Embracing Minimalism in Modern Times
When a compulsive hoarder found the key to happiness
I have always had difficulty discarding things, material & emotional alike. Not sure why, but I kept a lot of baggage. I might not have the hoarding disorder, but I definitely felt the need to save everything “just in case.” And shelf every feeling “just because.” Now, that I think back I don’t understand why I always found it so difficult to let go of things that were no longer useful to me. Or why I kept piling up things I would never use.
You might hear it, but you will not fully comprehend the freedom that comes with LETTING GO until you learn to do it yourself. I’m not quite there yet, but I’m getting better at letting go of things and feelings that serve no purpose in my life and take up unnecessary space. That space might have better uses if I can find it in myself to free it.
Anyway, that is who I have been. And becoming a minimalist is a long, treacherous journey. These days, I only hoard books. I’m trying really hard to stop it and donate my old ones. Yet, it’s not easy for me because I love each and every one I own.
In the past, keeping books made sense at least. Because I used to re-read them all the time. So, they were useful. Now, I don’t re-read books, and there are many on my bookshelf that I have not even looked at in over a decade. Why am I keeping them there? For what reason? Maybe I’m a collector? But WHY? And that’s the question we must ask ourselves regardless of what we are “collecting.”
My grandmother was a minimalist in an extreme sense. She used to have only two or three dresses for every season. She had only one pair of slippers at any given time. She owned no jewelry; artificial or otherwise. She ate simple home-cooked meals.
She lived on my grandfather’s pension, which wasn’t much. Yet, guess what she did with whatever little she saved? She gave it away to the poor. She didn’t believe in savings and never kept anything for herself. Other than what she absolutely needed.
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Her philosophy of minimalism had more to do with her religion than any economic or social motivation. She believed that every single material thing we own makes us answerable to Allah. And she would often say that she wanted to own as less as possible because then, on the day of judgment, she wouldn’t have much to answer for.
But whether you believe that or not, minimalism is a good idea. It’s a lifestyle choice that might not save you money (no one can guarantee that because it doesn’t just depend on owning less. Besides, owning less might also mean different things to each of us), but it will most assuredly save you a lot of stress.
Why? You might ask. The answer is simple. Minimalism is a conscious choice. It means that you are the one in control, you are choosing to have less. And as soon as you choose this, you take yourself out of the rat race that is one of the major causes of a stressful life. You are deciding not to want more than anyone else. In a roundabout kind of way, it means that you are HAPPY with what you have.
Secondly, it will make you understand what is truly important to you. By decluttering you will be making room for what matters most. Ultimately, it will give you a sense of peace and improve your mental health.
That’s something I have experienced personally. What most people who oppose minimalism don’t understand is the power of being in control of your decisions can instantly elevate your stress and have far-reaching consequences.
Right now, we are not in control. if our neighbor owns ten things, we want twenty. If your colleagues wear this brand, you want that. Unconsciously, we follow the trends and buy stuff we don’t even need and might never use. By choosing minimalism, you are taking back control. You will decide what you need and no one else. And with that comes a sense of contentment as you can never have felt before.
And only once you experience it, you will understand what true power means. I literally feel as if I have found the key to happiness. Because this is how I define happiness. A simple life, where I’m in control of my decisions, and am mindful of what I need and what doesn’t matter to me. This mindfulness, in my opinion, is the best thing in the world.
What about you? What’s your happiness?
Originally published at https://fizzayounis.substack.com on March 14, 2023.
