Once I met a girl, and we were having a good conversation about traveling and her passion for it. She asked me ways, of how so many people keep traveling for longtime. How did the wanderers manage finances and how lifestyle looks simple on road. I tried to explain as much as I could, but she just said , in the end " I wish I had a well enough saving to start off. I wish I had a better paying job. I am not that lucky." She said this, and looked in her i-phone, scrolling down list of attractive new collection trousers in her Myntra app. I did not bother to explain her , the idea of minimalism and how we are as rich in life, as minimalist we can live in. I wish I did. I hope she will read this blog post.We live in a highly consumerist society. Everywhere, you look around , you find advertisements and branding of such deep psychological effect , that we believe our lives will only be happier with another purchase, another product. People chasing better, and bigger or upgrades. Our wants and needs have diluted into each other, and with every purchase that we make, with every product that enters our life, our clutter and complications grow in life. There is shortage of space, and abundance of stress. It is here, that Minimalism and it's practice can be the REMEDY to all this.
EXPERIENCES BRING MORE JOY THAN MATERIALS.
If you go by a study , we never use or need, seventy percent of stuffs that we own. Minimalism helps you to identify things that bring value to your present life, and slowly let go of other stuffs. Most of times, we hold on to something because we have a memory attached to it. Example , might be a cloth or book. Or we might believe to keep the stuff since it might be of use in future. This idea, and practice of hoarding, is exactly what keeps us from living in present. And hence when you practice Minimalism , your life becomes more focused on the present. Letting go is an art , which is intricately connected with the idea of minimalism. Also if you think more deep, you will see , you have no fond memory of an experience, that is only due to wearing a new dress or shoe, or buying a stuff. Do you remember , anytime, when you talk about your past or memories to someone, You ever mention the things you bought, as a fond memory? Do you say " The best thing that happened to me, is buying that blue suit!". I do not think so. Every product has a depreciating value in the end. That is basic economics. However, experiences that you spend your time and money in, will only grow fonder as you mature in life. The faster we realize this, the lesser you are going to waste your time and money. Also it is big fact, that every thing you buy in life , is not with money, it is with your precious time, that you spend working hard, sacrificing on your personal ambition. Delaying it with increasing one stuff in your home. The cost of a product is actually way more, than the bills show. You will be amazed , the amount of money you save when you realize, you do not NEED a lot of stuff , that you unconsciously just add up in your life. This money can go into your valuable experiences of travel, and in learning. Things that will make you RICH , even with having LESS.
WONDER WHY MONKS LIVING SIMPLY ARE SO HAPPY ?
I know you cannot just change into a monk right away, even if minimalism does make sense! I mean who does not want to save up and live longer travel days than hours paying bills and rent, right? So I would start here with few ideas, which can get you to start on implementing MINIMALISM in your life. Start with collecting things that you did not use for last one month. Whatever , it was. Put it in a box, and keep it away for next 30 days. You will be amazed , that you won't remember those stuffs , after a week, they are not there. Stuffs that you did not need for entire 30 days, DONATE or GARAGE SELL. With lesser stuffs , you own, you have more value in the things you own. I would rather have just 3 T-shirts in which I look amazing than a lot of them, in which I do not look my perfect best. I hope this statement makes it clear of the purpose of minimalism. It is not just about giving away stuff , or needing less, it is about also finding what are the things that truly are valuable to yourself. It is like reconsidering your priority list. A more spacious home for you also helps in simplifying the mind, bringing tranquility. Also with lesser stuff, you do not need to choose things or decide upon, unnecessarily. The lesser decisions you take in daily life, the better your Important DECISIONS are. You do not need to engage your precious mind and time in useless choosing of clothes and shoes or stuffs that does not matter to life's value.
TRAVEL IS THE BEST WAY TO PRACTICE & INTRODUCE MINIMALISM.
All Wanderers are Minimalist. It is a common thing I have found. Most of us are on the journey for six to eight months a year , with just a rucksack to live on. And I assure you, even then , we find things that we did not use from our backpack. If you are a beginner , next time you travel, start off with implementing minimalism and see how better and comfortable your journeys become. Start with taking half the cloths, best ones ! Decide on washing clothes and wearing the same, than changing everyday except for inner wears. Even then 3 sets of inner wear is enough for a week. Try doing one trouser throughout the journey, and just one set of clothes, for your sleeping time. I know it is harder than prescribed here, but it is very achievable. With travel , minimalism comes naturally, as you get used to a life, when your needs become less and yet life seems amazing, and not missing anything. Even in times of recession , as our world faces now, you will fare better with this practice of minimalism. As your needs are less, it does not matter , how big you need to earn. To practice this, you can start by trying to cap your monthly living expenses down to half. TRY, even if you fail. The next time you want to buy a stuff, try to delay the date of buying. You will see, after a point, you might not feel the need to buy it. You will perfectly then understand the difference between WANT & NEED.
IN SIMPLE LIVING, THE BEAUTY IN SMALL THINGS ARE REVEALED.
I understand, NOT BUYING stuff might feel like, not wanting to eat, or not wanting to sleep, for sometime. Because for years, our classical conditioning has unconsciously attached OUR happiness with the rush to WANT a product. It is this hormonal rush , that makes us feel happy for a little time, in the process of buying the product, even though relishing it might not satisfy you fully. When you think about it well, you understand, it was never about owning the product in first place, but may be wanting to be happy by any means. This happiness has to be achieved in holistic way , rather than consuming more and more from external world. Because in the end , the world will not REMEMBER you for the expensive shoe, or the dress , or the couch ! They will remember you for the stories you experienced, the help you gifted and the passion with which you lived!Let me know , if minimalism is a way , you want to try , I will help you with more practical methods to practice and become a MINIMALIST !