My take on minimalism

 As simple as it sounds yes, knowledge is the first thing I would like you to have. What is minimalism? Why is it like this? What are its benefits and how can you start becoming a minimalist? Dig deep in, read a lot of books and read articles and think about minimalism day and night. No, chill, I am just joking. The only thing you should properly know about adopting this lifestyle is why do you want to do it. What makes you think that stuff doesn’t make you happy in the long run like it makes others happy. 

To be honest I am not that far in this journey too. I am a 19-year-old teenager presenting this on the basis of my love for minimalism and the fact that I want to share it with whoever wants to read it. We all carry unnecessary things in our bag. We hoard items which are in our rooms for years and haven’t been used. And it is affecting us. In ways which we don’t see. We are planning to get jobs because we want to buy the new latest expensive phone. Live the best of life, eat in the best of restaurants. For what? 

Our ego. We think all of us are capable of being rich and whenever we see somebody else doing it, we feel that “It’s nothing. Even, I will be able to afford it someday”. Friends, yes! You might be able to afford it someday. But again, for what? Because you want it? Okay understood. But again, for what?

My intention behind irritating you with this question is to make you realise that the things you want, you might not need. There is a high possibility of you not even valuing it after you own it. It's just another goal for you to achieve. It's a purpose for you to work but it is not going to change your life in the ways you are expecting it to. It might make you feel better temporarily but not because it is adding value to your life. But because you feel good that you own it. 

My journey as a minimalist started early. I didn’t know the term minimalism back then but I used to always throw away the items I didn’t use anymore. My dad taught me that. My dad still doesn’t know the term minimalism. Back then, I had only one purpose of practising this and that was peace of mind. Not keeping the stuff which doesn’t mean anything to me brought me peace. 

 

I still want everything in my life to be organised, minimal, clean and valued. I don’t see me owning anything that doesn’t make sense to me. I often even don’t talk to people that make no sense. Yes, I am savage like that or not. Depends. 

So know why you want to get into this. Minimalism is about intention. The intention of being fair with the resources you are able to enjoy. To value the things you own. And to think clearly in a mindset that’s not cluttered with things which don’t matter. It might help you think better or practice art better. You might take better care of yourself and the people around you once you know what is important to you. It brings focus to your life. There are no steps here except one, eliminate the things you don’t want in life. Value and make the most out of things you do want in your life.

Minimalism is not for everyone and that’s fine. Like all of us aren’t vegetarians, all of us can’t become minimalists. It is a choice and moreover, it is something you do when you often find yourself distracted and cluttered.