Saturday, September 11, 2010

Minimalism

In a world that shouts consumerism and consumption from every rooftop, billboard, and television, minimalism quietly invites us to intentionality. In a world that tells us to buy more, minimalism invites us to pursue less. And in a world that argues for us to “impress” more, minimalism invites us to “live” more.

Minimalism is, in many ways, an invitation. It is not forced. It is not mandated. It is not mainstream. But it is willing to embrace all who accept it.

The invitation is heard as a quiet whisper. Unfortunately, in a world that spends trillions of dollars seeking our attention, a quiet whisper can be difficult to hear. But stop to listen. It is there. It is calling for you.

And why shouldn’t it? It has so much to offer. 

  • It is an invitation to less stress. A minimalist life removes the clutter from our lives that heaps stress upon us. It embraces cleaner rooms, cleaner surfaces, and cleaner schedules. And in doing so, it embraces less uncertainty.
  • It is an invitation to less debt. Minimalism refuses to consume beyond our means. It has chosen to forgo keeping up with the “Joneses.” Instead, it seeks contentment. Leo BabautaTammy Strobel, and Adam Baker have all paid off thousands of dollars in debt by embracing a minimalist life. And so can you.
  • It is an invitation to more time. Material possessions drain a countless amount of our time (purchasing, cleaning, maintaining, organizing, and rearranging). Minimalism recaptures that valuable time for our lives.
  • It is an invitation to more freedom. Possessions hold us back and weigh us down. They keep us tied to the past rather than moving forward. Minimalism has removed unneeded possessions and found newfound freedom in life. And there are no limits with this new freedom. You can  travel the world like Karol Gajda, work from anywhere likeEverett Bogue, write life-changing books like Chris Guillebeau, or knit for charity like Robyn Devine.
  • Minimalism is an invitation to value life. At its core, minimalism is about identifying and embracing our individual values. It refuses to allow culture or corporations to shape our hearts’ desires. It has identified what is most valuable in life and has removed everything that distracts us from it. And life has been reclaimed.

Of course, receiving an invitation is one thing… actually attending the party is something completely different. The invitations have been sent. The door is wide open. And the party is amazing!

Won’t you join us?

Posted via email from Kleerstreem's Posterous

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