So why jump on board with this minimalism thing anyway? We spend most of our lives being told that more is better. So how could it be possible to find more happiness in having less?
Minimalism and simplicity: think of them as a tools to help you focus on what is important in life. Whatever you hold most dear, and whatever you want to commit time to—that is what simple living can help you achieve.
There are so many benefits to living with less. Mostly, it helps us from becoming distracted and having our attention pulled away from what really matters. Striving towards simple living will bring many benefits. Here are some benefits that come with simple living:
Benefits of living with less.
- Less time spent organizing your possessions, and more time for the people you love. Stuff drains our time through shopping, organizing, and paying off debt. Stop running after the accumulation of more things and you might be surprised to discover more time for the people who are most important to you.
- Less money spent on stuff you don’t need, and more money to save, share generously, or spend on life-giving experiences. There are so many other worthwhile ways to spend money and time than the accumulation of things. Fill your life with people to love and places to see—not merely stuff.
- Less consumer debt, and more freedom. There’s no denying that debt ties us down. Living debt-free comes with the freedom of not paying off past purchases and only moving forward.
- Less shopping, and more living. Shopping can become a pastime for when we’re bored, unsatisfied, or unhappy. Instead of shopping you can spend that time and energy enjoying life.
Benefits Go Beyond Decluttering Physical Things.
- Less worrying about what other people think, and more energy for the causes and pursuits that are close to your heart. Don’t worry about the Joneses. They might just notice how free you are and ask how to live with less stuff and more life.
- Less pull from distractions, and more focus on your passions. Whether that means turning off notifications or watching less TV, when we cut out the distractions in our day we’re left with more time to pursue our interests or leisure activities.
- Less comparing yourself to others, and more gratitude for what you already have. Comparison can really drain our happiness, whereas being thankful makes us aware of everything good in life.
- Less time spent in idle conversation, and more space for meaningful interactions. Get to know the people around you instead of merely passing by. Participate in conversations with valuable, kind, and true contributions.
- Less rushing, and more listening. When you ask someone ‘How are you?’ take the time to really listen to their answer. Learning to listen attentively can build relationships as well as cultivate compassion and understanding.
- Less waiting to be happy someday later, and more time enjoying life now. We won’t need to wait for happiness, but we can choose to be happy with what we have now.
- Less busyness and more rest. Slowing down the schedule can allow more time for rest and sleep. You’ll feel better when you’re rested and ready for the day.
More Happiness Found In Less.
For my family, we’ve discovered that the benefits of simplicity give us so much more value than any clutter in our home ever could. Minimalism isn’t about deprivation or missing out, but rather eliminating the unnecessary in order to live a more focused and intentional life. It involves removing the haze of clutter in order to have clarity to see the valuable.
So to describe simple living in a nutshell:
Less Stuff. More Life.
Join us during January for the new year’s resolution: Declutter Your Life. Every day in January there will be one area to declutter. Use this opportunity to not only clear out clutter, but more importantly to make a lifestyle change. Make a change to focus less on stuff and more on life! There are lots of ways to remove stuff, however by working together we can create accountability and share ideas on this minimalism journey. Like our Simple Adventure facebook page, join conversations in our new year’s resolution group, or sign up for the newsletter.
