Minimalist Philosophy of Life

 

Minimalist Philosophy of Life

Dr M.D. Thomas

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Minimalist philosophy of life is one that proposes the idea of living with the minimum life requires. Minimalist lifestyle is that which organizes life with the minimum. The former refers to the theory of the practice, whereas the latter signifies the practice of the theory.

Minimalism as a philosophy of life would mean living a simple life with fewer and carefully selected things. It boils down to fewer commitments and less noise and as a result more clarity on things. It focuses on what truly matters, by way of more time and more calm.

Bible discusses a king (Luke 14:31-32) who would first sit down and plan before he goes to fight another king. He would decide whether with thousand soldiers he could defeat the other king who has twenty thousand soldiers. If he couldn’t, he would send some people to speak to him and ask for peace while the other king is still far away. This is the logic of the philosophy of minimalism. 

In essence, minimalism promotes conscious decision-making about belongings, time, energy, and relationships. Minimalists are authentic, valuing simplicity and rejecting superficial mass consumerism. They aim to highlight the beauty, essence, and true purpose of things in their lives.

Minimalist lifestyle is to intentionally live with fewer possessions. It is a way to declutter one’s physical and mental life, so that one can make room for the things that matter most. Of course, there is no right or wrong way to be a minimalist. Some people choose to live with less stuff because it makes them happy. Others do it for financial reasons or to reduce their environmental impact.

In other words, minimalism is to choose to live with only the things life requires, those items that support one’s purpose. Removing the distraction of excess possessions can focus more on those things that matter most in life.

Minimalism is about buying and holding onto things and experiences that are valuable, both in terms of objective quality and personal meaning. Frugality is all about the dollars and cents of a bargain. It means one might not buy something one doesn’t need, simply because it is on sale.

There are several advantages to minimalist living. Less clutter means less time spent cleaning or organizing and more hours in the day for family and friends. Minimalism allows us to focus on our priorities.

Decluttering and maintaining a clutter-free home are minimalist habits that will truly change one’s life! If one is looking for some inspiration, there could be a checklist available for declutteringone’s home. A successful decluttering session will make the necessary effect.

Minimal means the smallest possible, or the least, for instance ‘she passed the test with minimal studying’. Minimal can also mean simple, as in ‘the apartment had a minimal decor scheme: white walls, no art, a simple black couch’.

But living a minimalist lifestyle doesn’t have to mean giving up all your worldly possessions and living in a yurt. Instead, a minimalist lifestyle can be very luxurious. Luxury minimalism is a popular lifestyle choice for those who want to live with less but still enjoy the finer things in life.

Adopting minimalist habits can help lead one towards slowing down and simplifying. They guide one towards living a life of purpose and fulfillment, where one can focus on what truly matters. Many minimalists form habits that may differ from each other, depending on their personal goals and values.

Minimalism as a philosophy of life doesn’t require you to give away all of your belongings and renounce all worldly things. Instead, it encourages you to be less attached to objects, focus on the ones that have a real value, as well as the people and events in life that are important.

Minimalism is all about owning only what adds value and meaning to your life and removing the rest. It is about removing the clutter and using one’s time and energy for the things that remain. We only have a certain amount of energy, time, and space in our lives.Joshua Becker defines minimalism as “the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of everything that distracts us from it.”

Minimalism is all about intentionality. It looks for clarity, purpose, priorities. It strives to promote things we most value, while removing everything that distracts us from it, or steals our time and energy. Intentionality gives us more joy, but also more sense of meaning.

Aesthetically, minimalist art offers a highly purified form of beauty. It can also be seen as representing such qualities as truth,order, simplicity and harmony. It does not pretend to be anything other than what it is. A minimalist prefers the minimal amount or degree of something. Minimalist artists involve extremely simple gestures and ideas in their work.

The 50^% rule was coined on TikTok, and the idea is that you keep any storage areas only around 50^% full. So your closet, underbed storage and kitchen cabinets would only be half full. This might be a good goal to have in mind while allowing ourselves some wiggle room.

Simplicity is the state or quality of being simple. Minimalism is any design or style in which the simplest and fewest elements are used to create the maximum effect. Simple living is a minimal, low-consumption way of living sometimes called minimalism.

Minimalism helps some feel serene and still, designing an appreciation of simple elements. Minimalists strive to only use things that serve a purpose. It is about living simply and having only what one need to go about your daily life. For instance, some people may start a no-spend challenge or only fill their home with items they absolutely need.

When one lives with less or minimal, one moves through the world with a lightness that allows for change and the uncertain nature of life. When one isn’t weighed down with stress, stuff, and worry, it is easier to let go, make simple shifts and transition with grace.

Minimalists don’t avoid material possessions, they avoid excess. Paradoxically, by owning less, the things they own bring greater joy to their lives. In other words, all their things are our favorite things.

Minimalist interior design is very similar to modern interior design and involves using the bare essentials to create a simple and uncluttered space. It is characterized by simplicity, clean lines, and a monochromatic palette with colour used as an accent.

Minimalism teaches us to appreciate the beauty of simplicity. We create light, airy, and uncluttered spaces by stripping away the excess. Clean lines and uncluttered surfaces are key to minimalist design elements, allowing for calm and clarity. Why don’t we try being a minimalist, so that we enjoy the niceties of it in our life on earth?

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The author is Director of Institute of Harmony and Peace Studies, New Delhi, and has been committed to cross-cultural perspectives, cross-scriptural values, constitutional values, interfaith relations, social ethics, communal harmony, national integration and social wellbeing, for the past nearly 45 years. He pursues the above mission through lectures, articles, books, messages, video messages, conferences, social interactions, views at TV channels, and the like. He could be contacted at ‘mdthomas53@gmail.com’.