Minimalist By Choice

I recently encountered a situation which really made me realize what is going on in my life. There are many who are minimalist not because they choose to but, rather, because that is the lot in life that was chosen for them. Of course, we all know there are those who should be minimalists based upon their income yet still want to live like royalty.

Over the last few days, I had a 'friend' on mine depart from my life. He ran his course down here and chose to move to his family up north. The reason why I bring this up is because he got on a plane with only 1 suitcase and a carry on bag. That is everything he has to show for his entire 50 years on this planet. It all fit in one bag.

Of course, you will say to me 'isn't that the goal'. How often do we read about people who are reducing their things down to a number below 100? A minimalist wants the freedom to be able to leave at any moment. Heck, one of my major premises is that freedom is the most important value in life and I seek it in all that I do.

Making A Conscious Decision

The difference between the people I just mentioned and my 'friend' is that one made a conscious choice while the other found himself in that position. There is an ocean between one who chooses to live a particular way and one who is a victim of circumstance. I will tell you that the individual I am referring to has no idea the concept of minimalism exists in any manner. His lack of choice makes him yearn from more.

A true minimalist understand why he or she is 'downsizing'. This is something that also separates one from the masses. Most operate for lack. A minimalist lives abundance. The departure from the norm is that a person of this ilk doesn't necessarily consider abundance to be materials. Therefore, the conscious choice to rid oneself of the unimportant is a step forward. Most of society, my 'friend' included, feel that it is a reversal.

The BIG Reason

Every minimalist has a BIG reason why he or she chose to pursue this particular life. In other words, these people can answer the question 'why'. My 'friend' cannot. He will provide a host of reasons that were responsible for his plight in life. He is a victim of circumstances. No matter what happens, someone else is responsible. A minimalist is one who makes decisions that lead down a particular path. The 'why' is the motivator which reveals a different set of priorities.

As I mentioned, my BIG reason is freedom. Stuff costs money. The more things I have, the larger the expenses to keep it going. For example, while my television is paid for, it requires a hefty monthly cable bill to keep running. Of course, there is electricity that also is needed to operate this device. And to complete the trifecta, this device does nothing more than waste time. I found there are other ways to utilize my time that yield greater dividends.

Expenses limit freedom. The same is true for having to 'take care' of all my stuff. It needs to be polished, cleaned, ironed, filed, sorted, etc... By eliminating the excess I found that I no longer needed to take care of the items. Again, it is another path to freedom. Financial is just one aspect of it; time is another. When I gain back time to do more productive activities, I break the chains of the 'have tos'.

Therefore, the big question is 'why'. This is where the conscious choice comes in. Behind every decision to pursue this avenue is a BIG reason why someone is doing it. My 'friend' had no reason. He allowed circumstances to determine his path. He was lacking while a conscious minimalist is coming from a place of abundance. Each item I remove from my life, or better yet, resist the temptation to purchase, the more money I have for other means and the less I need to 'take care of'. This is why I chose the minimalist path....because it is laying the foundation to me living a totally free life.