Recently the word “minimalist” has been popping up everywhere, from Instagram bios to Netflix documentaries. Being a “minimalist” has officially gone mainstream. But have you ever wondered what this word really means?
Of course you have! Nobody really gets it. đ That’s the reason I decided to research this topic and implement the basic principals of “minimalism” into my own life. The results?
I feel like I’ve discovered hidden superpowers, with the power to shape our lives to be overall happier and more fulfilled.Â
What is “Minimalism?”
While there is not a single definition of minimalism, the word traditionally is used to describe simplicity, intentionality, and focus. But at its core, being a minimalist is all about getting more meaning out of life.
As a student, living a life of minimalism comes down to living with intention. Looking at all of the things in our life and deciding what holds meaning, and what is just acting as distractors to joy, calm and clarity. It means being intentional with our spending, and distinguishing between “needs” and “wants.” It’s learning to derive happiness from sources other than material items.
Greatest of all, it’s about choosing to use our most valuable asset wisely… Our time.
Time… Our Greatest Commodity
I once heard the analogy that our “time” has a compounding effect similar to “compound interest” and that all of the good choices that we make today, no matter how big or small, will yield surprisingly large returns over the long-term. Even if we don’t see the results as first, being intentional with our choices, and choosing to “invest” our time wisely, will provide us with a more fulfilled future.
This analogy opened my eyes to how much power we have to create change, both in our own lives and the lives of others, simply by using our most basic (and powerful) tools. Our “time” and “intentionality.”
Always remember that time is our greatest commodity. It is the first superpower that you will discover once you become a minimalist.
Minimalism Helps Us Live A Life Of Intention
After learning the potential that lies within our time, and that by harnessing it correctly we can shape our lives, I knew I had to take action. I needed to design my life around this concept, to invest every second wisely, that way I can be provided with the greatest return for my time investment.
This is the reason I chose to embrace a minimalist lifestyle in my 20s.
What better time is there to begin living a life of intention, than during our early years? This period of our lives is already focused on learning, growth, and discovering who we are. Not to mention the significant advantage we have… We have time on our side.
Right now is the easiest it will ever be for us to begin designing a life of minimalism, intentionality, and lifestyle design.
Becoming A Minimalist To Awaken Your Superpower
Now that you have learned what minimalism is and why it is beneficial for anyone who wants to live a fulfilled and meaningful existence… You may be wondering where to start and how you can discover your inner superpowers.
The First Step Towards Minimalism
The first step to becoming a minimalist is to go through your stuff and shed. We all have that pile under the bed… The junk drawer in our kitchen.. We must be ruthless yet realistic during this simplifying process. Marcus Aurelius has some great advice for this:
âReceive without pride, let go without attachment.â
When doing this initial purge of items and trying to decide what you should keep or throw away, there are three questions to ask yourself:
- Is this item sentimental?
- Is this item a legal document?
- Is this item essential for everyday use?
If an item doesnât fit in this category, it probably needs to find a new home. Whether this means donating your old items, or even throwing things away, the point is that these items have to go.
Find A Place For Everything
After the initial shedding of items, whatever you did kept, assign a place for them! By making a designated spot in your home for specific items, you will more easily be able to access those items and create a more efficient home and working environment.
An added benefit of keeping everything in its designated spots is that it will help keep you from buying items that you don’t need, because you will keep better track of everything!
Putting A Stop To The “Stuff”
I’ve found that one of the pillar’s of minimalism lies in “financial minimalism.” This is the simple principle of living below your means and only buying items that you really need.
So many of us fall into this trap of buying “stuff” just so we can feel a sense of happiness and satisfaction. What we forget is that those items are only going to provide fleeting moments of happiness, as true happiness lies inside of you, and not in material items.
Keeping up with the latest technology, fashion, and trends will NOT bring happiness.
It is imperative for us to remember that our happiness is not attached to physical items, and instead it comes from living a life of intention. We are the most fulfilled when we fill our life full of experiences, rather than “things.” With this in mind, it is much easier to remain a financial minimalist.
The Alternative To Reckless Spending
What is the alternative to reckless spending? Mindful spending. Every time I choose to save money rather than spend it, I remind myself of my “why.” Why I am choosing to live a frugal lifestyle. Why I strive to live everyday with intention.
I remind myself that true happiness lies within us and not in material items.
Mindful Spending Pro Tips
The next time you desire a fresh set of clothes, I highly encourage you to try second-hand shopping and thrifting. This economical option is better for your bank account, better for the environment, and is is just more fun anyway!
The next time you are considering going out to eat, instead cook at home! Not only will you enjoy learning a new skill, but home-cooked food always tastes better.
The next time your friends want to hangout, instead of having an expensive night on the town, host a game night! Have everyone bring a dish and play your favorite games. My favorite recently has been the Jackbox Party Pack, not exactly a board game, but it is so much fun with a group of friends.
Take A Sigh of Relief
When you arenât concerned about impressing others or “keeping up with the Joneses” youâll soon find that you can breathe a sigh of relief. Adopting a minimalist perspective to life gives us freedom from the belief that we must be surrounded by “things” to be happy.
Not to mention that your bank account will have a much higher balance. Which always provides a nice sigh of relief.Â
Staying Vigilant
Itâs exciting to think about the superpowers you are soon to receive after adopting a minimalist lifestyle, but to see results you must stay vigilant. Remember that it is not about perfection, it is just about doing your best.
As long as we are doing our best and continually living every day with intention, we are on the path towards developing our minimalist superpowers.
Enjoying The Benefits Of This New Lifestyle
Minimalism is about freeing up your time to enjoy the things that really matter, so make sure you are doing that! Reap the benefits from your efforts. Do the things that excite you, spend more time with people you love, and just do more of what fills you with happiness.
Lean Into What You Enjoy
With your added free time, learn new hobbies! Devoting our time to learning new skills is one of the best ways to find fulfillment and joy, and can quite literally change who you are as a person (for the better)!
In my pursuit of minimalism, I have picked up multiple new skills that I have always wanted to learn, but never had the time for. These have been playing guitar, writing, and videography.Â
Happier Mental State
Believe it or not, physical clutter can weigh you down and create more anxiety. By shedding excess clutter from your life, happiness will begin to naturally surround you.
Plus by spending your time intentionally and only on things that bring you the greatest amount of fulfillment, you will feel an overall sense of wellbeing.
Financial Security Has Never Been Easier
When we free ourselves from worrying about the social pressures of consumerism and stop caring about what everyone else is buying, we find it much easier to save money.
By cutting back on these superficial “wants,” our savings account will have a higher balance. With a higher savings balance, we can begin an emergency fund, save for important goals, and begin investing in our future.
âYou donât get a prize at the end of your life for having consumed more, worked more, spent more, and collected more than everyone else.â – Ryan Holiday
Good Habits Are Easier To Create
Minimalism allows for us to spend less time making tedious decisions, and more time maintaining good routines. This is because we’ve created an efficient environment where we don’t have to worry about smaller, time-consuming decisions because everything we do is with intention. This helps clear so much mental clutter and makes it significantly easier to start and stick to good habits.
If you are interested in learning the best student success habits, make sure to watch my recent video!
Freedom To Go
As a student, this is vital since we are always moving from one living situation to another with each new school year. Living a minimalistic life makes it easy to pack up and leave, all with much less stress than other people experience.
I value this freedom immensely since I would love to one day travel and see the world. For many, the idea of traveling abroad instills panic, but for minimalists, we realize we donât have to be tied down to one place because we donât have tons of stuff to pack, move, sell or store. We can pick up and leave at our leisure. WHICH IS SUCH AN EXCITING THOUGHT FOR THE FUTURE.
Adopting A Minimalist Mindset
Now that you have gotten to the end of this article, I have one last important piece of advice, and that is to connect with your “why”. Ask yourself “Why do I want to live a simpler, minimalistic life?”
Really connect with your “why.” It is so important to do this to ensure that these new habits stick. After all, life gets a lot simpler when we stop to ask ourselves why we do things.
To Find Your “Why” Do This Simple Activity
- Take a notepad write down a list of things that you really love doing. It can be as long or short as you want.
- Once you have your initial list, you want to star next to the items that are REALLY important to you.
- Now for each starred item, write what you love about it and why itâs important to have it in your life.
You’ll have a realization of what things in your life hold the most importance. This may be an eye opener for you, it sure was for me.
From there, you have to ask yourself, “What kind of lifestyle will allow me to do more of the things that I love? How can I build that life?”
For me, my “why” behind living a minimalistic life is so I can build a balanced and healthy lifestyle, surrounded by people I care about, with my spare time being invested into fulfilling and enriching life experiences rather than material items.
The way I am working to reach these goals (the “how”) is by living a life of minimalism, living below my means, and working hard, while also maintaining a healthy and balanced life.
No matter your “why,” use it as a superpower. Let it guide you towards designing a life that you choose. A life lived with intention.
Use your “why” to keep you motivated every day and use it along with “intention” and “time” as one of your most powerful superpowers.
Redesign Your Lifestyle Without Disrupting Your Life
Now that you know how to use minimalism to awaken your inner superpowers to create an amazing life of happiness and fulfillment, it is time to implement these principals.
Use your time wisely, make your choices intentionally, and remember your “why” is your most powerful secret weapon to keep you motivated.
And most importantly remember that you don’t have to be perfect, so don’t be so hard on yourself.Â
Thanks for reading and enjoy your new superpowers!
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