Are you always overwhelmed by the number of things you have to do?
Well, you are not alone.
We all are at the verge of having our brains explode. We are overloaded by the tasks and things we need to complete. With the internet, we have even more pressure to “do” stuff.
More clothes, more shoes, more bags, more parties, more travel. We are always in the process of doing more.
But then there are some people who are bringing back the trend of living with less.
Essentialism is definitely the biggest revolution that is to follow if you are tired of more.
But what is essentialism and how is it different from minimalism?
Essentialism if the art of keeping things you need.
Minimalism can have different definitions for everyone. To me, a minimalist is someone who can carry their lives within their backpacks.
Essentialism is a less extreme version of minimalism. It allows you to enjoy life while also focusing on important things.
Essentialism is the art of having an abundant life which is well thought out and focuses on conscious living.
There can be degrees of minimalism and I particularly find essentialism is what works for me.
Wants vs to needs?
I cannot be an extreme minimalist or extreme anything. In my opinion, every person on this Earth wants to have an abundant and well-lived life.
I like a few things that I enjoy, especially keeping my house clean, organised and pretty. Also, I like to dress up and have a collection of good clothes that I really like.
When I started learning about minimalism, I started losing my mind at all the things I owned but can’t let go of. This gave me more stress than actually having those things.
Do you relate with all of this?
I did not want to throw out everything I have built over these years. After comparing myself to other minimalists I finally understood that I can have my own version of it.
I have never been a hoarder. I always want to live with less. But I also enjoy the idea of a cosy home where you can come and have a good night’s sleep.
If you are killing your desires all the time, you are killing a part of you. You need to feed your soul with happiness.
You just need to realise when it is getting out of hand.
Balance is the key.
An extreme minimalist lifestyle is appealing and maybe when I am old, I would want to follow it. But right now, I want to go back from work to a cosy comfy home and enjoy time with my family.
Why is essentialism important?
Increased happiness
The popularity of minimalism and essentialism has been boosted by some people over the internet. Like The minimalists. I love their ideology and the fact that it suits them.
Their happiness is contagious and their lives are stress-free.
The whole concept of having some time for you to do things for your self is appealing.
It is making people aware of how much more time they can have just by reducing the stuff and consumption in their lives.
Life is so happy with less and you cannot deny it. Who doesn’t like the feeling of having a clutter-free house 365 days?
You can have a good time at home with your family and friends watching movies, playing games or indulging in your hobbies like writing or cooking.
Environmental issues
People are getting aware of the environmental issues and the time and money spent on creating stuff.
They understand what is hurting the planet, especially clothes, cleansers and skincare. People are making more things at home when they need it or buying from other sustainable resources.
People are seeing the cons of excess consumerism. We all have more but we are more stressed than ever.
Climate change is affecting people globally and people are becoming more conscious.
They know about the brands with sustainable practices and contribute to reducing the carbon footprint wherever possible.
Mental health
Mental health is one of the seven pillars of wellness and a really important one. If you are not mentally fit, all the other pillars including physical wellness will falter.
In this fast-paced world, people are craving for stress-free living even more. People are realising the value of mental health and doing things that they really love.
Like if you want to read a book instead of doing your laundry or keeping your home clean, they want to be able to do it.
They now have a personal style and do not want to waste time every morning thinking about what they should be wearing.
They are realising the benefits of living a life sans extra responsibilities. They now prefer doing things that make them happy instead. Bye-bye clutter.
Sustainability warriors
There is a new generation of sustainability warriors like Greta Thunberg across the globe. They are reinforcing the idea of a better planet.
There are sustainable fashion influencers like Dearly Bethany who are having a great influence on people. They have shown how possible it is to live with less and still look and feel good.
Their lifestyle and freedom are what appeals to the young audience. They want to be able to spend their time doing more or creating something.
They want to explore more, experience more instead of having more.
Spark of Joy by Marie Kondo
I wanted to tag her as an influencer but she deserves a separate section for her influence on all of us.
Marie Kondo has shown the visual pleasure of having an organised place. The entire show gave hope to people that simplifying their lives can actually change it for better.
The before and after pictures are real game-changers. The serenity that reflects from these homes is addictive and people want to feel the same themselves.
Also, I love her ideology of keeping things that spark joy. Which means you don’t have to sleep on the floor and have just 3 clothes if you want to be a minimalist or an essentialist.
You need to let go of the things that don’t serve you anymore. Excess clothes you don’t like or don’t fit you, or things you have stored over time but you never used.
Keep the things you really enjoy wearing or using instead. It can be pictures if you love them and souvenirs for that matter.
You just have to find the right balance.
Save money
You save a lot of money when you spend less on useless things.
This money can be invested or used in wealth creation instead. Youngsters today understand the value of saving over splurging on accumulating stuff.
Tiny house movement is huge and especially for people who want the freedom of time and space. They spend money on something that sparks joy for them.
They spend on experiences and adventures. Travel has become the number one thing to pursue by the younger generation.
Save time
Not having a lot of things saves a lot of time in organising the stuff you have otherwise.
The saved time can be spent with friends, family, or taking up a course on Coursera or teaching something to people or even starting your side hustle.
You can focus on a new hobby or start a philanthropic work for your community instead.
Marketing fatigue
People are getting tired of brands constantly trying to sell stuff. They are invading their personal space, their inboxes, their locations, their social media even their conversations.
We are all tired of this constant marketing.
The amount of choices has left us exhausted and we just want to run to a corner where we are not followed by the ghosts of these brands.
Find a life that you love
You are the creator of your own life. You can choose if you want to fill it up with stuff or experiences. You can have a life which is stress-free and full of love and hope. You can have better health, relationships and bank- balance. You can be a creator or a change-maker if you allow yourself mental space and clarity.
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Chakshu is a US alliance certified yoga teacher, a biotechnologist and an Ayurveda evangelist. Her passion is to help people live a toxic-free life, emotionally and chemically. She loves reading self-help books. When she is not writing, she is busy thinking about life.
