Why Losing Things In Life Is a A Good Way To Win More

Should You save or lose things to be happy in life? Most of us buy more stuff to live the consumerist dream, food for Instagram that makes our friends jelly, as we struggle to pay off car loans and max out our credit cards forcing us to work more hours. But instead of happiness, we feel a void afterwards. I wanted to find a cure.

It all started with a 30 day minimalism challenge that I did with my son. I had been following James Altucher’s journey of putting all of his possessions in a single garbage bag and living in AirBnbs and I wanted to see if I could embrace minimalism too. The challenge or ‘game’ was day 1, 1 item goes, 2nd day two items go. You get the drill.

The Minimalism movement was started by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, and here is an excerpt from their blog:

The “Minimalism Game’ Let’s Play a Minimalism Game

Here’s how they introduced the game:

“A new month is approaching—let’s play a game together:

We call it the 30-Day Minimalism Game.

Here’s how it works…

Find a friend or family member: someone who’s willing to get rid of their excess stuff. This month, each of you must get rid of one thing on the first day. On the second, two things. Three items on the third. So forth, and so on.

Anything can go! Clothes, furniture, electronics, tools, decorations, etc. Donate, sell, or trash. Whatever you do, each material possession must be out of your house—and >out of your life—by midnight each day.

It’s an easy game at first. However, it starts getting challenging by week two when you’re both jettisoning more than a dozen items each day. Whoever can keep it going the longest wins; you both win if you can make it all month. Bonus points if you play with more than two people.”

By day 30, I was clutching at paper clips to get rid of, I had donated, trashed and sold so so much stuff! Almost a dumpster full!

The first thing I did was take a look around.

I had items around me that I no longer used. A wooden bench that was at the entrance of my former house so my dog could see out the window. It was stored in a hallway not being used.
I had a china cabinet displaying silver items that kept tarnishing and didn’t look good in there.

I Asked How I Would Feel If Those Items Were Gone?

I decided it would mean freedom from thinking about them, polishing them, dusting them, storing them, worrying about them, tripping over them, looking at them, and knowing they were taking up space and not being used or appreciated. I decided that someone else could appreciate them. I gave the china cabinet away and put the bench on an auction site and sold it.

What Does Freeing Up Physical Space Do For You?

Freeing up physical space in your environment makes room for more. It frees up physical space and mental space so you can live intentionally and be surrounded by what you love. When you have less to worry about, less to take care of, you reduce your responsibility. This is key, because the outmoded things in your life are draining the energy that you require for the new and exciting things you want in your life. You are creating new physical and mental space by clearing out the old. A clear space is relaxing and refreshing with room to grow.

Keeping Your Past Treasures

When you clear space you have more room to honor your past treasures that you truly love. I pulled my huge crystal vase out of the bottom of the cabinet that I gotten rid of, and placed it on top of the fridge where the sunlight and room lighting reflect on it and send light beams and rainbows around the room. When I have flowers, I put them in it. When we had a Halloween party, I put balloons in it. It has multi-uses and is enjoyed, instead of being hidden in the bottom cupboard of a china cabinet.

By losing things in your life you are actually winning by making room for more of what you love

You are living more deliberately and making conscious choices that affect your future. You are considering your life before you make an impulse purchase next time. By not filling up your space with stuff, you are lessening your responsibility for the stuff, and freeing yourself up to do what you love, one paper clip at a time.

photos - Pixabay
excerpt from The Minimalist's Blog