We always talk about how minimalism is a lifestyle change over here at Clutter Free You, which includes shifting how you think. But the actual ‘how to think like a minimalist’ isn’t quite as simple as telling someone to take on a minimalist mindset. New thought patterns and behaviours have to be learned, and repeated, for you to actually change.
How to Think Like a Minimalist
Now that you’re ready to change your mindset, it’s important to incorporate the minimalism lifestyle into your every day life. Don’t expect change to happen overnight, though. It’s a slow a steady process to adapt to intentional simplicity and to live as a clutter free You.
As you learn to think like a minimalist I want you to remember one thing: don’t give up. You can do this!
Thought 1: A minimalist asks questions before doing
Whether it’s buying a new shirt or accepting a dinner party invitation, a minimalist assesses the situation with logic and their personal values. They will ask questions like “is this absolutely necessary?”, “do I need to do this”, and most importantly, “do I want to?”. This is the most important, but most difficult change to make to adopt a minimalist mindset. You have to work on cutting out impulse buying.
Thought 2: A minimalist isn’t afraid to be counter-culture
In a world that runs on consumerism, the minimalist is an outlier. But if you truly embrace the minimalism lifestyle then you’ll find out quickly there’s a lot of perks to going against the grain. First of all, you’ll be less burdened by stuff than most consumers are. Second, you’ll probably live a better, simpler lifestyle as a result.
Thought 3: Minimalism is more than just less things
It’s also about minimizing the stress and challenges of your life. You might be OK with decluttering your kids’ toys, for example, but are you OK with taking a minimalist approach to their afternoon activities? Simplicity comes in many forms, but true minimalists know that they need to embrace it from every angle in order to see the biggest benefits.
Thought 4: Make room for things you love
There’s always going to be things you love and want in your life. Although it’s often depicted as such, minimalism isn’t just white walls and simple furniture. You live life and you’re going to have things and activities in that life! When you learn how to think like a minimalist, you realize that there are still room for these important things. Actually, minimalism frees up even more space to have them. You’re just choosing to focus only on keeping things, activities, and people you enjoy in your life.
Thought 5: We truly don’t need so much stuff
Most minimalists echo the words of environmental advocates: we need to slow down our consumption. While we all have our reasons, we should also keep in mind that overconsuming is bad for everyone. It hurts our environment, but also affects our mental health, wallets, and lifestyle. As a minimalist, you’ll need to start thinking about whether or not you really need each and every item you may consume.
Hopefully these tips will help you change your mindset and think like a minimalist. To get started, focus on small changes and habits, then add in more as you master the first few. Before you know it you’ll wonder why you ever wasted money on things you didn’t need!
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