Happiness, by Wanting Less

“The secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less.” (Socrates)

Embarking on the journey of minimalism, I was initially very afraid. Afraid that I would settle for lower standards, that contentment would become a comfort zone hindering my ambition. Afraid that I’d seem extreme and end up isolated because my lifestyle differed from others. I questioned myself: Am I just too lazy to want more because I dread the effort it requires? Can I truly survive with fewer material possessions? Will I appear shabby and poor?

As it turns out, everything I feared became the opposite. Minimalism was not the horror story I had imagined. Once I started to own less, I began to rediscover myself. It was liberating not to care about what others thought of me and my possessions. That freedom, I realised, is a valuable possession in itself.

In this post, I will share how minimalism has impacted my life and how it can benefit yours too.

Discover Your Unique Self

Eccentricity is when everything about us is not associated with a certain brand, style, or group – from the things we wear to the way we think. Clothing is a relatable example for everyone. We often think we have nothing to wear, even with wardrobes full of trendy clothes. So, we keep hunting for the latest trends, bringing them home with excitement, only to find that they often end up making us feel ridiculous.

Most of what we acquire throughout our lives is influenced by what the media tells us we should own. It’s hard to realise that our true sense of fashion lies in the few pieces we repeatedly wear each week. When I downsized my wardrobe to only those items I truly loved, my personal style began to shine. I discovered my unique fashion sense, free from trends and peer pressure.

Now, I enjoy shopping with friends, often with plenty of money in my wallet, and still being able to say, “No, I don’t need that. I’m good.” This lifestyle has also helped me to say no to unnecessary temptations, a struggle I’ve faced for a long time. Minimalism helps us focus on our inner unique selves, who we truly are, and what we genuinely want.

Boost Your Confidence

Once I found my style, I felt content wearing the same pants and tops whenever I went out with friends. I was happy with what I had and felt confident in my appearance. I still appreciate the diversity of styles around me but am no longer tempted to imitate others.

“The only thing that will make you happy is being happy with who you are, not who people think you are.” (Goldie Hawn)

It’s counter-intuitive, but I started to feel more confident when I had fewer clothes and stopped wanting more.

Create Space for the Important Things

Owning stuff can be exhausting. The time spent researching, reading reviews, buying, and caring for items, the money needed to purchase them, the storage to keep them, and the emotional investment in them – all add up. Each item we bring into our lives comes with consequences.

Imagine having more time, space, money, and energy because you no longer use them to acquire and manage stuff. Getting rid of clutter and stopping the cycle of acquiring unnecessary things create space for what truly matters in life.

The meaningful things in life often aren’t ‘things’ at all.

Quality Over Quantity

One of the biggest fears about minimalism is that it will downgrade our lives. For me, this is a myth. In fact, the opposite is true. Minimalism increases our consciousness about what we bring into our lives – it’s about quality over quantity.

I don’t have multiple versions of the same item just to compensate for each one’s shortcomings. I keep the one thing that is the best instead of accumulating many just-OK things.

Richer, Better, and Happier

Minimalism has helped me discover my unique self, boosted my confidence, and created space for meaningful endeavours. It hasn’t downgraded my life; rather, it has enhanced its quality. I’m incredibly grateful to have discovered and embraced minimalism. I never imagined that owning fewer things would make my life richer, better, and happier. Perhaps, you should join me too!