I’ve been looking back on the journey so far, and thinking about how minimalism came to be something that I practice in my life. For this and so many other topics, I’ve often felt that the ‘complete 180 degree’ stories are very popular for encouragement. The stories where people lived one way (in this case, chasing after consumerism and materialism), and then drastically turned that area of their life around; a ‘that was then, this is now’ story line.
That’s just not me.
As is the case for so many other things in my life, I don’t think I have a very flashy ‘conversion’ story for simplicity. In fact, I started living like this years before I ever heard of the term ‘minimalist’. My experience was a growing realization that I had so much in my life which I took for granted, while others don’t have enough. On top of this, my heart was yearning for fewer material things and more depth to life. These changes lead me to simplify and slow down. As new challenges, phases, and life events came up, I realized that I was consistently happy with less, and kept looking to find ways to simplify the chaos and clutter that surrounded me. I could choose to have less stuff and be more happy.
Even the people who first exemplified simple living for me weren’t people who are loud or draw attention to themselves. Maybe that’s why I was so intrigued in the first place: why are some people so happy, even when they own so little?
Perhaps the things that remain steady and constant in our lives aren’t just the over-night revelations, but the small seeds that are planted and quietly grow into something beautiful and lasting.
Uncluttered. Simple Living. Minimalism. Franciscanism. There are so many terms I’ve heard to describe this, but whatever you want to call it, this isn’t something that I could leave behind or forget. I think I’ve been moving towards this and changing my life gradually and permanently so much that it’s now ingrained in me. I’ve seen the benefits and I love it.
And whether YOUR draw to minimalism has been right away, or on the other hand very quiet and gradual, I’d be honoured to share this journey with you. Let’s encourage each other as we strive to have Less Stuff. More Life.
