5 things I got wrong about minimalism
A little while ago I realized that one of the best ways to reduce my personal impact on the earth is to simply stop buying so much crap. For someone who used to be a total shopaholic like me, embracing minimalism seemed impossible at first (spoiler, it wasn't. It was totally possible!). I just needed to figure out a way to make it work for me... and I think I'm finally getting there!
So since it's Monday morning when all the possibilities are possible (according to my fave minimalists Jenny and David Mustard), I think it's the perfect time to share 5 things I got wrong about minimalism.
Minimalism doesn't = everything white. Yeah, I definitely dove headfirst into the white aesthetic, which was probably good for a while because it taught me to appreciate a calmer space. But eventually I realized that I do, in fact, want a few punches of color in my life and on my IG feed. And that's 100% ok. It's more about consuming less, and consuming mindfully than about having a certain aesthetic!
It's not as accepted in real life as it is online (like so many things). It's honestly a little controversial IRL. I can't tell you how many weird looks I've gotten since starting to be more minimal. I get lots of positive feedback, but I also get a lot of the "oh..... cool...." from people. WAY more than I thought I would, anyway! But here's a positive: I think this proves the worth of online communities like The Honest Root (hint - come say hi on IG - @thehonestroot) where like-minded people come together to encourage and help one another.
Gift-giving scenarios take some planning - more than I originally thought. Now it's not just about giving ethical, sustainable gifts. I make sure I either need or really want that thing and am prepared to house it for a long time. So I either have to send a list (my fam loves wish lists haha) to people in time for them to order it, ask for consumables like fancy chocolate or coffee, or ask for experiences (my parents gave my Jiu Jitsu classes for Christmas!)
It takes time to reduce mindfully, and that's OK. You probably won't become a minimalist over night. Embrace the time and love the learning process.
The payoff is way better than I could have expected! I had no idea how big my spending and consuming problem was until I tried to go minimalist. This will be a years-long journey for me, but I'm proud of the progress I've already made! To see a big change I made, check out my Instagram and look for the story highlight called #MinsGame... last year I purged an increasing number of items each day, but you'll just have to watch it to see for yourself!
Are there any ideas you've abandoned since starting your minimalism journey? Let me know below!
