mdolla: If You Think Minimalism Is Only About Having Fewer Stuff, You Don't Really Understand It

Becoming a minimalist has captivated a new generation of people looking to pare down their lifestyles. It’s been all over the news lately, including in The New Yorker , where the #vanlife has taken over the site.^[1] For me, minimalism is not about having fewer things—as a traveler and full-time digital nomad, it’s a necessity and a philosophy.

What really is Minimalism?

Minimalism is really the idea of having the chance to pursue happiness. Much of the philosophy is finding what makes you content as a human being and following your passions rather than acquiring things. This can mean having items in the traditional sense, like a car and nice sheets. As long as these things are essential to your goals and happiness as a person, then there is nothing wrong with having some items that you truly enjoy and make a difference in your life.

Having more doesn’t mean it’s better.

When things become unnecessary, that’s when minimalism is important to consider in your life philosophy. Our current world culture encourages buying more in order to be happier person. Some of the pros of choosing minimalism include giving you the freedom to explore your interests on experiences rather than on clothes or styles that will change quickly.

Our society attaches meaning to how much you have and how expensive it was to purchase. This means often that we prescribe meaning to how many things you have rather than value as a human being. Instead of focusing on whether or not an individual is fulfilling his or her goals, we focus on how much money he or she is making and whether or not they have the newest gadgets and styles.

The first time I realized that I was going to have to give up the idea of having things was when I landed a job as a travel writer that would require me to move to Italy . This meant renting an apartment that was mostly used for vacation rentals—everything was provided, including dishware, but it wasn’t mine.

Sometimes less can give you more.

There’s a freedom to being able to pick up and not feel tied down to a place. Because of a more minimalist lifestyle, my boyfriend and I have been able to travel the world and to have experiences that very few have. We’ve seen ancient temples in Kyoto and ridden camels in the Sahara Desert. All of our items fit into backpacks and we are able to pick up and move anywhere we desire.

This has absolutely made me a happier person in the long run rather than tying myself to a place and job that makes me unhappy. Living an unconventional lifestyle can be scary, and it can be difficult when you are worried about how you are going to maintain your lifestyle and how you are going to build a foundation for the future. However, because minimalism is a philosophy and there are no set rules, you can still employee the ideas even when you have decided to settle down and have a more permanent existence.

Value yourself, not what you have.

Sometimes, I wish I had a more settled lifestyle. I see my friends buying homes and owning the latest cell phone and I wonder if I have chosen wrongly in adopting a more unconventional life. However, I have freedoms that they don’t, and I’m often told how many wish they choose the same as my boyfriend and I have and travel the world. As a result, I’ve achieved many of my personal goals and I feel more complete as a human being than if I had chosen to buy the latest and the greatest items.

Featured photo credit: Stocksnap via stocksnap.io