‘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
Minimalism has taken a strange turn of late. Perhaps in an attempt to reinvent itself for the internet age, modern day minimalism seems to be all about a race to zero.
‘Own only 12 items, 7 items, 5 items’
‘Throw out everything’
Or the evergreen ‘Less is more’
The headlines implore us to cast aside more and more, until we have less. But most of this thinking misses some important questions:
At what point is less, enough?
At what point is less, too little?
The value of minimalism, in my eyes, is to use it as a tool to ensure we are living a life focused on those things, and people that matter most to us. We pare down, to reduce the clutter and noise that may have accumulated in our lives, until we reach a healthy baseline – for us. What that baseline looks like is for us to decide.
Minimalism shouldn’t be elitist. You shouldn’t need to discard so much before you become a member. In fact, there is no membership or point of entry. Minimalism is a tool to help us live well but it is not an exclusive club, cult or religion.
Never think you are ‘not minimalist’ enough. That thinking misses the point entirely. Minimalism is about making life simpler, not more complex. Embrace the concept but make it your own. Live simply but, most of all, live well.