Once you waste the first twenty years of your life focusing on useless things like going to clubs, social media fame, what to buy, and what to wear, you might eventually become more careful about what type of activities you let in your everyday life. That’s what happened to me. I was living irresponsibly until the age of twenty-two when I finally realized that something was wrong. I knew I had to act or I would wake up one day, old and wrinkled, regretting everything I did during my life.
Fortunately, I found a way to lessen the never-ending desire to look good in the eyes of others and finally focus on what was essential for me. The concept of minimalism helped me understand that you don’t need much to be happy. It helped me realize that life can be simplified and streamlined without sacrificing quality.
Unfortunately, this idea is not something we can easily see. In our everyday life, we are bombarded by messages and endorsements telling us that our lives are not good enough unless we get that new, shiny product. There’s that new car, t-shirt, sofa, pair of pajamas, or that innovative mattress simulating cryosleep, which is now the “new thing.” And since everyone is chasing these products, we start wholeheartedly believing that more things equal happiness.
You and I both know that this belief is far from the truth. Even if you’re persuaded by the ads on social media and you buy that new product, you realize after a few days that this new thing won’t actually change your life. After the initial excitement, the new product becomes part of the pile. At some point, the mountain of things that was supposed to make your life better begins to suffocate you.
There is a better way to spend your time and your life in general. This is the minimalist lifestyle: the way of less stuff and more meaning. It’s a lifestyle that will help you take back control of your life.
To begin, you need to get really comfortable with the idea that more does not equal better.
Once you realize the potential in this simple idea, you’ll understand that you don’t need much to be happy. You’ll see that happiness is not about owning things—it is about doing more impactful things.
“If you live for having it all, what you have is never enough.”
—Vicki Robin