tools or items to complete a given task or project.

But for a minimalist, that’s not a problem. All you have to do is exercise your creativity to find a solution to the problem. And this is a very useful skill to have, both at home and in the work place.

The ability to be resourceful and come up with solutions on the fly is a necessity when living a minimalist lifestyle. Though you’ll likely need some practice at first, these problem solving skills are sure to help you tackle your life in a way that’s more efficient and streamlined.

Preventing waste

A minimalist lifestyle can help combat another key issue – waste. The average British citizen wastes about 143kg of food annually. For the entirety of the UK that’s 9.5 million tonnes of food waste per year! And that’s just one country.

Combatting waste should be at the forefront of a minimalist’s mind, as waste represents misallocated resources, and therefore highlights a lack of efficiency. What’s more, since waste also affects us at a national and global level, and exponentially so, considering the increases in population density as well as the expansion of industry. It’s for this reason that we as individuals should consider contributing to help combat waste, lest we’ll be in for some trouble down the line.

It’s important to regularly take stock of what we use in our daily life. As a minimalist, this chiefly consists of reckoning for the items that we really need, but it also extends to accounting for the things that we consume, and making adjustments with time. It’d be best practice to track what we buy and what we consume, so we can make the necessary adjustments.

Of course, things like food, electricity, and water are easily tracked, but it’s also useful to consider the things that could be easily overlooked. These could include: fuel, or even unused subscriptions; anything that does not bring value is excess in the minimalist’s eyes.

Making space for what matters

It’s as the adage goes: the things you own end up owning you.

By reducing and removing that which stands in excess to our needs, we free ourselves from the burden of mindless consumerism. Though there isn’t anything inherently wrong with purchasing items and services for one’s pleasure, not recognising the potential harm it may cause us can lead to us falling prey to the ‘buying things makes me feel better’ trap.

It is here that minimalism serves as an antidote. Reducing the clutter in your life doesn’t just translate to a neat and organised space, it also frees up room in other ways.

On an emotional level, you’re freed from the burden of having to rely on products and services to make you happy. Since you are forced to live without the excess, you rely less on products to satisfy your needs and wants. Rather, you’ll have to look for other ways to keep you occupied and entertained. Though it might be difficult at first, this is a great way to redirect your time and attention towards something that you personally find meaningful.

On a financial level, you’re freed from the burden of having to repay any maxed-out credit cards or dizzying monthly instalments – never mind about the additional interest. You are, of course, also released from the guilt and worry that you would feel from impulsively purchasing things (we’ve all been there!).

This is not to say that living minimally means living like a cheap-skate. Minimalism is about redirecting our efforts into what we value. So, if you decide to spend a large chunk of money on a purchase that you know will bring you value, it would make sense to do so.

Conclusion

In a world that’s as helter-skelter as ours, it’s easy to get caught up in mainstream thinking. It’s much too easy to get caught up in the next best thing or the current trends. Although living this way brings joy in small bursts, which might be enough to keep some of us hooked, ultimately it’s not a lifestyle that is sustainable from a meaningfulness point of view.

Minimalism can prove a useful tool to help us approach life in a more wholesome and sustainable way. By refusing to stay on the ever-revolving merry-go-round of mindless consumerism, we can look inside and learn to understand what we really value.

Owning less does not mean having less. In fact, you’re more likely to live a richer and more colourful life if you stick to the principles of minimalism. And so, by owning less physically, you’ll own more emotionally, spiritually, and financially.

Sources:

Walrave, R. et al. (2022) “Trends in the epidemiology of depression and comorbidities from 2000 to 2019 in Belgium,” BMC Primary Care, 23(1). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-022-01769-w.