More often than not, we believe that the more choices we have the more freedom we have. For me personally I found that options caused anxiety. Having so many choices the chances of choosing the less optimal one grew bigger and bigger. Making the right choice becomes such a daunting task which results in absolute analysis paralysis rendering me confused and frustrated which always leads to second guessing myself and my choices. The overwhelm of so many choices, so much information that one cannot simply decide which is most favorable or desirable sucks the joy out of any experience and leaves me in a utter form of despair.
I started thinking about ‘simplifying’ my life and decluttering about two years ago. I stumbled on an article about simplification when packing up to move to a new city. I was intrigued by the article yet continued with a cluttered life even after the move.
I felt overwhelmed with stuff and choices again after moving . I started doing some research and as a light from above I found the answer I so desperately craved. Minimalism. Minimalism is the conscious decision to have less, simplify where possible and to possess material items which have a specific intent in life. After a few weeks of research I felt guilty. I simply had too much stuff. I started getting rid of few things, made bad choices and realized I would have to be content to a boring life of black and white T-shirts, with no sense of style and no freedom to buy anything that did not have a very specific purpose.
Again I allowed my life to become cluttered and pretty soon found myself wanting to buy things I did not need nor wanted. I felt a surge to buy it for no apparent reason hoping that it would satisfy my soul. The flat felt cluttered and imperfect. My mind was a mess and small decisions became like mountains. Something felt off.
As I started decluttering again I realized that the abundance of stuff I had was adding to anxiety. That it was ‘taking up thinking space’ and causing anguish as to where something had to be to not be in my way. This could not go on, this was not right. Again my minimalist journey continued, but this time with a change.
I realized minimalism was not some boring life where you had to try and survive on as little as possible.That’s called survivor. Minimalism is a choice to live intentionally. Not to clutter your brain with unimportant decisions and not to let your life be controlled by material possessions. That it was a life free of restrictions and less distractions.
I did not go out and sell everything I owned. I started getting rid of stuff I really don’t use. Stuff I held onto for so long which one day I’ll get to. We were not meant for stuff to have us. We were meant to have stuff.
We live in a time where we even started measuring our status and success by the amount and value of the stuff we own. We prematurely judge people on what they wear, what car they drive and how much they have. We started focusing on arbitrary unimportant things in life that yes, can add a form of value, but the question is. Is it adding to your joy or just causing anxiety and anguish?
At the start of my journey I wanted myself to be labelled as ‘a minimalist’ almost finding a sense of pride in the word thereof. Now, I just want to focus on the truly important things in life, the things in life that matter to me and bring joy. For me minimalism is not something I am, something I have or aspire to be. It is a way of living a content life and having peace in my soul.
So, if you want to buy an ornament you believe to be pretty too stand around and just look pretty in your house with absolutely no meaning I say go for it. Each person has their own form of minimalism. And living with intention greatly differs for everybody. For me it is a form of waging war against materialism and living with intention. For you it might look extremely different.
My call to action is not to live with less. It is simply to live with intent and purpose.
