It's almost a year since I gave up my well-paying job to follow my passion. It was the beginning of a new life, new thoughts, new challenges.
I was starting over, so it made sense to review my habits and change one or two of them. One of the things I decided was to give up buying anything new for myself till I fully utilized what I already had. The only things I buy now are groceries and school supplies that my kids may need.
That's how I forayed into minimalism. At the time, I hardly knew that minimalism was already making waves as a new movement all over the world. Things like freedom and travel are fast replacing big homes and expensive things as cornerstones for measuring success. To me, though, it was just one tiny experiment I was doing to test my willpower.
It was at this time that I came across this book, "The More Of Less" by Joshua Becker- a pioneer of the minimalist movement and author of the hugely popular blog- Becoming Minimalist.
On my request, he sent me a signed copy of the book.
The book begins by sharing his own personal story about how one chance meeting with a neighbor during a frustrating weekend afternoon altered his way of life. The author then slowly takes you through the concept of living on less, and how it can be the key to living a life of meaning, passion and freedom.
Here is the definition of Minimalism by Joshua:
Joshua takes you through several examples of people who have incorporated minimalism intentionally into their lives. Not everyone has to practice minimalism the same way nor is there a specific measure for it.
And yes, he also addresses the concern that's on everyone's mind: As a parent of the 21st century, how can we get our family to incorporate this new belief and way of life? He offers practical advice on how to talk to kids about having fewer toys, about the importance of understanding their wants from their needs( as much as ours) and suggests ways to gently veer them into wanting less and beating the terror of consumerism.
The best way out there is to show the path by doing it as a family.
He deftly warns you about the various traps of consumerism: in the mall, through sale offers, copious coupons, advertising. His analysis of how your buying and hoarding habits are shaped by the generation you belong to is eye-opening.
My personal takeaway: Do away with the temptation to judge any person; everyone has a history and a reason for everything.
Since the basis of any new habit formation is consistency, Joshua presents several combinations of ideas and experiments to make it easy to incorporate minimalism into our lives. From paring down your possessions to forming a routine for easy organization of things you own, Joshua's with you through your journey.
The book ends with making a strong case for being generous with our things and our time; as our generosity plays back to us in both tangible ways like improved health( yes, science backs it) and satisfaction. It propels us into living an intentional life.
Just reading the book leaves you feeling light. This book is a must-read for all those who are looking forward to making positive changes if their lives.
About the author:
Devishobha is the founder of Kidskintha- a website dedicated to helping millennial parents raise happy kids. Grab the most comprehensive list of Productivity Hacks for Millennial Parents -- totally FREE.