It seems like minimalism became „the word“ nowadays. We can find it everywhere: in design, fashion, books, movies, articles. I do not want to be minimalism seen as „just“ another trend that will fade away. And after all, minimalism in not something new. Cherishing simple life and focusing on inner self has been tracked already back to beginning of human culture. And even though the term minimalism is kind of popular and a current topic, it can not be completely and exactly uniformed. It is about finding what is essential to us and eliminating everything that distracts us. Also each of us sees minimalism differently. For some my lifestyle could not fit into theirs. 

What minimalism is NOT. For me

It’s not a numbers game.

It doesn’t matter how much items you own. If it’s 50 or 500.  I, for example, have no idea how much I won, nor I am willing to count it. I personally think that you don’t have to fulfill any requirements in order to consider yourself a minimalist. It’s totally up to you, as long as you know the true value of the things. 

It’s not restrictive and has no rules.

There is no right or wrong. No checklists. No one right way to do minimalism. What I love about minimalism is that you are totally free and it’s up to you to find your own path.

It’s not a challenge. 

So-called minimalist challenges are very popular: How to get rid of 100 in a month, How to create capsule wardrobe in 2 weeks,  How to become minimalist in 30 days. I think these challenges could be helpful and inspirational for someone who is at the beginning of their minimalist journey. But don’t get me wrong, what happens after 30 days, after you get rid of your 100 items? Sure you might have less clutter, but will it stay that way? If you don’t embrace the meaning, if you don’t understand why are you throwing all things away, than you kinda miss the point. 

It’s NOT about not owning things

To be honest, I think some people focus too much on physical things in relation to minimalism. Same with the money. I also say that the less we buy, the more money we have, which is true, when when we spend it on junk. Mindless and excessive consumerism is one of the dangers in our society. But you can and you should spend the money in the way it makes sense to you. Buy things or experience you really love. 

What minimalism IS for me

Very personal and subjective lifestyle.

I will start with a cliché . We all are different, have different tastes, personalities and priorities. So that’s why I think that minimalism has no rules. The only thing is to find what is important to you and minimize and eliminate every distraction . To find what makes you happy and what matters to you and what doesn’t . For me, it's family, friends, memories and getting experience. Trying out new things, planning, organizing , be more open and say yes to challenges more often. We only have one life, so maximize it the way you want. 

It’s an internal journey.

And this might sound easier than it is. Minimalism requires you to be more in sync with your inner self, that’s why we usually declutter physical things in our home. It’s a good starting point though, because than you are aware of why you want to throw away things and why you want to keep the others. Be honest to yourself and live your life as you want to, not the way you think you should or how others do. 

It's  about focus.

Focusing on what makes us happy, how we spend our money and time, on making decisions how we want to live our life. On the other side it’s also about letting go of things that do not add value to your life and well-being. So strive your best in your careers , surroundings, free time, home etc. 

Minimalism is a journey and lifestyle, where I’ve already learned a lot about myself and I grew psychically .

What and how how do you see minimalism?