Leading on from the last point, minimalism doesn’t need to feel like a punishment or a death sentence. Minimalist Mistake #4: You’re imposing harsh restrictions on yourself My version of minimalism will be different from yours, but that doesn’t make it any less valid. And it’s taken me a while to arrive at a place of acceptance with this. I still own enough things that people may question my minimalist credentials. But you don’t have to live in an empty apartment, own a prescriptive number of items, or go off-grid and take a vow of silence for a year as a Tibetan monk. Minimalism has a somewhat extreme reputation to the uninitiated. What I would say, is that minimalism isn’t a competition as to who can own the least amount of stuff possible. Joking aside, I have every respect for people who choose to live in this way. Okay, so I’ve never actually gone this far! But if you disappear down enough YouTube rabbit holes of extreme minimalism, you’ll probably end up watching a guy explain how he sold everything in his house apart from a duvet and a frying pan. If you’re sleeping on a mattress on the floor because you sold all your bedroom furniture then… I sympathize. Minimalist Mistake #3: You think you have to go extreme So you need to be 100% sure of your own individual reasons for pursuing a minimalist way of life. In a world where you’re routinely judged on your possessions-the make of your car, the size of your house, and whether or not you’ve upgraded to the latest iPhone-it’s a long road to stop seeking external validation and turn inwards for approval. This blueprint is established by your parents, well-meaning teachers, friends, and further cemented by society at large. ![]() Remember that as much as you want to embrace change, your habitual thoughts and beliefs have been hardwired over time. And this is why I’m a big believer in taking the time to really boil down your ‘why.’ That said, I speak from experience when I say that sticking with minimalism for the long haul can feel hard. ![]() The benefits of minimalism are lucrative: the promise of a simpler life, a tonic to the destructive effects of modern-day consumerism, and reclaiming your most precious resource… Time. Minimalist Mistake #2: You don’t fully understand your ‘why’ But to make lasting changes, you’ve got to address your addictive compulsion towards owning more stuff. I was wildly optimistic that I could maintain a minimalist lifestyle without critically examining my buying habits, or in effect, what I was actually bringing into my home. This means that you’re constantly firefighting. What I’ve learnt is that it’s easy to focus all of your attention on treating the symptoms rather than diagnosing the root cause. I’ve certainly found myself in the decluttering rut more times than I’d care to admit. And before you know it, six months have passed and you’re staring in mild disbelief at the exact same overflowing wardrobe. ![]() Because bits and bobs start creeping back in again after a week or two. Everything left is ordered, tidy, in its right place. Minimalist Mistake #1: You’re stuck in a neverending cycle of declutteringįive bags of clothes are prepped for the charity shop and two are already on Facebook Marketplace. So I want to take this opportunity to celebrate my mistakes with you and what they’ve taught me-as silly, frustrating, and blindingly obvious as they may be. However, there are definitely a few pearls of wisdom that would have made my budding minimalist journey a whole lot easier. It gives me valuable clues as to where I still have work to do, helps me course-correct when I start wandering in the wrong direction, and constantly realigns me with my personal values. I’ve grown to embrace failure on my journey towards minimalism. ![]() Note: This is a guest post from Sophie Clarke of Intentional View.
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