You see, Minimalism wasn't a thing that I sat down and decided to do, Nope... I didn't just wake up one day and decide to have a minimalist lifestyle, anyone that knows me well knows how serious I am when it comes to this lifestyle. It is a lifestyle that I have to live by, whether I want to or not. I remember the many expectations and the worries i had to live by, just one day i got really tired, and thats when minimalism began making alot of sense to me.
One big way minimalism changed my life is in my mind, See, I used to think that I needed to have a lot of things going on around me to live, like more clothes, more plans, more noise, etc, but with time i began to notice that the more things I had, the more overwhelmed I got. This certainly isn't a joke , i remember hoe i used to feel then, sometimes i would feel my chest tighten up, like i was really trying to keep up with all the things going on around me, see me trying to keep up with things and people that were not adding value to my life. but now letting go of that kind of mind set gave me alot of rom to breathe and thats when i started experiencing calmness in my life.
With Minimalism, i learnt that not everything that came my way demanded my energy, really it was a tough lesson because me i am someone who holds on to things like alot and for a long time _ Relationships, expectations and even my habits, no matter how they are to me either in a positive or negative way, but with Minimalism i learnt to choose what should stay with me and those ones I should let go. Now i always always ask myself before i let anything or anyone come close, I ask, "Is this thing helping me?" or "Is this one stressing me?" and if i get my answer as stress, omo... its gone, This way i have been able to save myself alot of emotional exhaustion.
Another way that minimalism has helped me is in my savings. Since I do not earn much, I try in every possible way to make sure I spend wisely, see me , i don't buy expensive or trendy things, i spend money when it is really necessary, i think twice before I get money out to do something , because if i spend in an unwise manner, it is still me that will bear the brunt. so it is like this fewer unnecessary expenses means fewer regrets and less anxiety when money becomes tight.
Also minimalism has helped me to see a different aspect to productivity, before i used to feel guilty for resting, i used to always want to do something to prove to people that i wasnt lazy and that i was serious about my life, now i dont feel that way because i dont see my rest as laziness anymore. me choosing fewer task or responsibility and doing them well feels better than doing many things at same time and leaving them halfway, slow progress is still progress.
Now my advise to anyone just starting their minimalist journey is very simple, just dont force it, Minimalism isn't about suffering or anything like that, it is about being honest with yourself, see, just start small, you do not even need to throw everything away overnight, No, just you pay attention to what gives you peace and also to things that drain you, so you know the ones to do away with.
Also, don't compare yourself to others, If someone is progressing or not, do not let it bother you, just go at your own pace, because at the end of the day we all have different paths to take in life.
You don't have to have everything figured out, that is what minimalism has taught me. less weight to carry, less noise, less pressure, less unnecessary stress, and that's the best kind of life.
Images are Mine
