“‘No’ is the most freeing word in the world—it is often the most compassionate, too.”
—Joshua Fields Millburn
Inside Minimalism
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Walking with Less
Words by Regina Castro
Last year I made the Way of St. James, a famous pilgrimage to the Cathedral of Santiago in Galicia, Spain. The route consisted of walking 770 km from Roncesvalles, France, to Santiago, walking 15-30 km each day for a month with nothing more than a small backpack. For this reason, I was forced to pack only the essentials.
At the beginning, my essentials were more than five t-shirts, three pants, two jackets, and many self-care products. Even though I started this journey with what I thought were very few items, I found myself reevaluating every single thing on my backpack as the pilgrimage progressed. I thought, do I really need three pairs of underwear? Is carrying a hairbrush necessary? Will people notice if I use soap as shampoo? The minimalist mindset quickly became a necessity. After all, the less I carried, the easier walking would be.
My mindset completely changed when I came back home, entering my room and feeling overwhelmed seeing so much stuff everywhere. Why do I keep all of this? It felt as if I had lived surrounded by trash for so many years. I was so mad at myself, the first thing that came to mind was to throw everything out and keep just the basics. Every month since then, I reevaluate all that I own as if it were my small backpack.
I’m not saying you need to walk across an entire country to become a minimalist. Think about it this way: If you knew that the more possessions you owned burdened your way to reaching your goals, how much would you carry?
The Joy of a Curated Life
Words by Jen Ditchik
I officially started my minimalism journey four years ago . . . almost to the day, to be exact. After watching Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things at the end of 2016, I realized my innate beliefs and values had a name. I found my tribe.
I have always gravitated towards simplicity, a clean space, and an orderly existence. But after connecting with the film, I began my journey of truly exploring all the flavors of this lifestyle and unpacking the why behind it.
There’s no one formula for this way of life, and as I continue discover and grow, I leave space for fluidity and change. The first few years of embracing minimalism gave me an opportunity to examine all the things I was consuming and holding on to. The “stuff” part was easy. Letting go of tangible items, memorabilia, trinkets, clothing, books, and collectables has never been a challenge for me; however, I began to understand that consumption also meant all things that I allow into my space. What I eat, drink, read, watch, and listen to, as well as the people I connect with and what I say “yes” to, are all key to living an essential life.
Minimalism has led me to a deeper state of emotion, a deeper level of calm, pure love, and appreciation that I cannot access through clutter, noise, and distraction. This beautiful way of life is ever changing for me. I continue to explore and experiment. I give myself permission to change my mind. When something stops working for me, I let it go.
Living an intentional life and curating my days provides deeper meaning to my existence. It allows for much needed space and solitude. It’s within the silence that I receive the guidance.
A Little More of Less
A few other articles we think you might enjoy…
→ Confined by Attachment by Joshua Fields Millburn
→ A Season to Reckon: Owning My Environmental Impact by Jennifer Newton
→ A New Year Is a Beautiful Fresh Start by Leo Babauta
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