1.
More Financial Freedom
Less stuff means less debt and
therefore more money.
All it takes is a shift in
perspective to realize that maybe that new phone, expensive
jacket, or whatever it may be is just not that important.
Viewing these expenditures as
unnecessary can stop you from feeling like you need them in your
life, and this simple shift can save you a lot of money - money
which could be better spent on cultivating a healthy diet
and lifestyle for yourself and your family, travelling the
world, or even saving up for a house.
2.
Less Stress
Having fewer possessions means
having fewer things to worry about; you not only have less stuff
to pay for, you have less stuff to take care of.
We all know how great it feels to
have a clean space that is free of clutter, and the fewer things
you have, the easier this is to achieve. Your life will feel
much calmer with less stuff in the way.
Having less in general also means
having less to clean!
3.
Much Better for The Environment
The less we have, the less we have
to throw out or replace. Consumerism is wreaking havoc on the
environment, so paring down our lives can make a big difference
for the planet.
Not only do we avoid contributing to
mounting landfills, but by decreasing our demand, we decrease
the amount of products being produced, which means fewer
resources are being expended and less pollution is entering the
ecosystem.
4.
Have More Time and Be More Productive
Fewer possessions mean fewer
distractions and more time to be spent on things that really
matter.
Spending time with your friends,
family, and loved ones, going for a walk or a hike, gardening,
meditating, exercising, or yoga - all of these things can enrich
your life more than a video game or fancy clothes ever could.
5.
Set a Good Example
A minimalistic approach to life sets
a great example for the people around you, including your
children, family, and friends.
If your loved ones see how truly
happy you are without so many things, they may be
inspired to start reducing, too. We need to be the change we
want to see in the world, and this is one way to do it.
Rather than preaching change, show
it...
Be a positive role model for your
children and show them that we do not need to accumulate things
to be happy and we do not need to do what society tells us to
do. It is important for children to know that we can choose how
we want to live our lives.
6.
Ability to Live in a Smaller Space
Aside from the average size of
houses
having increased by about 1,000
square feet in the past 40 years, many American homes still
don't have enough room to store all of their owners' belongings.
Garages are filled with stuff
instead of cars and storage facility usage is at an all-time
high.
If you didn't need such a big space
to store all of your possessions, you could have a smaller home
or even a tiny home, which would make owning a home in the first
place become a much more attainable prospect.
7.
Not Feel Tied Down or Burdened
From my experience at least, having
a lot of possessions can create a feeling of permanence.
The more possessions we have, the
less likely we are to pack up and leave if we feel the calling.
Having to pack and move so much stuff around is almost not worth
the effort, so oftentimes we don't bother and just stay put.
How much of life are we missing out
on because we are tied to our things?
8.
Freedom from The Comparison Game
I saw a meme recently that said:
"No one is going to stand up at
your funeral and say ‘she had a really expensive couch and
great shoes.' Don't make life about this stuff."
This is so true, but in our society
if we do not have what others do we feel inadequate or less than
them in some way.
As a result, we are constantly
striving to buy more, to impress others with what we have. Is
this really important in the grand scheme of things?
This is a great question to ask
yourself.
9.
Give Up Attachments to The Past
Sometimes we feel the need to hold
on to things that only serve to remind us of the past - things
that no longer matter and which are often tied to unhappy
memories.
Why do we sabotage ourselves in this
way?
The past is the past; leave it
there. Some things we hold on to can bring up happy memories,
but do you really need those objects in order to remember?
10.
Be Happier
When you see the benefits of all the
previous points in your life, I promise, you will feel happier.
More importantly, you will realize
that you absolutely don't need possessions to make you
happy; you will see that happiness lies within you and within
the people you care about most.
As Jim Carrey once said:
"I wish everyone could get rich
and famous and have everything they ever dreamed of so that
they can see that it's not the answer."
