The Unintentional Uncovering — How Minimalism Forced An Awakening

Don’t trust yourself, or rather, don’t trust your willpower. Trust the processes at the root of willpower. It is here that you will find your awakening.

That’s what we’re breaking down today, but first:

Here is an (AI) illustration that is designed to illustrate the following concept — lonely, but connected. The reason I bring this up is the idea that in order to feel connected, sometimes it takes the removal of things that severe those connections. It takes intentional uncovering.

The idiom that applies to today’s lesson on minimalism and the awakening from it:

Clean House

The approach we will take: we will give the mind a chance to understand this concept without just intellectualizing it. Using different approaches to understand it from different angles. It’s my opinion that to give the mind a chance to truly uncover and experience an awakening, we have to let it get out of its own way. To go deeper than intellectualizing it, and to be more intentional in our uncovering. To let the unconscious mind try to work with it. Before we get to it, you need to understand something.

I used to try to think my way through everything. To being more intentional, to being successful, uncovering meaning, having my own awakenings. It is in part through minimalism that all of these things have materialized, just not in the way I expected. So! Let’s get to it.

Minimalism

Often misunderstood, the concept of minimalism is often looked at as the way to having less material goods, and appreciating the smaller things, which is the tiniest piece of that puzzle.

The first step to uncovering what minimalism is involves being open. Open to what it can offer, in this case, an awakening. Minimalism is defined as a lifestyle that focuses on living with less, embracing simplicity, and focusing on one’s essential needs. It’s about eliminating excess from our lives and living with intention and purpose.

Minimalism can be applied to all aspects of life, including your home, finances, relationships, and career. It can also be used as a tool to become more conscious and aware of one’s life and purpose, which we’ll get into. By embracing minimalism, one can become more conscious of the things that bring them joy and the things that do not, and begin to make choices that are more aligned with their true values. As one learns to prioritize their true needs and wants, they can begin to realize what truly matters in life and start to move towards a life of more purpose and fulfillment.

The Awakening Process

This is when we begin to realize the negative impact that our material possessions and busy lifestyles are having on our lives. We start to understand the power of minimalism and its ability to create more space for meaningful experiences and relationships. As we start to declutter our lives, we become more aware of our own thoughts and feelings and start to gain clarity and perspective on our lives. This can be a difficult stage, but it is also the most rewarding and transformative.

The physical

I wanted to start sculpting stone. I’m car camping while traveling across the US. Not exactly conducive to taking up the hobby… BUT

If I want to take on this hobby, like I truly want to do it, I have to get rid of the things that are stopping me from achieving that. AKA the things that aren’t bringing me as much joy as this hobby is. So, I use minimalism. I remove the things that stop me from achieving my goal, which in this case is the lack of physical space. I have to be intentional about my space. Easy enough.

The mind clutter

At any given time, my room back home consisted of many different projects and physical clutter. This meant that I always had something to clean, which took away my time. It also meant that I would always have in my view the project that I didn’t finish. Even though I had not touched something in months, I had it in my mind that I would eventually get to it.

I never did.

With practicing minimalism, I cleared it out. All of it. First, I put some stuff in the closet in case I actually missed it and wanted it back. Well, I totally forgot all about it, which led me to being okay with getting rid of it. This was the start of my awakening.

The waste

By removing everything that I no longer used, I felt incredibly wasteful. Even if I was able to donate some of it, I couldn’t help but uncover how much I bought and never used. Since that moment of a deep dive into minimalism, I don’t look at products the same when shopping.

Think about how much money this has saved me. Here’s how I frame it, and maybe you can too.

Does this thing in this store bring me joy that will last through the next time I minimize? Probably not.

I don’t need it.

Understanding the unintended benefits of minimalism

Minimalism is a way of life that embraces less, but more of the things that matter. Although it can be a difficult transition, minimalism can enable a person to uncover some of life’s most valuable lessons. Understanding the unintended benefits of minimalism can give you a whole new perspective on life and help to appreciate the little things.

By reducing clutter at home, one can uncover hidden, forgotten passions and hobbies, as well as discover new ways of organizing and managing time. Additionally, minimalism can lead to a better understanding of one’s finances, enabling greater control and awareness of spending habits. Ultimately, minimalism can help to uncover the power of intentional living and open our eyes to the true beauty of the world.

What can you do?

Start by thinking about your goals. What is it that you struggle with that you want to be better at?

Willpower? → Remove things that stop you from doing the thing you set out to do. Use minimalism, or at the very least, create obstacles. Let’s take my favorite, ice cream. Make it so that it requires driving to the store instead of walking to your freezer.

Wasting money? → Simply tackle a room, and get rid of things you no longer use. Here’s a practical tip: Start with the corner of a room, or a spot that has a lot of big objects. Trick your mind into building up some confidence, and it will compound. See how you feel after getting rid of things. I’m willing to guess you’ll be in for a pleasant surprise.

If you do have other things you are aiming to achieve, let me know in the comments. Would love to work through them and discover new things.

In conclusion, minimalism brought me a newfound appreciation for the little things in life. By taking a step back and removing the excess, I was able to recognize and appreciate the true value of the things I have in my life. It also helped to uncover my true passions and gave me the motivation to pursue them even further. Minimalism might be a journey for some, but for me it was a road to self-discovery that I never knew I needed.