Recently I was on my daily morning walk thinking about my attempts to "become" a minimalist. I have been working on this for several months; throwing & giving away a large portion of my possessions, thinning out my wardrobe, and simplifying my life wherever I can. Confession, I am nowhere near the minimalist ideal. My house is still a mess, I am still hoarding dresses that do not match my capsule wardrobe color scheme, and I cannot seem to stop buying things! As I considered this, I honestly felt a little defeated. Well, I figured, at least I could consider myself an inspiring minimalist.
However, something occurred to me as I made my way down the trail. Maybe I am already a minimalist. In Christianity, when you covert (decide that you accept the teachings & dedicated your life to them) you are then a Christian. Not when you are a Bible expert. Not when you know all the songs. Not when you give away everything you own and move to a third world country to feed the poor. Like many things in life, it is a journey. The theme of a child growing throughout life to become a mature adult to illustrated religious growth, is often used in Bible. So, what if I applied that theme to my journey into minimalism? Right now, I would say I am an preschooler minimalist (just typing that made me smile). I am passed the constant tantrums, but still have them here and there. I can do a bit more for myself. I able to equate actions to their consequences. Do I want to be a mature minimalism right this second. Why yes. Yes I do. However, you can't rush growth.
So what are some things you can take from my epiphany of the trail?
- Start calling things as though they were.
Have you decided that you want to be a minimalist? Start calling yourself one. NOW! You don't have to wait until you have a certain amount of items. If you start self-identifying as a minimalist now, your brain will eventually begin to catch on and make more minimalist choices. If someone else reminds you that you still have 20 pairs of shoes, remind them that it is a journey.
- Focus on your progress.
I have definitely noticed a shift in my thinking when it comes to buying things. After giving & throwing away so many things, how can I justify bring in more stuff that I don't need? The other day, I went into a bookstore, with a coupon, and didn't buy a single book because I didn't find any that I needed! If that doesn't qualify me for the minimalist club, I don't know what else could!
- Remember it is a journey.
Whenever you start to feel down on your so called "lack of progress", just remind yourself that you are on a path, not a racing track. There is no finish line to get to, so stop trying to race there. Instead go along the path at your own pace. Enjoy the wins, and consider the lessons you receive from failures.
What do you think? Do you think you are a minimalist from the time you accept it as truth? Or do you think certain criteria has to be met in order to wear the title? Leave your comment in the box below.
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