How to Achieve Happiness Through Minimalism

Is there a bigger satire in life than spending your entire life working hard to acquire and own everything in the world, only to die alone, unhappy, and, quite literally, penniless? Definitely not! In that case, why are you so worried about tomorrow, most probably at the expense of today’s happiness?

If you are like most people, your top priority in life is to lead the most admirable and fashionable lifestyle amongst your close associates. Being the trendiest person in your hood lifts your ego up to the top of the world. Your constant struggle is to make six or seven figures in monthly remuneration, drive the best car, have an enviable job, date the hottest person alive, and dine with the high and the mighty. To you, the only definition of a happy moment is when you have everyone looking up to you and admiring everything you do and possess. But, sorry for breaking this to you, you can never be more wrong!

Don’t get me wrong here. There is absolutely nothing outrageous in being ambitious in life. For what they are worth, it is actually good to have the best things in life. However, you should never allow anything acquirable to define your happiness. This sounds gibberish, right? Well, I bet you it is not. Before you storm out, please pause a bit and tell me this:

• Do your current possessions make you totally happy or do you still crave for more? If you still need more, then at what point will you settle down and be totally happy and contented with life?
• Are you happy with your current position in society because it makes you a better human or because it gives you leverage over other people? Think about this: What is the real motivation behind dating the hottest girl in your block or driving the best car in town? If it’s to get the approval of others, then what you have is anything else but not happiness.
• Now that you have been living avariciously for awhile, how are things coming along for you? Do you still believe that you will attain eternal happiness in the end? Probably not.
• On a scale of 1-5, how happy are you now? On the same scale, what are the prospects of a happier life tomorrow? If you are unhappy and discontented with what you have today, how are you planning to turn things around in the next one hour, one day, or one year?

Finding Happiness in Minimalism

If your answers above were honest, then you must have realized that you are as happy today as you were yesterday, and you will be as happy tomorrow as you are happy now. Forgive me for using this cliché, but it is accurate to say that real happiness isn’t a product of “success.” Happiness comes from being contented with and thankful for what you already have. Appreciating what you own and leading a minimalistic life is truly fulfilling.

So, what is minimalism? Well, minimalism is the art of not caring about what the world around you expects and instead focusing only on the things that bring you joy and fulfillment. It means interacting with only the people who make your life worth living, even if it means having only one reliable friend. After all, what is the point of having 10 friends, eight of whom weigh you down with their negativity and bad attitude?

Minimalism also means renting or buying a home that you truly need as opposed to proving to the world that you can afford castle. If you are fine living in a one-bedroom apartment, what is the point of renting a five-roomed house? Isn’t that showing off that you “have made it in life?” If you have a couple pairs of shoes and they are serving you well, do you really need to shop for more? And if you have a loving partner, why do you still have an online dating profile? Why are you still flirting with your ex? All this is dead wood that doesn’t deserve a space in your life.

This is the point: It is time you started appreciating your job, no matter how lowly-paying it is. It doesn’t matter how small or old your car is for as long as it’s serving its intended purpose. Your friend’s wardrobe is hers; don’t allow her to get into your head and force you to shop for things you don’t need. Also, it is perfectly okay to own just one cup or not owning a pet for as long as you are contented.

Bottom line: Get rid of everything and everyone that you don’t need in your life. That is the joy of minimalism.

Getting More Done Through Minimalism

Now pause for a moment and reflect on everything that you do on a typical day. How efficient, or rather how productive are you at each one of them? And by the way, do you really need to do them all? Tell you what; overworking your body and mind leads to a dip in your productivity.

Minimalism helps you to eliminate the activities that have little or no significance in your life. It means not doing things just because you have “time” to spare or because you feel obligated to. This should be your motto going forward: Unless my life depends on it, then I will not do it. That is how you will get more important things done… done in the best way imaginable.