Perhaps one of my biggest challenges with minimal living, has been exploring the ways in which it has affected my mindset around scarcity. In separating them completely. Of course they are different, I have certainly not been experiencing a scarcity of meaningful interactions, or beautiful moments of connection. The things that really matter. Minimal living, creates more time for these things.
But having grown up in an environment of scarcity, it was an easy transition in living with less things, aiming to live, with the things that you need, not want. It's a work in progress for me, Minimal living. It's not always easy to let go. There are some things I hold onto. Books been one of them, I have a love for them and growing up, I never had many. I would get library books instead. Which of course was great, but I dreamed of having my own library one day.
That to me, was a sign of success in life. To have my own little library, which I kind of have. They are the one thing that I have in excess. My books. Even though I don't have that many, I've no desire to part with them and yes there are a few more that I would like, not novels though. Books that empower and educate me. That enrich my life.
The main thing for me was to move away from being dependent on money. To take responsibility for my own life. It took me a long time to understand that money could be of service to my life and not something that corrupt one's life. Of course it has the potential too, if you are not mindful about the way in which you use it. It was easy for me to not value money. To scorn it even, as the root of many of the world's problems.
Growing up in scarcity, in a scarcity of emotional well being, left me feeling unworthy. So it was easier for me to see money as being bad, because deep down I didn't believe I deserved to have anything in service of my life. It was what I was used to, what I grew up with. Not feeling loved or supported in my own home.
So having less, was always easy for me, but not always for the right reasons. I have been wronging on that, these last few years. There is not much I would change with my life, but there are some things I will change and they need money. Money which is in service of my life. That will aid me, in providing for myself and my girls.
This is my response, to the following question, from the Minimalsit community.....
Ask yourself which part of your human experience is in dire need of transformation. And how is your minimalist practice helping (or hindering) you?
(The photos in this post are mine.)
