09/08/2024
5 minutes de lecture

Minimalism: a lifestyle that feels good

Of minimalism, we often only remember the principle of living with as few objects as possible. However, it is much more than that: an art of living intended to refocus us on what is essential to our freedom and our balance.

Minimalism? Some would date it back to Greek antiquity, and more particularly to the 4th century. century BC. Already, the philosopher Diogenes denounced the pleonoxia – a tendency to accumulate more goods than necessary – and advocated stricter destitution as an ideal of life. His only roof: a barrel; his only possessions: a mess tin and a piece of clothing!

LIVE WITH LESS TO LIVE BETTER

Two millennia and a few centuries later, minimalism has fortunately evolved into a less ultimate philosophy of life. But it has retained the same principle of living with as few things as possible. Its source of inspiration today is Japan, a country well known for its culture of Zen and meditation. One of its main architects is Fumio Sasaki, author of the bestseller The Essentials and Nothing Else (2015), who decided in 2011 to dispossess himself of as much of his material possessions as possible. Since then, he has lived with the bare necessities in a completely bare apartment, and donates his surplus money each month to the Red Cross. Another muse of the minimalist cause is the ever-Japanese Marie Kondo. For her, her minimalist approach began with tidying up. Author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up , she advises thanking all the objects you want to get rid of, then storing those that remain vertically and not horizontally. Visible and always accessible, these carefully selected and ordered objects would then contribute to strengthening our well-being and our life balance.

A liberating philosophy of life

To retain from minimalism as a way of life this sole desire to sort and keep only a limited number of absolutely necessary objects would be a mistake: to lock oneself into a materialistic scheme where happiness would be considered in relation to our quantity of objects held. Minimalism is a more global way of life: it asserts itself as a true philosophy of life which frees and refocuses the individual on quality and what really matters in their daily life.

The testimony of Pierre Roubin, philosopher, author and host of the blog lejournalminimal is enlightening. On his 43rd birthday, he decided to live with only 43 objects. Far from being a constraint, this experience gave him a new freedom: " Living with less is already and above all more simplicity. Everything becomes easier and faster. It is also more pleasure: that of using objects that are truly chosen, of quality and well made. Finally, it is more joy, by managing to live in harmony with one's environment. Living with less increases one's chances of having a better future."

The art of getting back to basics, for yourself and your loved ones

Joy, freedom, pleasure, balance and quality. People who have adopted minimalism as a lifestyle or who practice it in certain aspects of their lives are unanimous: this art of stripped-down living helps to get back to basics. Far from being limited to dispossession and objects, it forces us to live more simply overall. And this applies to many areas of life: decluttering our homes; being content with what we have; choosing our relationships to keep only those that really do us good; learning to take our time; allowing ourselves moments of pause where we let ourselves live...

The reasoning applies first to oneself, since minimalist philosophy implies loving oneself as one is, without varnish or decorum. But it also enriches our relationship with those around us: this newly acquired personal freedom gives us the opportunity to devote more time and attention to those we love.

Coming back to yourself; prioritizing objects, but also occupations and loved ones that are essential to our daily lives. Minimalism is not living minimally, but living fully!

Some tips for moving towards a more minimalist lifestyle

Minimalism is a great source of inspiration. Everyone is free to draw on the different lessons that this approach gives us for a simpler life!

  • Sort through your things; keep only those that are essential to us and/or that give us pleasure.
  • Give, redistribute what we have in excess.
  • Swap, rent or borrow, rather than buy and hold.
  • Consume simply, favor local.
  • Decorate your interior with simplicity.
  • Think about the environment; measure our actions according to their impact on the planet.
  • Take time for yourself; accept yourself as you are.
  • Spend more time with our loved ones, those who are essential to us.