If I asked people what freedom means to them, I’d get different answers from each and every one of them. But what freedom means in the minimalist philosophy is freedom from:
- Materialism
- Consumerism
- Debt
- Overworking
- Greed
- Stress
- Bills
The less things you have to worry about, the more peace you have, and it’s as simple as that. Minimizing your life can mean a number of things, but it always means getting rid of the unhealthy clutter. Whatever causes more stress than good gets eliminated. One major goal of the minimalist lifestyle is to simplify. The stress attached to the fast-paced, complicated clutter of technology and work melts away as you simplify your life through minimalism.
The entire minimalist lifestyle promotes individuality and self reliance.
This will make you more confident in your pursuit of happiness. When you recognize that you have what you need and start to develop a more content mindset, you naturally spend less and are able to save more. Ultimately, when you can stop competing with your friends and your family to have the nicest car or biggest house, when you can stop trying to impress people and just begin to connect with them, when you can give up your people-pleasing and just be yourself, it shouldn’t surprise you that your relationships will improve.