In today's fast-paced and consumer-driven society, many people equate happiness to material success- meaning if you have “all the things” that means life is good. Increasingly, we see that there’s a widening gap between [material] success and happiness. Wellness experts and enthusiasts recognize that without happiness, you are not truly successful.

 I was recently reading an article about the “blue zone” where in certain cities, people there live longer than that region’s general population. Some of the things they do differently include walking more frequently and enjoying seemingly small community/social interactions. Overall, they enjoyed a simpler life. It suggests that by embracing a minimalist lifestyle, you can significantly improve your mental well-being and overall happiness which can lead to a longer, more fulfilling life.

Understanding the Benefits of Minimalism

When we typically think of minimalism, we think of getting rid of the majority of our material possessions and living with the least amount of stuff. Personally, that never seemed right for me, partially because I’m lowkey a hoarder. But when I think about an overall lifestyle of having less and doing less, it sounds much better. For me, I like the emphasis on doing less, more so than having less.

The benefits of minimalism include reduced stress, anxiety, and overwhelm. Yesterday I had literally nothing on my calendar, and it was nice to not “have” to do anything. Although I mostly love busy days, I don’t enjoy stressful busy days and if I could cut out the unpleasant parts to free up my schedule I would. Some of the stressful areas were self-inflicted; I chose to pursue things that included a stressful component. That’s part of why minimalism works, because you can choose to cut out many of the parts that you don’t enjoy, and cherish the smaller, more meaningful ones. Now that I’m an empty nester, I have a lot more time in my day and I can slow down and practice mindfulness.

Decluttering Your Physical Environment

Like I said earlier, I’m a hoarder at heart. But I do feel a lot more relaxed when I’m not in a cluttered space. I’m not advocating for anyone to toss or donate stuff that they want to keep, but there’s something to be said about getting more organized and you’ll see how much stuff you hold on to that can either be consolidated, trashed, or donated.

Simplifying Your Daily Routine

Many people struggle with overcommitting to stuff and that inherently leads to stress. Streamlining your daily routine can eliminate tasks that don’t bring you joy and don’t move the needle in any other way. I’ve found that when I don’t have a routine or schedule to my day I am not really productive. Instead of a schedule, I work best by having a to-do list- it helps me to feel accomplished by removing items from my list. Having fewer pieces to my day helps me to enjoy things like my morning coffee and even watching the birds and squirrels play in my backyard. I’m learning it helps me to have more moments that we consider “soft life”. Practicing mindfulness is also helpful here.

Embracing Mindful Consumption

When I became a mom, I realized how important it was to consume healthy content. It’s easy to fall into the trap of mindless social media scrolling or clickbait. But when you consciously decide what you are going to read, watch or listen to, you realize how much power you have to block out the things that don’t add value to the life you picture for yourself. Yes, it will take some work on your end to curate your social media feeds for example, but the good news is that it’s a quick fix and it’s worth it. I’ve unfollowed plenty of pages and accounts and unsubscribed from emails that I no longer find value in. Once you become more aware of what you consume and how it affects your thoughts and actions, you’ll likely become more selective about what gets your attention.

Quickly Eliminate Options

I used to work for an agency where we helped foreigners from poorer countries transition to life here in the US. For them, it was so overwhelming to come here and have so many choices on things like food, housing, and even cars. In their home countries they were not used to so much variety, so mentally it was tough for them to simply choose one item from a seemingly endless supply of stuff. One of the case workers told me that when he’s with them he only gives a choice of 3 so that it’s a much easier decision. That’s a practical example of how minimalism, through removing options, helps people to thrive.

Creating Lasting Happiness Through Minimalism

By incorporating minimalist principles into your life, you can reduce stress, anxiety, and overwhelm, leading to a happier and more fulfilling existence. Adding alot of stuff to your life can mimic success, but one of the real keys to maintaining happiness (which is a layer of success) is what you remove from your life. Challenge yourself to simplify your life and you’ll see that it works wonders on your wellness.