PBA family I hope you all are all doing well in mind, body, and soul. I want to thank you for taking the time to journey life with me and really live in the present moment as we do 2017! I am trying to spend each day being mindful of the way I treat myself, my spirit , and my body. I hope you will join this quest with me as we continue to journey in this thing called life.
Today's blog was inspired by reading and learning about Minimalism. Have you heard about it? If not, the minimalist movement has taken our consumer driven lifestyle by storm. In fact they are claiming that this new lifestyle allows them to save money, lower their monthly bills, travel the world, work less hours, free up income to invest in, pay off student debt, declutter living space, become less attached to their material possessions, increase their appreciation for what they have and simplifying their life overall. Where should we sign up right? I thought this could really benefit my family and myself. Those were my intial thoughts until I read further about what was required to be a true minimalist. It requires much sacrifice, many of these minimalists have sold their home to live in a small apartment, have minimal furniture, clothing, and shoes. Despite the sacrifice, "the lifestyle assists you in finding freedom. Freedom from fear. Freedom from worry. Freedom from overwhelm. Freedom from guilt. Freedom from depression. Freedom from the trappings of the consumer culture we’ve built our lives around. Real freedom" according to the founders of the movement (minamilst.com.)
Despite all of the benefits of minimalism, I have so much resistance to this idea. Where was this resistance coming from? I am thinking the resistance is grounded in my core beliefs. After all, those beliefs are centered around having the American Dream and I am drowning every day trying to live this dream out (mentally, physically, and spiritually). Having the American Dream is so important to me. What they do not tell you is that only a few reach it and the majority of us are chasing after it, just getting more and more in debt. In the mad chase of it all, you create a meaningless life with stress, anxiety, and just an accumulation of stuff that you do not need! Does having the American Dream deem happiness? I would say probably not. Having the American Dream actually requires one to not be their true self because you are so caught up in how society has defined you. And that is a major problem. As I, as we, begin to think about the many goals that we are trying to accomplish in 2017, can we really? Especially, if we are trying to do it all and have it all...It is just not possible.
LEARN TO LET GO
This fad/trend/ movement or whatever we are going to call it, really teaches us about the importance of letting go. That is what minimalism is too me. It is letting go of the things that are unnecessary in your life and the things that are weighing you down. The only person that can determine that is you. Now I am not saying I am going to let go of my home and move my family into a shed house but I think I see the importance in a decluttered home and letting go of the things that I do not need. Those things only serve as a distraction in my home. Traveling the world is important but for me also seeing the importance of loving my home and making it a place that feels like a peaceful resort is also just as valuable because I spend most of my time there. My home is an investment, in fact it is not just for myself but for my children and hopefully their children. Also, I see the value in not collecting, clothing, shoes, purses that always seem to go out of the style and then requires a new wardrobe. What would my life look like if had less stuff? That is the basic questions that most minimalists pose to themselves? I would imagine that if I were to answer that question my life would be less complicated and less stressful. I would imagine that I would not have much debt and life would not be a trend or a movement it would truly be living. The things in my life would truly have meaning and not go out of style. So I will pose that same question to you. What would your life look like if you could finally let go, and have less stuff?
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