The Minimalist Living

How many things can you live without? I asked myself not once, but many times. And every time I asked myself, a voice in my head answered, "You can live without most of the things you own right now!"

According to statistics, we wear just 20 percent of our clothes 80 percent of the time. I personally can vouch for its accuracy, because in my closet, I have some tops and dresses that I have not worn in more than three to five years. I have not yet donated them because I still like them, but putting them on never crosses my mind! I have a handful of favourite clothes and footwear that I pick almost every time I step out.

Like many people, I purchase shoes, clothes, accessories and household items on impulse, but only to realise afterwards that they hardly complement me in any way.

But more and more people are moving away from such impulsive shopping habits. They are moving towards leading a more wholesome life instead.

The world is seeing a new kind of people, people who believe in minimalism that is, living with less. These people believe in owning things that they really need and value while getting rid of anything unwanted, non-essential and distracting. They believe that it is possible to live a better, bigger and richer life with less.

People, even successful people, are moving towards minimalism in the West. Although some might think that minimalist living is just a fad, it is much more than that. It is a way to escape worry, tension, and unwanted competition, excessive and unnecessary expenses. It is a path that leads to a more content life, a life where you can pursue your passions, enjoy real freedom, focus on your health, and enrich yourself with new and meaningful experiences.

Academic research has also shown the same; research has shown that people are happier when they 'buy less and experience more,' which means that if you spend on a vacation, it will likely make you much happier than if you buy a new phone or even a car.

Yes, money does make us happy. But once our basic needs are met, money does not make us any happier. When we purchase a state-of-the-art gadget, for instance, it makes us happy, cheerful and even proud for the first months following the purchase. But have you ever noticed that this kind of excitement is generally short-lived?

This particular kind of excitement associated with physical objects wears off and sometimes, rather quickly. This is the very reason why when the new version of the gadget comes onto the market, we no longer care about the one we have. We look forward to getting rid of our old version and acquiring the new one.

What is interesting is, we do not see a similar wearing-off pattern in happiness derived from experiences -- we always remember the good times and experiences of our lives. We can always recall numerous details from every vacation we ever enjoyed. We can always recall that evening we spent helping a child get his education, a day we spent in a remote village donating clothes among its villagers, or a time when we learned a new skill.

However, after having lived in a materialistic world for over three decades, I find it difficult, although not impossible, to adopt the idea of minimalism. But then minimalist living is something we should strive for in a world where we now attach too much importance and meaning to material objects. We are often oblivious of the truth that this world is a temporary abode, and whatever we own here will remain here after we breathe our last.

I have been to houses where too many possessions of the owners make them look like warehouses, not happy, cosy places to dwell or raise families. Have you ever wondered why you often fill your house with commodities that have zero personal value to you? 

We go to a mall and someone inside our heads tells us that we should shop until we drop. We do not buy things because we need or even want them, we buy them because their manufacturers tell us that we should and must get them! The strong desire that we feel towards a dress, purse, phone or car displayed inside a store is sowed into our hearts through marketing gimmicks carefully planned and executed by businesses. And who benefits financially when we, the consumers, shop for things that we do not need is a question that we ourselves must answer.

Photo: Collected