3604: [Part 1] Does Minimalism Make You Happier? Simplicity and Happiness by Antonia of Balance Through Simplicity

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[00:00:55] [SPEAKER_01] This is Optimal Living Daily. Does Minimalism Make You Happier? Simplicity and Happiness, Part 1. By Antonia Collins of BalancedThroughSimplicity.com. Hey, and I'm Justin Malek. This is where I narrate the best articles on the web for you to help us both live a life that's a bit more meaningful. Today's a longer post actually, so I'll read the first half today and then finish the rest for you tomorrow. So for now, let's get right to Part 1 as we optimize your life.

[00:01:26] [SPEAKER_01] Does Minimalism Make You Happier? Simplicity and Happiness, Part 1 by Antonia Collins of BalancedThroughSimplicity.com. Minimalism has many benefits, but does minimalism make you happier? Is there a relationship between simplicity and happiness? In this article, I'm sharing my own personal perspective on whether minimalism can make us happier and in some cases why it can't.

[00:01:54] [SPEAKER_01] Does minimalism make you happier? I wanted to write an article about what a difference a minimalist life has made to me. If you don't like the minimalist label, then I encourage you to still keep listening. You can switch the term minimalist or minimalism for a decluttered and simplified life if that feels more comfortable. When I was recently researching minimalism on the internet, one of the questions that people searched for was this. Does minimalism make you happier?

[00:02:22] [SPEAKER_01] I thought I'd share my personal perspective on this question to see if it might help you decide for yourself whether minimalism can make you happier too. Definition of Minimalism The minimalist lifestyle is being conscious and aware of the stuff that clutters and distracts you from living a meaningful life. When so much of modern day life is filled with things to do, buy, achieve, plan, remember, strive for, and tick off on those lists,

[00:02:52] [SPEAKER_01] a minimalist life encourages us to question the norm. Do I really need more stuff to make my home feel like home? Do I need to buy that stuff because I really need that item in my home and in my life? Do I need a chase for that flashier car, bigger home, or exotic holiday? Do I hold on to things because they make me feel safe or because they help me take comfort in remembering the past? Do I want more in my life or do I actually want better of my life?

[00:03:22] [SPEAKER_01] Why minimalism matters. Many people don't ask these questions. Either they don't feel the need to ask them in the first place because life is ticking along just fine until it's not, or perhaps they don't want to face up to the answers and the reasons why we need the extra stuff and padding in our life. Sometimes, like what happened to me, we just get swept along with life. Stuff piles up without us noticing until that stuff starts to weigh heavy on our space, heart, and mind.

[00:03:52] [SPEAKER_01] Life stripped of this stuff and padding might feel empty on the surface until you realize what minimalism is really all about and why it matters. Minimalism matters because it stops us focusing on material possessions and instead invites us to focus inwards,

[00:04:10] [SPEAKER_01] on the people, memories, experiences, feelings, mindsets, skills, learning, opportunities, and passions that add true meaning to our lives. Minimalism doesn't mean going without, never buying anything new, having no furniture, or being bland, boring, dull, or any of the adjectives you might have heard.

[00:04:33] [SPEAKER_01] What minimalism or simplifying does mean is that you have time, space, freedom, energy, flexibility, and vigor for filling your life with things that have meaning. Things that make you feel happy and grateful to live your life, not somebody else's, and definitely not a life where you're hiding behind or buried under your clutter. These are the things that you often don't find when you look at what's stuffed in your cupboards and filling up your to-do list.

[00:05:03] [SPEAKER_01] Minimalism makes space for the best of you and your life. Definition of happiness According to VeryWellMind.com, happiness is an emotional state characterized by feelings of joy, satisfaction, contentment, and fulfillment. They identify some of the key signs of happiness as feeling contented, feeling more positive than negative, feeling satisfied, feeling accomplished, and feeling that you're living the life you wanted.

[00:05:33] [SPEAKER_01] So, does minimalism make you happier? Well, if these are some of the ways that we can define happiness, then from my own personal experience, I'd say yes. The benefits of minimalism. Here's some of the benefits I've noticed since becoming minimalist, or since I began decluttering and simplifying my life. Number one, more time. I spend less time cleaning and managing the stuff in my home because I have less stuff and clutter to sort, clear, and clean.

[00:06:03] [SPEAKER_01] This means I have more time to enjoy my home rather than worrying about the state of it. Number two, less stress. Research shows the correlation between clutter and stress. Less stuff to worry about and more time on my hands means less stress. I'm not struggling to keep up with my home and my life. My outer environment is calmer, which means my inner environment, my body and mind, is calmer too. Number three, more financial freedom.

[00:06:33] [SPEAKER_01] I go shopping and buy things, but I spend mindfully and wisely. I avoid getting into debt, spending more than I have, and I don't have multiple credit or store cards to tempt me to overspend. Number four, more flexibility. Our schedules can be cluttered like our homes, but removing the things that don't feel right has created more time and more wiggle room.

[00:06:58] [SPEAKER_01] Streamlining my diary, blocking out free time, taking care over choosing activities and accepting invitations have all helped me find time for what matters, instead of what just wears me out. Number five, hear that on tomorrow's episode. You just listened to part one of the post titled, Does Minimalism Make You Happier? Simplicity and Happiness?

[00:07:25] [SPEAKER_01] by Antonia Collins of balancethroughsimplicity.com, and I'll be right back with my commentary. The origins of this podcast were once just a dream. That dream turned into the podcast and business you're listening to today. Starting your own business is a dream lots of us share, but too many of us let it remain just a dream. Don't hold yourself back thinking, what if I don't have the skills? What if I can't do it alone? Turn those what ifs into why nots with Shopify by your side.

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[00:08:23] [SPEAKER_01] Sign up for your $1 per month trial and start selling today at shopify.com slash old. Go to shopify.com slash old. Shopify.com slash old. Remember those ants and springtails I was telling you about that turned my front door into their playground? Well, it's been a few weeks since I started using Pesti, and now not a single bug in sight. What I love most about Pesti is the peace of mind. The instructions were incredibly simple.

[00:08:52] [SPEAKER_01] I had the whole treatment done in under 10 minutes with the sprayer, mixing bag, and gloves they provided. And the best part? It's customized specifically for my location and the seasonal bugs in my area. It is so affordable compared to traditional pest control. Just $35 per treatment versus the $800 plus per year other companies charge for essentially the same service. Pesti gets rid of over 100 types of bugs and is completely kid and pet friendly.

[00:09:20] [SPEAKER_01] Plus, they offer a 100% bug-free guarantee or your money back. Now's the time to protect your home from bugs with Pesti. Go to Pesti.com slash old for an extra 10% off your order. That's P-E-S-T-I-E dot com slash O-L-D for an extra 10% off. Thank you to Antonia. She's a mother of two feisty, strong-willed girls, a step-parent, wife, and business owner.

[00:09:49] [SPEAKER_01] Decluttering her home and simplifying her life were the changes that saved her when she was at her lowest point, struggling to juggle a young family, busy career, and a million other things all day every day. It came to a head one day when she broke down at work and was encouraged to go home to sort herself out. This difficult experience became the catalyst for wonderful change and she hasn't looked back.

[00:10:12] [SPEAKER_01] Her website is her passion project, commspace, and creative outlet where she loves to share and teach what she's learned in making these changes and simplifying life in case it might help you too. So come by her site for a lot more. That's balancedhroughsimplicity.com. I'll have some comments after we finish up the post tomorrow. So with that, thank you for being here and listening every day. And I'll be back tomorrow to finish up this post, where your optimal life awaits.