#Minimalism is the new style.

Minimalism

As the World economy is changing rapidly, the concept of minimalism is gaining momentum. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the term, it is getting rid of everything you don’t need to survive and keeping the things you need to remain happy.

It could be moving into a smaller house for some so that their monthly expenses reduce and since the expenses have gone down, they might finally be able to quit that job they have been hating so much which they had taken up to maintain the mortgage repayments. This gives people the freedom to take up the job they have always dreamed of getting or not having a job at all in some cases. People all around the world are now experimenting by moving into smaller towns and villages to experience inner peace.

Extensive research taking into account a large group of high income group individuals have shown that for many people, the first time they buy a car/house/consumer products they exhibit real happiness. Every time they buy a new car/house/consumer product after that the happiness does not last. They are always craving for more. (This research was conducted in the USA)

“There is always less to worry about.”I say when someone asks me why I don’t have a lot of common household articles at home. There used to be a time when I had expensive silver serve trays, Swarovski crystal sets and vases, gold coins I didn’t have a count of, innumerable clothes I would dry out under the sun every summer before the onset of monsoons and so on. Most of these things were either stolen in transit or lost when we moved many homes across cities and sometimes across countries. Initially I would sit in a corner and cry when a neighbour’s child broke our crystal vase or I would frantically chase email conversations with the courier services who moved our boxes and misplaced the box with the most valuables. After 15 years, when I looked at my home and my hair one day, I realised there was nothing much left to lose and I felt so much at ease with myself. I didn’t have to constantly worry about how to take care of my hair nor did I have to worry about storing all the valuables in case we moved again. I now have clothes I will definitely wear and items in the house which will surely be used at least once in 6 months. My mantra is if you don’t remember what you have then you definitely won’t miss it if it is misplaced or lost.

All my memories are in my brain and in my hard-disk. I have very few framed or printed pictures or collectibles. I will take my memories with me wherever I go at no extra luggage cost. This way I also reserve the real estate in my brain for good memories and have no place for stale ones. However I lose my mind if I lose or misplace my hard-disk! And it happened once, when the hard-disk deleted all the data. I was lucky to have my techie husband around me then, who took up the matter very seriously and restored most of it.

If you too have been thinking of taking the big leap but can’t get to do so, start with small things. Give away items which you have hoarded over the years to people who could use them. Small steps to a happy lifestyle.

Anyway, the point being, find out where your happiness lies. Minimalism may be the way for you or may not be. Whatever your style, find happiness in it. Leave the society norms behind and if minimalism is a style you can adopt, don’t hesitate to try it. If you dontlipe it you can always go back to getting more.

Chop off the excess baggage in your life.

P.S. you can apply this concept in all areas of your life.

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