Although the word gets thrown around nowadays to explain the beautiful cosmetic outlook, the thing is this…minimalism is more than just a wardrobe choice. In fact, much like cubism or naturalism, minimalism is an artistic convention used to describe works of art in a certain movement. As its name eludes to, minimalism is quite…minimal. However, over the years people have taken this artist way of viewing minimalism and encompassing it in our every day lives. So today, I’m going to talk about the simple minimalism of our lives, how one can take minimalism and apply it to their life first (before your wardrobe, or whatever else).
1. Figure out who you are.- It’s always so easy to say who we are in front of family and friends, but when it’s late at night and you’re all by yourself with nobody around, is that answer still the same? Take the time to figure out who you are, who you want to be, and if you are portraying to the world is not coinciding with the person you want to portray to yourself. Remember, you can be anyone you want. So why not be somebody, and that somebody be you? You don’t have to hide behind any cascade or outfit or anything else to be who you want to be. Just be yourself and shine with the personality you’ve been given.
2. Learn what it is you hold on to, and why. This one will be a hard step, usually because it’s finally facing for the first time what it is that lies under your psyche to find out why you do the things you do. Do you always shop when sad? Do you always pick up the bottle? Whatever the reason, address the situation free of judgement, but with a sense to find out, what makes me do what I do? Was it because you never felt pretty? Or always got picked on? Because you didn’t get to foster a healthy relationship with a parent? Whatever the reason, tackle it with strength, because once you address the problem laying under the physical, you can put into place things to cope with it in healthy ways and gain closure.
3. Let It Go- No, not the song from Frozen (don’t even get me started). However, once you’ve figured out the true reasons why you do what you do or hold on to something in particular, you can assess and see if it’s worth holding on to. If not, let it go. I know I’m telling you to push against every moral fiber in your being that tells you to hold on to it. Letting go hurts. It makes us feel naked and exposed. Vulnerable. Sometimes weak. But honey, you are none of those things. Although the process of letting go of things that once meant a lot to you will make you sad for a while, the benefits that will come of it will shock you. You’ll see yourself happier (if you’ve let go of emotional weight), healthier and a lot more space if you’re cleaning up around the house. Taking the process in baby steps is the way to go, and you will surely pat yourself on the back for each step you take in the right direction!
Now of course there are many more things we could talk about when it comes to minimalism. However, this is the introductory beginner course. God speed, misfits. Go be great.
