We lie to ourselves to justify our actions.
The most offensive lie I told myself was that I could never do something—That sounds great, but I could never do it!—thus making it impossible in my mind.
Similarly, many people lie to themselves to justify their decision to not embark on their own minimalist journey: I could never be a minimalist because [fill in the blank].
But even after I became a minimalist, I told myself this lie. I said…
I could never stop buying stuff. Then, for a year, I stopped buying material goods.
I could never quit my corporate job. Then, over time, I left that job after twelve years.
I could never get rid of most of my clothes. Then, over time, I donated 90% of my clothes to Goodwill.
I could never give up my daily routine. Then, over time, I replaced my routine with habits I love.
I could never get rid of the home Internet or television or unused furniture. But then, over time, I did: I got rid of all these things—and much more.
Getting rid of the excess in my life has allowed me to focus on what’s important: people, experiences, this moment.
The truth is there are very few things I could never do. The same goes for you: minimalism is a continuum. My version is different from Ryan’s, which’ll be different from yours. And that’s okay—minimalism isn’t meant to be one-size-fits-all.
So when you tell yourself I could never be a minimalist because [fill in the blank], what is your blank, and how could you erase it?
