At first glance, these problems do not seem to have a direct relationship with each other... And yet! They can be settled by making a life choice that more and more people make, that of living better with few possessions. Yes, we are talking about minimalism here.
More than a fad, it is a real counter to our consumer society. If you want to give meaning to your life and not just live to consume more and more, I will give you some keys to start seeing things differently and make positive changes in your life.
Living by little, but living better, a counterintuitive choice
We work to be able to feed ourselves, to house ourselves, to be part of certain social groups, etc. Needs that do not all have the same value, and that can be easily classified thanks to the Maslow pyramid, or pyramid of needs. I will put you a short explanatory video for those who do not see what I am talking about.
Who told us that we needed to change cars and smartphones regularly? Who told us that the larger our homes, the better it will be for us and our family? Who told us that you have to change your wardrobe every year to "be fashionable"?
We have all lived for decades in a consumer society. All this is so suggested and 'normal' that we have not so far really sought to call this model into question. But that's starting to change. Overconsumption leads to waste, destroys the planet, damages our health, and places us in a situation of almost permanent dissatisfaction by nourishing our desire to want more and more. There is another way.
That of making the conscious choice to live little, but better. The choice of minimalism in all areas of our lives. I made this choice a few years ago, and it has allowed me to become more efficient in everything I do, and more serene and free in my life in general.
Why live little little make you happier
Saving time, energy, concentration(the 3 pillars of efficiency),and money, this is what the fact of living with little allows. I deliberately did not use the expression "to be content with little", because we are not talking here about restriction or sacrifice, but about an intentional approach to be happier in our lives.
This can be scary, because when we start to want to simplify our lives, we realize the enormous place that can take our desire to accumulate more and more things. Changing the way of thinking by seeking to live a little, but better leaves a void, or rather a place for things that make more sense to us.
The time and energy you will release can allow you to spend more time with those you love, give of your time to associations or learn new things (a musical instrument, a language, read more books, etc.).If you want to know more, I invite you to read my article that explains in detail why becoming a minimalist can literally change your life.
How to become minimalist in 4 steps
Becoming minimalist doesn't happen overnight. Nor is it about throwing everything that goes on to you, on the contrary. It is a process that requires taking a step back from oneself to live more intentionally.
Ask yourself the right questions
Your interest in the minimalist lifestyle may come from a book, series or report. But to really appropriate this way of life, it has to be motivated by something deeper. Something that really matters to you.
Why do you want to become a minimalist? Your living space is too crowded? Are you spending too much money in relation to your income? Buying new things and maintaining the one you already have keep your mind busy all the time? Do you realize that your possessions disconnect you from others?
The simplest things are the best
It's a bit advertising for ham, but too often we tend to forget it. The activities that bring us the most satisfaction often cost nothing, or very little. Read a book, walk around nature, listen to music, learn new things, help others, play sports, paint, meditate, play cards, spend time with friends and family, etc.
If your greatest source of happiness is currently looking for new things to buy (and buying them), you have already seen for yourself that it does not last long and that you have to start again. An endless circle that makes you spend a lot of money, without bringing you deep satisfaction.
Think and buy differently
Contrary to what is thought, minimalism is not about buying nothing. The purpose of this article is to live by little, and not to live by nothing! By stopping buying a lot of things of poor quality, you will be able to spend your money on few, but better, things, that bring a real plus to your life.
Buying quality products also means making sure you can keep them longer in time (which is also good for the planet), and resell them one day at a more attractive price.
Get rid of the superfluous
Now let's move on to practice! I'm going to show you seven ways to live by little, but better. Simple steps that I advise you to do one by one, in time. Wanting to change everything in one fell swoop is often counterproductive.
