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Many of you know that my (Denise) journey into a minimalist lifestyle came later in life. One thing I truly did not expect to experience with this lifestyle is the sense of freedom I now have and the sense of peace that came with this freedom. It’s a wonderful feeling to know that you are not controlled by things and that you are truly making the decisions in your life versus making decisions from stress and the pressure to “be” something that you may not truly want to be.
A few years back I felt so weighed down the by “things” in my life. Many times when I would go to visit my daughters, we would end up on shopping excursions. While they may have needed a few things for their new homes, I certainly did not but it didn’t stop me from coming home with bags of things that I truly didn’t need.
Then Aly introduced me to minimalism and from that day forward, the shopping as entertainment stopped and I began the process of decluttering my home. As I moved from room to room in the house, I felt lighter and a sense of freedom that I hadn’t experienced in many years. When you think about it, too often our lives are focused around what we WANT and that want often translates into things. Unfortunately these things can weigh us down and we feel overwhelmed by the weight.
Wanting is not a bad thing by any means and that’s not what this essay is about. The wants change depending on where you are in your life. When I was younger, it seemed I wanted the latest and greatest whatever it was – car, stereo, tv, phone – you name it and I wanted it. Later in life I wanted a home that I could raise my family. I got that too then decided it wasn’t a large enough home so proceeded to get a larger home AND a larger mortgage.
These days my wants are much different than they were even a few years back. I want to enjoy the time I spend every day with my family and friends. I want to do the things that bring me joy and some days that means that I want to garden or want to go to the gym or possibly just take a nice long bike ride. I have gone from wanting things to enjoying the freedom I now have from not being controlled by things. I am not short of money, I am making huge strides in paying off my home, I have launched another business in real estate, I write each and every day, I enjoy being healthy and fit and most importanlyt? I am loving the freedom I now have to make the decision of whether I work today or tomorrow. That is true freedom.
The minimalism process has been an unbelievably enjoyable journey for me. While others see that my living room has few items in it, I see a clear space that is easy to maintain. Others have desks loaded with all the latest and greatest doo dads, my desk is clear except for my computer and phone. Keeping my spaces free and clear of clutter, lets my creativity soar and gives me the freedom to enjoy the life I have created. There is no going backward for this girl.
Take the time to enjoy each day of your journey and your life. After all, we are only given one.
Blessings,
Denise
For tips on how to begin your decluttering journey, you can Start Here, or snag a copy of the 30 Day Challenge (our Minimalism and Decluttering eBook).
Purchase Your Copy on.... Amazon | Nook | Smashwords | MIS Store
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