A Lifelong Lesson from the Minimalist Mindset

The Minimalist mindset… is it a benefit to life?

Minimalism is often oversimplified to tangible property. While minimalists agree that materialistic obsession is futile, there is another side of the minimalist mindset that is frequently disregarded by laypeople. It should be emphasized that this little-known aspect takes the largest portion of the viewpoint.

Who is a minimalist?

Being a minimalist doesn’t mean throwing away everything materialistic and having just one pair of jeans and a t-shirt. It’s about getting rid of all the garbage that keeps you down, whether it’s your clothes, social media profiles, or certain people in your life. There’s really no reason to be a hoarder because the pile might get rotten and you won’t even notice that.

Finding your true self

At some point, you have to realize that the so-called routine matters more than chasing the dream that a few people imposed on you. The little things that you do on a daily basis and don’t really care about, start to snowball down the spiral of dissatisfaction, indignation, and maybe even hatred. The materialistic things or the busy life that was supposed to make you happy (at least in the long run), maybe the key reasons of why you’re miserable today.

Usually what happens is that we find ourselves setting up big goals. More advanced people would set up small objectives that would lead to the completion of their ambitions. In the end, when the aspired is achieved we are supposed to be happier, right? How do we know that the final destination will bring us the desired outcome? Maybe the everyday grind is a cue for the reevaluation of the final goals? Of course, putting yourself in uncomfortable situations is one of the ways to personal growth. But when this feeling out of sorts happens on a month to month basis it is probably time to learn from the ‘success-leading’ drudgery.

Now, how can you change it?

Start questioning your decisions! It’s not only about the life-changing commitments that turn your life upside down, but small day-to-day casual activities.

A couple of years ago, I used to play a certain video game during my free time. I did it because I thought I was having fun. What I didn’t realize is that the game became my new routine. An extremely time-consuming routine. The game felt like a new chore that I had to do.

Thankfully, I was swamped for a few months and simply didn’t have time to play. But after pondering over the game I’ve come to the conclusion that not playing made me happier. It was obvious that the game was redundant, yet I’ve never questioned why I was playing it.

It is highly desirable to be passionate about what you’re doing. This rule doesn’t only apply to the job or studies but leisure as well. Your preferences will most likely change over time. It’s crucial to identify the change and take according to actions so you won’t get stuck in between the two dimensions of yourself. The question that you can ask yourself is: Why you’re doing what you’re doing? Thinking it through is helpful to find out whether it’s time to move on or there is a reason to carry on.

All you need is…

The minimalist mindset makes you discard a lot. Sometimes it’s tough to not look back. Yet, there’s something remarkable about minimalism and what it gives you in return. When calculating the pros and cons, this viewpoint constantly comes on top because you always save something exceptionally precious – time.