Minimalism and Slow Living
Is anyone here into minimalism and slow living? I’d love to hear how it works or has worked for you/ your family.
What is Minimalism?
Minimalism is about removing distractions to enable you to find more freedom to live a more intentional life. A life of value. I became interested in it just over a year or so ago. This was when I discovered people like Joshua Becker, Ryan and Joshua of The Minimalists and Leo Babauta. These guys have been talking about intentional living for years, and when I discovered them but I was immediately drawn to them. I was intrigued by how they had created these lives which gave them so much in the way of rewards and contentment and wanted to take action in my own life too.
The beginnings of Minimalism and Slow living
The stuff
For us, it began with getting rid of the ‘stuff’.
I don’t know how much stuff we got rid of to be honest but I feel like we still have lots, and I wouldn’t say I’m extreme. There are many areas of our lives and our home that still don’t feel quite right for me. However it’s a process, and without doubt it’s inspired me to live an easier more fulfilling life with less stuff. Put simply - when you have less stuff, it seems to clear more headspace to focus on the things that really matter to you. We still have a great deal of stuff but have significantly reduced it in the last year. It’s a constant and conscious process. We have found that it has changed the way we use things, what we buy and how much, and, how we choose to repurpose things.
Changing the way we eat
In that same year I also became less interested in meat so now I’m around 95% plant based and the rest is fish. My husband on the other hand became vegetarian and likes the idea of being vegan. The children do eat meat though and that’s all good, I’m happy if they’re happy.
Mindfulness and Meditation
This last year or so has been a slow but steady rhythm and flow beginning with getting interested in minimalism and intentional living, then becoming more intentional. It led me to mindfulness and meditation, then to becoming more conscious about food, our impact on the environment, life admin - the list goes on. It’s easy to see how it’s created a slow snowballing effect.
I’d love to know if it’s something you do or like the idea of and how it works for you.
Leave a comment below, I'd love to know.
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