My story is about becoming a minimalist. I’m still learning and I need to improve some areas of my life, but that awareness in me has changed my life completely. At first it all began by accident, quite spontaneously.
But now looking back on it, it happened just at the right moment out of share need for changing my own way of perceiving life and living it at the same time.
I was a kind of person who easily got attached to almost anything and everything – things I own, people around me, events etc.. When I was a child I never threw anything in the trash, not even a piece of paper, stacking it all in my pockets, feeling sorry for it.
Later in life, that “old” habit of mine kept repeating in all sorts of ways in many aspects of my everyday living. What were once pockets full of miscellaneous things, is now a head full of worries, commitments, tasks that I often unnecessarily kept giving myself.
I got stuck in a mass of people, with not a friend in sight.. I saw the forest but couldn’t see the trees. In other words, I was lost.
When I became a mother for the first time, the same model kept on going. As an excuse for giving my child everything I possibly can or anything he needs, I often took over many of his assignments, merely out of precaution or compassion.
Our living space was full of unnecessary stuff, despite that I recklessly introduced more and more things in what was already an overcrowded apartment. My energy, time and emotions were spent in vain…I was exhausted , lost and dissatisfied.
In the meantime my child grew as fast as a mushroom, with his achievements, reflections and illnesses passing me by…
That’s when I realized I had to change myself first and clear out that distracting, unnecessary, “material“ mess around me. Urge for something better is within human nature, but I think the real success is in achieving balance, in quality time spent with your loved ones and that personal satisfaction we all strive for.
Time during my second pregnancy was the crucial moment in my life, between the former and the new me. I started spending my time exclusively with my family.
The condition I was in brought me peace and a real opportunity for a new beginning started to emerge.
I embraced this philosophy of minimalism, and even though at first it looked like an impossible mission, in time I slowly gave in.
I cleared out our living space, giving away to charity all the excess stuff, clothes, pieces of furniture and, as a result, I had more space for creativity and playing with my two children.
I’ve returned to work filled with positive energy, learned how to leave work related troubles behind, ready for new beginnings and challenges.
Living with less, I actually got so much more – time for me, for my family and friends, an inner balance and peace, happiness and pleasure. I finally got to realize all the benefits of this simple way of life..
Irena
