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Hey everyone! Today Leah Wirgau, Namaslay® YTT Santorini graduate, is stopping by to give us a few tips on clearing out the excess and focusing on what’s essential with a few steps to implementing minimalism. I find when my space is a mess, so is my mind. It’s when I’m busy and frantic that my personal space reflects the chaos of my inner world, and they feed into one another, compounding the stress and mental fog. Just a few minutes of intentional focus on what’s needed and what can be removed can do wonders for our minds. Read Leah’s tips, and see where you can make small changes to improve your mindset and clear some space! Let us know your favorite tips for minimizing in the comments! xo - Candace
Minimalism. What do you see when you hear this word?
Images that come to mind may be stark white rooms, lone pieces of furniture, white tees & black pants, or a single set of utensils. And those images aren’t necessarily wrong, but they certainly do not capture the whole minimalist picture.
According to The Minimalists, “Minimalism is a tool to rid yourself of life’s excess in favor of focusing on what’s important—so you can find happiness, fulfillment, and freedom.” In other words, you can have things, even lots of things, but each and every one of them should bring you value.
Love collecting and using vintage teacups? Great! Are your windowsills overflowing with house plants that you cherish? Awesome. Do you find joy in owning and wearing a different shade of lipstick every day of the month? More power to you!
Minimalism is not about deprivation; it’s about cultivating awareness so you can clear physical and mental clutter, ultimately uncovering the simple and complex joys in life. It’s a twofold process which entails assessing and likely downsizing what you currently have, and being actively engaged in your life to prevent excess from creeping back in.
Want to give minimalism a try?
Here are 5 Simple Steps to Implement Minimalism in Your Life:
Define yourself. What lights you up? What do you wish you had more time, energy, and resources to do/see/experience? This could be to travel, practicing yoga, kickboxing, spending time with family, learning a new language, going back to school, or something else entirely. Make a list and keep it in a place where you see it regularly; one of the many benefits of minimalism is that as you declutter mentally, physically, and emotionally, you’ll make room for the things that really matter to you.
Document your journey. Because so many of us are not used to being mindful consumers, it can be easy to fall into old habits. By taking notes about the process and how you feel throughout it, you can start to build awareness of your consumption patterns.
Start small. Minimizing can seem daunting, especially if you have lots of stuff. Hone in on a manageable space, like your junk drawer - you know the one in the kitchen or at your desk that has become the pit stop for orphaned gum wrappers, broken pencils, expired coupons, paper clips, etc. Keep what you will use but find a more suitable place for it, donate what you can, and recycle/trash the rest. Victories, however small, can give you the confidence to tackle a larger space like a closet, room, or garage.
Make mindless consumption a challenge. Remove “easy pay” from all your non-essential accounts. It isn’t convenient to enter your address and credit card information every time you make a purchase. Having to take those additional steps provides the opportune pause to ask, “Will this bring value to my life?” Try waiting 30 days before purchasing an item you think you want, which allows even more time to determine the intention behind the purchase.
Look beyond materials. While minimalism has a lot to do with things, it also extends to non-materials such as relationships. Take a good look at the people you surround yourself with – friends, family, social media figures – and ask whether they are making you a better person. Unfriend, unfollow, and create distance from people who make you doubt yourself, are emotional takers and never givers, and/or keep you from shining your brightest. A similar approach can be taken for other non-materials such as habits, apps, and thoughts.
As you take these steps, you’ll find the freedom to think more clearly, be in the present moment, and truly enjoy the richness of life.
Have a question or want to share your minimalist story? Comment below – we’d love to hear from you!
Leah Wirgau is a Midwest-raised, East Coast-based environmentally mindful participant on this wildly beautiful planet. She graduated from Namaslay® YTT in April 2019 and considers it to be one of the best experiences she’s ever had. If you’d like to join our next 200 hour intensive training in Santorini in April 2020, apply today and start preparing for the journey of a lifetime! She has worked as a sustainability educator at colleges and non-profits for over six years and sees life as an immense opportunity to learn and grow. Leah has found deep joy through minimalism, and values the additional time, energy, and resources she now has to explore nature, cook delicious plant-based foods, practice yoga, and dream up designs for her next tattoo. You can find and follow her on Instagram at @minimally_leah.