Why did I choose to change my lifestyle to one of minimalism?
Well, I have been interested in minimalism for the past year now and have slowly introduced it into my own way of life. Now I have a lot less of many things: possessions crowding my home, numerous projects taking up my time, things constantly keeping me busy, and an endless collection of movies to watch. There was a time when I felt if I just had that one more movie or that one more CD, my collection would be complete. But it never was. I was always busy with a new project to work on, usually having six or more on the go at a time.
Now I have more time, more space, more focus. Minimalism for me was a way to de-clutter my life with all the distractions. I got rid of my smart phone, I stopped playing video games, I started saying NO to projects that I just didn't have time for. Now when something comes into my life, whether it is an object, a project, or a person, I seriously question whether it will have value for me before I allow it to enter my life. That's what minimalism is all about for me. Only keeping the things in life that really matter. It takes some serious thinking, and it changed my views on a lot of things about consumerism, society, and human nature, but it was a change for the best.
Here is a quote from Leo Babauta that really nails the meaning of minimalism:
It’s a way to escape the excesses of the world around us — the excesses of consumerism, material possessions, clutter, having too much to do, too much debt, too many distractions, too much noise. But too little meaning. Minimalism is a way of eschewing the non-essential in order to focus on what’s truly important, what gives our lives meaning, what gives us joy and value.
Here are a few articles on what minimalism is and what benefits can be attained through it. (Many of these are written much more eloquently than my blog, hahaha!)
What Is Minimalism? - The Minimalists
On Minimalism - Zen Habits
Minimalist FAQs - mnmlist
Why Minimalism Should Not Be Entered Into Lightly - BecomingMinimalist
Top Ten Benefits of Being A Minimalist - Miss Minimalist