Minimalism
Minimalism. The Disciplined Pursuit of Less. Less is More. The Vital Few VS The Trivial Many. Minimalism is a topic that is trending nowadays on the internet with many people showing their total waste from 3 years in one Mason Jar or a house with only one table, chair, bed and cabinet.
These are forms of minimalism, however these are on the extreme side of the spectrum and might not be the best way to paint a picture of what minimalism actually is as they can be quite intimidating.
What about those who only use what they need and truly value although they might seem to have a apartment that looks like filled to the brim? Is this still minimalism?
What is Minimalism?
Minimalism is when you decide to only keep the things that add value to your life and in that process start decluttering what does not spark joy. So whether you only have a chair in your room or you have an Epic desk setup with a huge monitor, great keyboard, speakers and other cool accessories you are still being minimalist as those objects that you possess add value to your life.
Minimalism is not only about exists in the real world but also about what is in your digital world. A study conducted about a decade ago shows that the average America consumes about a hundred thousand words a day. This number has certainly increased over the decade due to the rise of social media platforms, smartphones where we can access any information that we want with a few clicks and gestures.
A great book about this type of minimalism is the aptly named “Digital Minimalism” ¹ by author Cal Newport. I highly recommend this book if you want to dwell deeper into how you can take breaks from the optional technologies in your life.
Minimalism proposes that you take your stance against the consumerism economy and materialism by only purchasing or keeping things that you value. It is after all the battle of the “Vital Few” against the “Trivial Many”.
That brings me to the end of this blog post. I have linked some further readings with links to articles, podcasts and videos about this topic that you might find interesting if you want to dwell deeper into this subject.
Stay Epic,
Sharvenium
Further Readings
The Disciplined Pursuit of Less – A video about the disciplined pursuit of less by Matt D’Avella
The Minimalists – A Blog about two minimalists and their journey
Cal Newport Blog Post– The surprising benefits of an un-mobile phone
¹ – I have a video and blog post about this book which you can read/watch