The Truth About Minimalism: Uncover Your Hidden Values and Joy
Do you own your possessions or do they own you?
It feels like the walls are closing in around you.Your books are in piles all over the floor. A pile of clothes in the corner rivals the Appalachians. Your desk is covered with sheets of paper and office supplies.It’s like your things are caving in on you, leaving you in the dark. You recognize this feeling. The anxiety.You think you’re anxious over the chaos of your home, but it goes much deeper. It comes from the quiet despair in your chest. Whispering, “Is this all there is to life? What am I going to do?”
Getting high off retail therapy
All basic human behavior boils down to two things: you run from pain and toward pleasure. Pleasure always outweighs the pain. You are a hedonistic being.In today’s age, everyone is wildly depressed and anxious, and they don’t know what to do with it. You cover it up with anything so it doesn’t seem like you’re struggling. You put on a front that says ‘everything is good,’ but it’s not.You could turn to any number of vices, but you choose to bury yourself in consumer purchases.Every time you buy something, you feel good. Your credit card cha-chings off the register and you get a temporary high. That’s the dopamine in your brain saying you got a reward. It’s a momentary relief from the pain.
Status symbols
In a world full of things, having material possessions has become a status symbol. There’s this need to keep up with the Jones.If you own more than your neighbor, you’re ‘winning.’ And the higher quality they are, the better.You see what everyone else is doing, and they seem better off. Naturally, you want to be better off than them. You do this by buying the bigger house, the fancier car, and the newest iPhone.You have shiny toy syndrome. Everything that glitters is something you want to buy.You get that satisfaction for a moment, and then it’s gone. But your brain knows it was pleasurable the first time, so you do it again.Your phone is outdated or a new video game came out and you have to have it. So you buy more stuff. Your home is filled with books, DVDs, recipes, books, and toys. You have no clue how you got so much. Frankly, you’re considering upsizing or getting storage because you can’t fit it all.
Eliminate things
Yet, after all this time, you find you’re unhappy. Your purchases are racking up a debt, but it makes you fake-happy.It’s starting to feel less like you own your materials, and more the other way around. It feels like your possessions are possessing you. Like they weigh down on your soul. They trap you in this endless cycle of temporary highs. You realize you don’t want that. You want more.You want to find joy. You want to find happiness, but you don’t know how to. If only you could run off into the woods and escape the rat race. If only you could rise about it. If only life were different.
The purpose of minimalism
The concept of minimalism started post-WWII, but it didn’t take off in popularity for decades.It was popularized by Marie Kondo. In her best-selling novel, The Art of Tidying Up, she discusses how to find your joy through minimalism.The idea of minimalism is to live with fewer items and live in line with your values. To declutter, you go through all your items individually. Take each item, hold it close to you, and ask, “Does this bring me joy?”The process tends to be more intuitive and heartfelt than logical. You’ll come up with excuses to keep things, but try going on your gut.
The misconception about minimalism
The truth is minimalism is not going to cure you. You will not be happy just because you decluttered your space, contrary to popular belief. Minimalism is not actually about living with less. It’s about living with what’s important to you.By going through your things, you have to take a tough look at yourself. When you’re going through your items the question isn’t, “Does this bring me joy?” It may, and you may choose to keep it. The real question is, “Am I using this in a way that fulfills me in life? Does this fit the narrative of the life I want to live?”Surface-level minimalism is about getting rid of your things for the sake of space and a ‘clear head.’ But there’s nothing stopping you from filling that space back up with more things.At its’ root, it’s about understanding your values and living in accordance.
Adjust your values
The core of minimalism is living true to your values. The truth is you don’t need half the stuff you own. You don’t even want it. You’ve been brainwashed to think you need it. You think it’s necessary for your happiness. But things are skin-deep. The only way to find happiness is to dig deep.When you start looking closer at your things, you start looking closer at your values. Maybe you have a huge closet full of clothes but you don’t wear half of them. It’s all decorative. You’re not into fashion or creating the perfect outfit. That’s a sign that you should cull your clothes.You want to get rid of the things that have no relevance to your needs. Once you start identifying your values, you gain self-awareness. That self-awareness will lead you to happiness.
“One of the advantages of being born in an affluent society is that if one has any intelligence at all, one will realize that having more and more won’t solve the problem, and happiness does not lie in possessions, or even relationships: The answer lies within ourselves. If we can’t find peace and happiness there, it’s not going to come from the outside.” — Tenzin Palmo, 1943
Find your happy
You’re not going to find happiness in things. It’s what the things provide value to. Anything can be valuable depending on its value to you.Your books could be a status symbol. You might want to look smart that you have so many books. But you don’t enjoy any of the books. You may value reading and learning, which leads you to keep books of interest.The easiest way to find your happiness is to uncover your values and live in accordance with them.
Final thoughts
Life is unhappy enough without being surrounded by things that remind you of that. Don’t clutter your life in hopes it will make you happy.Declutter it and find joy. Realize the difference between surface level and deeper joy.Don’t get rid of your things to get rid of them. Learn that things are only as valuable as you make them.Take the time to rediscover your values and consciously choose what you want. You can design the life you want. It starts with you.
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