A few weeks ago a friend sent me a link to a TEDx talk with 'The Minimalists'.
"Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus write about living a meaningful life with less stuff for 4 million readers." That's how their site describes them.
On paper it looks so easy. Throw out a bunch of rubbish and old things - stuff you'd been meaning to get rid of and that's it. But what I discovered was a lifestyle that goes way beyond that.
After watching the video mentioned above, my friend asked if I wanted to play the 'Game'? Sounds ominous, right?
He was referring to the minimising game whereby each day you get rid of something you own.
Day 1: one item, Day 2: two items and so on for 30 days in full.
You compete with a friend (hence the game) to see how long into the 30 days you can do. I was excited and intrigued and I still wasn't completely sure what minimalism is. So I said yes and I pulled my wardrobe to pieces.
Of course I've seen tons of photos on Pinterest of beautiful homes, with minimal furnishings and optimal function and comfort. I thought it just meant less clutter. But Joshua and Ryan have actual back-stories. They came from big corporate jobs. Me? I'm a journalism student in NUI Galway.
Clearly my minimalism is going to look very different to theirs. The biggest difference initially was that I don't have almost 30 years of belongings and more to deal with like they had. I don't have a job or a marriage or a house of my own. All of these things are huge factors. What I'm finding out now though is that minimalism isn't simply owning fewer things.
Do you want to ask yourself a scary question...? What are you passionate about? Joshua Fields takes considerable time to emphasise how important your answer is. He explains clearly how passion and excitement are not as synonymous as we think. Minimalism is living your life with as much value as possible.
I get excited when a new episode of New Girl airs and I groan when I have to do an assignment. But writing and my course are still part of my passion. He discusses how we should cultivate our passion, rather than looking for the fireworks. As a student, this was the best advice I've found so far.
Our future outside of college is whatever we make of it. Everyone ahead of us is looking back, shrugging their shoulders and telling us to relax. It’ll all work out, they say.
Embracing minimalism in college has forced me to try learn new habits and be honest with myself. It's been a little daunting. I still feel the tug of my old ways to spend money on frivolous things or to buy new clothes. Shopping used to be therapeutic but I’ve adapted to a more sensible approach.
The money I’ve saved has gone into more worthwhile occasions like treating a friend to a fancy dinner, a coffee or a cinema ticket. I’m even taking a mid-semester holiday. My bedroom never gets messy anymore and I always know what to wear!
Watch the video and check out the essays on TheMinimalists.com for more information if it's something you'd be interested in.
