“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve always imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler.” – Henry David Thoreau
Simplifying makes your life easier (surprise!).
Not just because you are suddenly able to find matching socks because you decluttered your closet.
Your life becomes easier because somehow, simplifying your stuff often leads to simplifying how you spend your time, too.
When you simplify your life with minimalism, you constantly ask yourself “Do I want this in my life? Do I really need this or am I just assuming that I do?”.
This doesn’t just change the amount of junk in your drawer, it also starts a process of change inside you. All over sudden life might not seem so complicated after all.
The benefits of simplifying your life
For example, if your secret dream was to be a writer, you might realize that to be a writer you have to write. I know, shocking. But it’s not uncommon to think that in order to go after your dream you have to, say, get a degree in creative writing before you can do anything.
You might realize it can be much simpler.
The women I work with have a (creative) dream they are pursuing or procrastinating on. All of them feel overwhelmed by the demands of their daily lives, whether they are mothers or professors or illustrators or a combination of ten things.
The point is, they have a lot on their plates.
So the prescription I sneak into our coaching is always to simplify their lives. Some of my women literally go through their homes and get rid of things, others make space on their calendars.
And things start to shift. They feel lighter and less exhausted. I still find this fascinating! Here’s what one of my clients has to say about this process:
“I cannot thank you enough for your insight, time, abilities to cut through the mire… I am feeling such lightness within, I can’t even describe it. This morning, at my home desk, I have begun picking through the stacks of stuff, cleaning, getting rid… it feels amazing.”
The cool thing is, we’re only at session three!
My minimalism journey
As for me, I have been on a “minimalist journey” for the last five years. I’ve thrown away hundreds of items and I still go through phases of purging. Granted, I enjoy sorting through my stuff, but the real reason why I am so drawn to the idea of owning less is that it helps me make space for the things that matter. It’s not about being a perfect minimalist, it’s about the process of defining what matters to me.
Not just the physical items, but the less tangible things like making time to meet with friends or read a good book.
Minimalism is not about the things you own, it’s about how you’d like to spend your time.
Life does feel simpler when you own fewer possessions.
Not all of that is due to the new space on your shelves. A lot of it comes from the emotional and mental space you create that can now be filled with the things that matter to you – or just be left empty.
What do you want? A garden, time for good books and walks with your husband? To make movies and own six cats? When you make room for minimalism you make room for those dreams, too.