When you first start out on your minimalist journey the initial stages are often taken up by the decluttering process. You must clear the way before you can start really enjoying the benefits of minimalism. But once that is over- you start to notice things you never did before. Here are a few examples:
The joy in simple things
Shopping doesn’t do it for you anymore: Where a trip to the shops might have once filled you with expectation and excitement- it becomes something of a necessity or even a chore rather than a pastime. Once you reach that sweet spot- you no longer want to wander around shops looking aimlessly at things you don’t need. When you go shopping now it’s for a purpose- you need something specific and you’re not going for the possibility of what you might find.
Your phone usage depletes or changes dramatically: If you spent a lot of time on shopping apps, this naturally goes down because you don’t want to fill your space up again. You’ve just spent the last however long emptying it after all. Now you might spend time watching videos on minimalism on your phone or reading articles on Facebook pages that relate to the topic. You no longer trawl through meaningless posts from your ‘friends’ or ‘suggested purchases’. You might even abandon your phone altogether unless you really need it.
You begin to appreciate the world around you more: Once you take the focus away from the next material thing to bring into your world- you begin to appreciate the natural beauty around you. It opens your eyes to the things that have been right in front of you all along. Your beautiful garden that you never spent time in, the park that you never visited and the attractive gardens along your street that you missed every time because you had your head down.
You have more free time: Less time worrying about your next purchase means more time for things that are more fulfilling. You can read that book you’ve been putting off; visit the place you promised yourself you would go or tick something off your bucket list.
You prioritise experiences over gifts: If people come to you around birthdays and Christmastime and ask you what you want- you notice your priorities have shifted. You no longer desire stuff for yourself but things to do that include others. Cinema vouchers, restaurant vouchers and experience days- to name a few, are the type of things that now bring you joy- not some new jewellery or a pair of pyjamas.
You appreciate your relationships more: While you had your head down looking at your phone- hunting out your next unnecessary purchase- you were missing out on quality time with your partner, your parents, your children and your friends. Now you are fully invested in these moments because you recognise that they are more important than clicking the ‘buy’ button.
You feel free: There is a sense of freedom from not being shackled to your phone, to shopping sites, to stores and to the endless pursuit of stuff. Your life suddenly has more meaning, you have more space to think and you have more freedom to pursue things that will bring value to each day.
All of the above things combined are nothing short euphoric. Why not give yourself the chance to experience them...
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