MINIMALISM

As a blogger, it is not only our job to inspire readers on our digital platform but also to be constantly connected to social media and on top of the latest trends, product releases and industry news. I started devoting my full attention to Clumsy Chic these past few months and while it’s given me incredible drive to take on this role more seriously, I hit a wall at the start of this year.

I felt constantly wired and couldn’t focus on any task at hand. I’m banging on the keyboard one minute and seconds later I’m on my phone checking my Instagram feed then immediately get distracted by an article I found online about the ’10 must-haves this season’. Simply put, I was in crazy FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) mode. Not only was I unproductive but I was also falling out of touch with what was presently happening around me. I decided to take a step back in an effort to save myself from my ‘I’m so busy’ mindset.

Being BUSY though, has become the norm with our generation and when you do make time for yourself, you are faced with passive aggressive comments, such as ‘I wish I had the time to read a book’ or the ‘You’re so lucky, I don’t even have time to brush my hair’. When have we truly taken control of our time or made choices that bring value to our lives instead of being consumed with endless responsibilities and social pressure?

I stumbled upon an article online that talks about minimalism. I thought minimalism was people who only wear black, white and grey and live in a stark space but there’s a whole philosophy behind it. Minimalism is eliminating activities, things, and even thoughts that don’t add value to our lives in order to reserve more time and energy for things that really matter to us.

Minimalism follows the concept of conscious living:

• Knowing your priorities and making time for what truly matters to you.

• Getting rid of clutter whether it be physical things or even toxic relationship to get rid of unnecessary distractions.

• Wanting and buying less and being more mindful of the things you bring into your life. It’s similar to Kon Mari’s method of only keeping things that bring you joy.

• Making room in your mental space by slowing down your multi-tasking tendencies and giving your mind a break to gain productivity.

It sounds simple but it requires more than just cleaning out your closet. It forces you to dig deep and figure out what truly makes us happy and start making the conscious effort to live more simply amidst the chaotic information overload world we live in.

Where do I stand in this whole process? I have clearly defined priorities and putting everything into practice is a work in progress. But what I can say now is I am more present than ever and have become more appreciative of everything that is around me, most importantly my relationships with people I love.

If you’re curious to know more, here’s a helpful blog that explains the whole concept in a simple way.

I’d love to know your stance about this way of living, comment below.