GUIDE TO MINIMALISM

It takes a certain level of patience, to peel away from our screens, take a minute to appreciate things around and devote ourselves to simple and steady things in life. Numerous studies have shown people who focus on the experience of the present moment are far happier than those who do multi-tasking. 

Practicing a lifestyle of mindfulness, simplicity and thankfulness helps to remind us of all the beauty in our life and keeps us away from piling unnecessary activities or objects in our routine.

The definition of minimalism can be different for everyone but basically it is a style in which very simple and smaller amount of things are used to create a particular effect. 

WHY BE A MINIMALIST?

We need to understand that there is nothing wrong in owning material possessions but we generally end up having too much of everything on our plate and we start to give more importance to those things , often forsaking our health , relationships , happiness , passions, our personal growth and development .

Minimalism is not stopping any of us from having a comfortable life with all necessary facilities; it just makes an individual more conscious and aware of their decisions. Minimalism helps us get rid of excess stuff, it helps us to create more and consume less. Minimalists search for happiness and fulfillment not through things but through life itself. Thus it is for you to decide what is extra and what is necessary. Minimalism can help you escape from the trappings of consumerist culture which means spending of money by costumers on material goods to attain a specific type of lifestyle in the capitalist society.

HOW TO BE A MINIMALIST?

Before sharing some tips for the same I would like to tell you that it is not easy to take the first step but your journey towards minimalism gets easier the further you go. Here are some steps that one can follow in order to lead a more meaning life: 

• TAKE IT EASY

There is absolutely no RUSH ! One should not go over the board in the starting . When it comes to simplifying your life , its important to maintain a gradual level of change . If you decide to de-clutter your entire house within two weeks then you might be overwhelming yourself . Instead start small and focus on specific areas .

• IDENTIFY THE ESSENTIALS

This is an important step in your journey to become a perfect minimalist . One should take note of all essential and must have items so that they don’t regret their decision to lead a minimalist life at the end of the day. We all have some stuff at home that we don’t use and we want to get rid of it but that just doesn’t happen sometimes. So an individual should utilize this time to make a list of things that they want to discard .

 

•  DON’T THROW AWAY , DONATE OR RECYCLE

After segregating all important items , we should have a list of things we don’t require , but remember there is always somebody out there who might need it . So the best way to not waste the material is to donate it . And if that particular item is broken or has some defect , one should get it recycled. 

•  EMBRACE MULTIPURPOSE TOOLS

Multipurpose tools help in conserving space so why not have a single tool or object that does multiple work instead of having many tools that take up so much of space .

•  THINK BEFORE YOU BUY NEW THINGS

One of the biggest component of minimalist living is giving adequate thought to the things you buy .One should not buy a dress because it will brighten up the wardrobe or another luxury pair of shoes just because they like the brand . We need to be very subjective while we shop.

•   DON’T MAKE EXCUSES , GET GOING

The minimalist lifestyle is not something that you can achieve with a casual attitude . It requires self discipline and honesty to ANALYSE the items that actually hold some sort of value .

•        HAVE GRATITUDE FOR WHAT YOU HAVE

When you feel grateful for everything you own , the desire to own more gradually disappears .Minimalist lifestyle is largely about the search for contentment and contentment begins with gratitude for what you have . So always try to be happy with what you have !

HOW TO IDENTIFY AND PURSUE YOUR PASSION ?

How many times have you been told to “ FOLLOW YOUR PASSION “ ?

I Suppose a lot many times .  We all have been in situations where we do some work or perform any activity that we are not really passionate about but we still do it or because we have no other option . This can vary from the time you were 10 years old and had to be a part of some annual school play to the time where you have to do a job because it fulfills your financial needs .

WHY IS IT SO HARD TO IDENTIFY OUR PASSION ?

Generally it should not be a tedious task to find out your passions as it is something we love to do . But we humans have a tendency to complicate things . And so in this case also we ignore the straight up facts or signs that our right in front of our face and get stuck with what is the need of the hour,will my passion fit into today's environment or will i make money out of this particular passion etc .
Often we find it very difficult to embrace our passion because of 2 reasons :

   1. OVERTHINKING
        This is the most common reason attached to the failed attempts of knowing what you are         sincerely passionate about .
        If you just focus on what really excites and fascinates you you're half way there . You just have to be honest with yourself and your likes and dislikes .

  2. SELF DOUBT
        Another reason to this problem is we start to doubt our abilities when we find no results . Most of the times we bury our interest and our passion thinking it will get us nowhere in life .
       We might also drop that passion thinking there are a lot of people who are better than me and i won't be able to pursue it .

How To Find What You Are PASSIONATE About ?

 Here are some tips that might help an individual to learn about his or her passion and how to turn it   into your career -

1. DISCOVER PASSION BY DOING NOT JUST THINKING

Most of the times we end up making big plans in our heads , we imagine that we are on the top of the world with the best job in hand and are living a balanced life .
But we all know nothing will happen until and unless we take charge of it , the same goes for the identification of your passion . One cannot just sit and think things will fall into place on its own rather one should take action and follow a set plan to pursue all dreams .

2. NEVER IGNORE YOUR CHILDHOOD LIKES AND HOBBIES

In most situations our truest passions lie in our childhood interests and hobbies . But we often ignore it because of the career pressure . So try to connect with what you loved doing in your childhood when there was no one to judge you .

3. TAKE COUNSELLING

Taking help of professionals is never a bad option when you are confused , rather it opens up more possibilities and opportunities . There are many psychological tests that are proven to be beneficial when it comes to pursuing one's passion or choosing different careers . It basically gives you a lot of options with regard to your like and dislikes .

4. PASSION CAN BE DEVELOPED AND LEARNED

 It is not compulsory that you excel at the chosen passion . Remember there is always scope for improving . When you have a certain amount of liking towards any activity be it dancing , theater etc but you think you're not "GOOD ENOUGH" don't be disheartened . You can always learn that skill by utilizing your capabilities to the fullest so that one day you can attain perfection towards your passion .

5. BE PATIENT

Have you ever run out of patience for your dream ? You've worked hard and haven'nt had the results you wanted ?
Patience along your journey will come once you start to connect with you passion on daily basis and when you start to enjoy what you do . To always be patient pick up motivation from different sources be it from you tube or reading motivational quotes .

6. DON'T THINK ABOUT MONEY

I completely agree that in today's world money can't be ignored but you can't let money always dictate your choices and the task your perform . Hard work pays off ! So don't let the thought of earning money destroy what you truly want to pursue in life .

7. NEVER GIVE UP

Never allow others to allow you to give up on your dreams and passions . You don't need to prove yourself to anybody . Always keep doing the hard work and BE YOU . Do what makes you smile and move forward in life with positive outlook  and enthusiasm .

Your passion gives you determination to keep working hard and also makes what you're doing fun , since it's something you've invested your time in . It helps you make a place for yourself in the society and makes you a successful and happy human being .