Doris Chen, member of Esperanto NSW
(Originally published in Esperanto, in Telopeo, 57:01, January 2021, and 57:02, March 2021)
Minimalism is a way to get rid of non-essentials to pay attention to what really matters, what gives positive meaning to our lives, what gives us joy and value. Minimalists seek happiness not through things, but through life itself; thus, it is up to you what is necessary and what is unnecessary in your life.
I found out about the concept of minimalism through an acquaintance’s post. She said she has only useful things in her apartment instead of having a lot of things. In her post, she recommended a book on minimalism that changed her lifestyle. The reason I am deeply interested in this concept is that I have experienced relocation. At the time, I was really hoping that I might move more easily if I had fewer things.
Then I started checking out the concept online. The more I understood, the more interested I felt.
In modern culture, it is recognized that owning many things means a rich and good life. People believe that the more things we own, the better life we have. Because we’re in a world full of advertisements that brainwash us into buying things we don’t really need. Do you spend too much time thinking about what kind of clothes you need to wear every day? Have you bought several things, but never used them? Do you feel like you can’t save money and have to pay too many bills? Consider the questions, are you stressed about such a life? In that case, becoming a minimalist may help you!
What is minimalism? A common and simple answer is that minimalism is about the removal of unnecessary possessions. In fact, minimalism is not just about the removal of possessions, but also focuses more on creating more space for your belongings. The book, “Minimalism: Live a Meaningful Life” (by Joshua Fields MILLBURN and Ryan NICODEMUS, December 2011) noted five values that relate to a meaningful life, including health, relationship, passion, growth and contribution. When you remove things that are distracting and time-wasting, you will have more time and space for the five values.
How to become a minimalist? Everyone is different, it depends on your decision, because the thing you would get rid of might be the one I would need. Minimalists seek joy not through things, but through life itself. Therefore, it is up to you to decide what is necessary and what is unnecessary. I recommend the website theminimalists.com. The website was created by the authors of the book “Minimalism: Live a Meaningful Life”, and has several pieces of information and resources to support you if you are interested in becoming a minimalist.