Why I Decided To Become a Minimalist

My journey with minimalism started two years ago when I started listening to The Minimalists podcast. 

Before diving into the world of Ryan Nicodemus and Joshua Fields Millburns through their podcast, I got mixed messages on what minimalism was. All I could picture was an all black and white wardrobe, a space with nothing but an abstract framed piece of art and maybe a large plant somewhere in the room, and an ascetic-like lifestyle.  

Thankfully, I was able to debunk these images the more I learned about the minimalist lifestyle and I began my journey in 2018 by reducing my material possessions and simplifying my life. 

The further along I got on my journey, the curiosity from family and friends began to come up. The first question I would get was “why are you getting rid of your stuff?”, and the truth is… I was tired of finding my worth in things. 

I realized that my attachment to “stuff” was hurting me more than helping and not to mention all the bad habits I was forming such as spending my entire paycheck on new things, finding validation in the things I owned, and missing out on valuable experiences because I just had to spend hours finding new things to bring home. 

This isn’t to say that individuals who find joy in interests such as fashion, interior design and other hobbies that require the routines and expenses I detached from are worthless, it just wasn’t for me. 

Living more simply can benefit anyone even if you don’t like to use the word “minimalism”. You can opt-out and use the words “mindful living”, “intentional living”, or “simple living”, whatever floats your boat and brings you the most value. 

If you enjoyed this blog post and want to know more about minimalism, visit my minimalism page or feel free to start a convo in the comment section!