We just celebrated Thanksgiving here in America. It is a time for us to reflect on the important things in our lives and express gratitude and contentment. The weekend following Thanksgiving caps off with "Black Friday" and "Cyber Monday" ironically enough.
Our culture is inherently consumeristic. We are a society that consumes more than we need out of compulsion and addiction.
Not all consumption is bad. Some of it is necessary for our very existence. Consumerism becomes an issue when it becomes compulsory.
The addiction to consumerism leads to an unfulfilling life, overflowing our landfills, polluting our atmosphere with excessive amounts of carbon, and a world that is filled with people who are constantly distracted by being on the "hunt" to get their next hit of dopamine in the form of a new gadget etc.
Our lives today are ones filled with distractions from social media, technology, our desire to do it all at work and to create the "Pinterest-Perfect" image of our home life. Our addiction to curating the perfect online persona has been shown to damage our mental health and our relationships with our loved ones.
I have become fascinated with the simplicity and richness that comes from living a minimalistic lifestyle.
How can we live more with less?
What is Minimalism?
There are many definitions, but the one I like the most (and the one I think I made up?) is to live more with less. To do away with excess. To clear your home of clutter and excess "stuff". To rid your closet of unworn clothing. To clear your mind of distractions and simplify your life. That will allow you to live more freely, to focus on what is really important.
This holiday season, keep in mind that what we really need is to feel connected to the people we love. It is the same for our children as well. They don't really need a ton more toys that will end up in the back of their closets 3 days after Christmas (we have four kids- so trust me when I say that;). Children -like adults, need shared (positive) experiences that will last them a lifetime in the form of memories. Take a trip. Do an activity together. Put your phone and MacBook away for a weekend and spend time exploring the world with your little ones (even if its your own backyard).
You may find what you were looking for all along.
Life is short. So Live Free, My Friends.
Chris
This picture is a picture of my closet. These are ALL of the clothes I own. I got rid of my dresser and refuse to get another one. I used to be obsessed about clothing and needing to purchase the latest trends. In the end, I wasted a lot of money and it didn't really bring me happiness. It just made my closet super cramped and my bank account smaller. Now, my favorite clothes are my only clothes.
Try this: turn all of your hangers in your closet so that they are "backwards". When you rehang your item after use, flip it back to front facing. Then if in a year it is still backwards, you know that you haven't worn that item in a year and it is safe for your to donate it to a local charity.
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