A minimalism lifestyle is the change in one’s need or desire to own very few material possessions. A minimalist targets to own, on average, about 50-100 things on a quest to own less stuff but most importantly, only those items that are of great value and highly essential. In other words, clutter is eliminated by all means necessary.
Minimalists prefer to survive on fewer things, for instance: not owning a car but instead walk or bike to work; not feeling the need to own big and expensive homes, but instead build a small comfortable home; not owning the newest technology but instead have the functional day-to-day appliances. Minimalism is thus a tool for helping humanity rid themselves of life’s excess in favor of focusing on what is really important in a bid to find happiness, fulfillment, and freedom. In this sense, here are 25+ outstanding benefits of living a minimalist lifestyle.
1. It is an intentional rewarding lifestyle
Minimalism is a self-driven intention that comes from an individual and is not forced down on anyone. It comes from within a person, and that is, it is inspired by an internal decision and not by external forces. Therefore, it rewards by making us place value on only the rewarding things and avoid those that distracts us.
2. Freedom from the passion to possess – consumerism
“See it, buy it!” – This is the number one social disease most of us battle with in day to day life. With a minimalist lifestyle, however, it gives you the power to avoid the passion for material possession. Minimalist lifestyle advocates for minimal material possession and by adopting it, one is freed from the desire to buy things because others are doing it. Minimalism will help you avoid the influence and in the long-run, you get to save your hard earned money and spend it on more meaning things.
3. Freedom from modern mania
The comparison game and the race to own is the in thing in the contemporary era. Regardless, minimalist lifestyle assures that what one owns should not be dictated by advertisements. Therefore, it gives us the freedom to make decisions solely on the basis of needs and not dictated by greed. For this reason, minimalism gives one the freedom from modern mania by helping us purchase only the things that will last and of value.
4. A reliable, dependable and consistent life
A simple life is one that is consistent and dependable, which is very much realizable by living a minimalist lifestyle. With a simple life, it is easy to predict the future by noticing past failures in life and makes us more prepared for them. In the consumerism world, no one purchases a product again after the cons outweigh the pros. Based on this analogy, a minimalist lifestyle will always ensures the need to take responsibility and inculcate the trait of dependability.
5. Individual growth
With a minimalist lifestyle, one tends to appreciate the very little things which eventually address our deepest heart desires and only the ones that impact our lives positively for individual growth. Minimalist lifestyle significantly helps one to focus on his/her troubles. In most cases, we are always in the habit of focusing on the things that distract us instead of focusing on the little good things in our lives, which prevents us from addressing what is wrong.
A good example is dreaming for expensive vacations instead of having a simple nature/adventure tour within our localities. Besides, even personality development experts say that the little things we do like just taking an evening walk promotes well-being and productivity.
6. Minimalism offers dynamism on how we approach life
The approach to minimalist lifestyle differs from one person to another, but with the overriding principle of avoiding wastage and being content. In this sense, it is unique to anyone who adopts the lifestyle and makes it easy to be flexible so as to fit into relationships and other day to day life requirements. This benefit makes it easy for anyone to adopt an approach in life that specifically caters for their needs, without wanting to own the entire universe to prove how important or valuable we are.
7. It gives life meaning
A minimalist lifestyle gives meaning to the things that actually matter in our lives, ultimately providing direction for our entire life. The lifestyle teaches us to principally focus on the things that directly affect our lives and avoid those that are minor and do not directly affect us. This leads to living a life with purpose. For example, people attach too much importance to succeed instead of focusing on why they want to succeed.
8. Time saving and increased efficiency
A minimalist lifestyle is not time consuming. It fills our environment with less emotional and material needs or clutter in general, which makes decision making easier thus reducing time wastage and enhances efficiency. Further, it makes us only make time for what is important and not to waste time on things that do not matter.
9. It effects change
If you need to make change in your life, try a minimalist lifestyle. As discussed in the previous point of ‘time saving,’ minimalist lifestyle makes one more effective and efficient. It involves small changes in running our daily lives right from breaking away from the way we do things. Furthermore, the lifestyle requires minimalism and for this reason, it inculcates the same habit in our daily endeavors thereby changing how we perceive and do things.
10. Can help build better relationships
With the minimalist lifestyle, you’ll tend to spend more time with people that lift you up while you equally lift them up. The lifestyle also makes us contribute beyond our selfish desires and believing in greater purpose other than individual needs. As a result, it helps in building relationships with the people around us, our families, and friends.
11. Enjoy life- live in the moment
The lifestyle makes us focus on our hobbies and creating time to do only the rewarding and enjoyable things, especially the things we never seem to have time for. With all the extra time and less burden that comes with a minimalist lifestyle, it allows one to take risks and do the enjoyable things.
12. It rids you of baggage
In simple terms, the lifestyle makes you throw away what you don’t need in order to focus on what you need. The outcome is less stress and worry; and more peace of mind.
13. Enhances creativity
By consuming less and getting rid of excess clutter, both material and emotional, it gives the power and freedom to be creative. Moreover, minimalist lifestyle champions for creativity in looking for ways to reduce the amount of stuff consumed.
14. Organization benefits
A more organized house hold is easier to clean with less stuff and clutter. Have more space to arrange what you need. A minimalist lifestyle has a more aesthetic value.
15. Reduces fear
We accumulate stuff and give them meaning making us always terrified of losing our stuff. Gain confidence because you don’t have anything to lose by adopting a minimalist lifestyle. Taking back control of your life, for example, one can’t take a leap from a job they find draining and unrewarding to start their own business because most of their finances are tied up in maintaining a lifestyle that does not allow for that kind of risk.
16. Live a comfortable life
A minimalist lifestyle is packaged with a life full of comfort and freedom from stress as well as debt. It creates a calm and peaceful life.
17. It makes you become self-reliant
Minimalist lifestyle helps you to become less reliant on material things and be more reliant on yourself. Your mood, should not be dictated by what you have, own or what you wish to own. You therefore get things done, and your ability to achieve is not dependent on possessions but on knowledge.
18. Better health
Minimalist lifestyle makes one to appreciate their health and take care of it. It also gives more opportunity for rest by decluttering your schedule to enhance your health, make your food, sleep or even spend time with family. It makes you take time to laugh, smile, and enjoy personal time, and even have time for a small polite conversation with a friend or a stranger. These things might seem trivial but eventually build up to one’s better health and well-being. It also preserves mental health.
19. Extra money
Buying and doing less leads to not spending so much money and eventually saving money and having extra money. You can use the money for emergencies or on things that matter.
20. Quality over quantity
Minimalism advocates for having less crappy stuff. Having crappy stuff means more spending on valuable resources. The lifestyle makes one spend money and time on only the really great stuff!
21. Owning investments instead of liabilities
Owning some things is more of a liability to growth than assets which boost your worth. You can only achieve this through a minimalist lifestyle because it assists you to get rid of the things holding you back from living life at your own terms. An example is owning a car when you are not financially flexible to deal with the expenses of owning a car like regular fuel and maintenance costs, which makes you spend more money on a non-rewarding item. A minimalist lifestyle doesn’t allow this by all means.
22. No Anxiety
Financial security is a huge anxiety relief. De-cluttering your life can help you let go of stress and clear space for the peace of mind. Instead of living with anxiety, a lifestyle of simple living offers happiness.
23. Lets you keep in touch nature and be part of its conservation
Not only is the minimalist lifestyle based on the concept of owning less things but it also reduces resource use which eventually helps the environment.
24. Freedom and feeling liberated
Freedom from stuff is liberating. The sense of freedom that comes from minimalism is truly amazing. A prime example is the freedom to do what you want with your time.
25. Charitable
The passage right to a minimalist lifestyle is getting rid of excess stuff that you don’t need. Nonetheless, because you don’t need it does not mean it is not helpful to someone else. Donating clothes to the homeless or books to library is not only a way to get rid of stuff but it is also a way to give to those people who need it most.
26. Happiness
True happiness is the ultimate benefit of living a minimalist lifestyle. Moreover, it is the best fruits of life that anyone can hope for. It adds a deeper sense of meaning to life and attaches purpose and fruitfulness of life itself.
