I’ll never forget the moment I became a minimalist.

One Friday night, I was lying on my bed at college with only a Fiji Breeze scented candle illuminating the room. I was contemplating my life and the loneliness I was facing. I was struck by how many things I had that meant nothing to me. At the time, I bought each of those things thinking that these material items would change my life in some way, that through what I was buying, I would find meaning in myself. Whether it was the newest style of shoe, shirt, dress, shorts, jewelry or makeup, I thought, by attaining these things, I would be seen as having value.

Minimalism is the art of only having essential items in life. The “minimalist movement” was made popular by Ryan Nicodemus and Joshua Millburn. Both climbed the corporate ladder to the top and still found no joy even in having all the best things that money could buy. They started the movement by talking about removing things from their lives that did not make them happy.

Before that Friday night, I had heard the term “minimalism” through a few Facebook friends and I had done some research about it, but I had not acted on it. However, that Friday night, I began to purge my life of nonessential items. I quit feeling sorry for myself, jumped out of bed, turned on the lights, put on my Boyce Avenue radio station on Pandora, and attacked the task at hand. I started by going through my stuffed closet and bursting dresser drawers. By the time I had finished, I had cleaned out over three-fourths of the clothes and shoes I had previously owned. I crammed all of the clothes/shoes (many never worn before) into many different beach bags and backpacks and dropped them off for other people to use.

Ever since declaring myself a part of the Minimalist movement, I have only had a tiny fraction of the stress that I used to. I do not worry as much about what people are going to think of my clothing or what I have because what I have is essential to my life. My clothing is not based on trends; it is based on timeless style. I have gained more confidence because I am able to think more about my most important accessory, my smile. Also, I have more money to spend on moments with friends such as coffee dates or gas money to go hiking at beautiful state parks instead of just swiping my card in vain to gain more things.

I still love shopping, but when I pick up something I am interested in, I think to myself, “This is nice, but is it necessary?” This question has helped me to realize what is really important in life.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:25, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?” Through living this minimalistic lifestyle, I am able to live out this verse more completely because I realize that there is no use to worrying about the future. God will take care of me much better than I would be able to care for myself.

Through adopting the minimalist mindset, I have had less stress and gained more joy in my life. Ryan Nicodemus lives by the statement, “To love people, and use things, because the opposite never works.”