We tell ourselves all kinds of lies to justify our actions—lies to justify our decisions.
One of the biggest lies I used to tell myself was that I could never do something—That sounds great, but I could never do it!—essentially making it impossible in my mind.
I could never be a minimalist!
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 material items. Then, I stopped buying material items for a year.
I could never quit my corporate job. Then, over time, I left that job after 12 years to pursue my passion.
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 all of my clocks or the internet at home or my my television or my couch. But then, over time, I did. I got rid of all of these things and much more.
Getting rid of superfluous excess in my life has allowed me to focus on what’s important, to focus on living a more meaningful life, to focus on health, relationships, passions, personal growth, and contribution.
The truth is there are still things I could get rid of—things I used to say I could never live without. But, for now, I choose to not get rid of these things, although I’m well aware there are very few things I could never do.
The same goes for you. Minimalism is a continuum. My version of minimalism is different even from Ryan’s version of minimalism. And that’s OK. 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? Feel free to comment below.
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I Could Never Do That!