Adopting a minimalist lifestyle contributes to a more grateful and intentional way of living, if you’re looking for practical tips to simplify your life and feel better, keep reading.
This post shares 5 Practical Tips to Simplify Your Life With Minimalism and Gratitude
What is Minimalism?
Minimalism is a lifestyle choice where you detach from materialistic objects and live with only the necessities. Like anything else in life, minimalism is a spectrum, some people may adopt a minimalist aesthetic (less clutter) but not completely detach from all material objects.
The concept of minimalism can be traced back to the 1800s by writers Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. Both of whom advocated for self-reliance, and simplistic living. In today’s day minimalism is often referenced in connection to New York Times–bestselling authors and creators of the doc “The Minimalists” Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus. Approximately 10% of the population are practicing minimalism.
How the Minimalist Lifestyle Creates a Grateful Life
Minimalism leads to gratitude because it allows us to have a deeper appreciation for our material items. When you focus on quality instead of quantity you have a better understanding and appreciation of the value each item brings to your life. The lack of clutter is also proven to increase your general mood and decrease anxiety. If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of gratitude check out our post “10 Unbelievable Gratitude Practice Benefits that Will Change Your Life”.
5 Practical Tips to Simplify Your Life
1. Learn from the Pros
You can dive deeper into minimalism by checking out the documentary “The Minimalists: Less is Now “ on Netflix, or reading the Minimalists’ books. While not quite a minimalist, a notable mention would be Marie Kondo, who teaches you to only hold on to the items that spark joy.
2. Throw Away One Item Per Day
According to the 80/20 rule of minimalism we use 20% of our things 80% of the time. That’s a whole lot of unused objects! A transformational practice in minimalism is to throw away (please donate or recycle!) just one item per day. Sounds simple enough right? though after even just a few days you may find it starts to become difficult. The hope is that after a few weeks, you’ll have built a habit and feel less attached to your objects.
3. Focus on one room at a time
You don’t want to overwhelm yourself by tackling multiple rooms or areas of your home at once. Focus on one room or even just one area like a drawer or closet at a time. Tackling smaller tasks will help create momentum which will drive your motivation.
4. Practice Mindfulness and Meditation
Mindfulness is the ability to be in the present moment without judgment or analysis. Practicing mindfulness will help you learn to be still and accept what is. Meditation is a tool you can use to practice being mindful. When you meditate often you’ll regulate your nervous system and prevent impulses like unnecessary spending and attachment to objects.
5. Tidy Up Regularly
Keeping your space clean and organized regularly will help maintain your momentum and motivation. Minimalism is all about building habits to create a new way of life.
The Benefits of Minimalism
There are a multitude of benefits to minimalism including; Saving money: You’re not buying as many material objects. Improving your mental health and wellbeing: because you’re not living in clutter, and you’ve deepened your feelings of gratitude. More time: You have less to clean and organize. Sustainability: You’re buying less and therefore contributing less waste and minimizing the consumption of the planet’s resources.
In Summary:
- Minimalism is a way of life practiced by about 10% of the population.
- Adopting the minimalist lifestyle will lead to a more grateful way of life.
- You can get started with minimalism today by learning more from the pros, throwing out one item per day, focusing on the clutter of one room at a time, practicing meditation, and tidying up regularly.
This post shared 5 Practical Tips to Simplify Your Life, Minimalism and Gratitude
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