"There's more to life than bills and money." The sentence comes from the filmMinimalism:ADocumentary About the Important Things. The film talks about minimalism, a style that supports the idea of "less is more", while also questioning the thought that material things bring happiness. The principles* of minimalism show how we can take a serious look at the ways we spend money to live a more purpose-driven, joyful life.
A recent study carried out by Northwestern University shows that people who place greater value on material things have a higher chance of becoming low-spirited. People buy more, earn more in order to buy more, create more stress earning more, and are more likely to be low-spirited because of stress.
Minimalism presents a way out from that. Rather than working to buy more, we can spend less. It focuses on things that improve our lives, serve a purpose, and bring happiness.
Minimalists tell us we can use minimalism in all areas of life: relationships, technology, social media . . . It means using not only our money, but our time and attention purposefully so we fill our lives with things that bring us happiness. Minimalism helps avoid things like spending too much or mindlessly checking your phones. It is all about the reexamination* of your priorities so you can remove the extra things—the possessions, relationships and activities —that are of little value.
For each of us, different things have their own value. If some artwork brings some meaning to your life, great! If Saturday rides make you happy, then go for it. The minimalist lifestyle won't look the same for everyone. You can bring more happiness into your life by slowly testing what you can live with and what you can live without. In the end, minimalism is about creating the freedom to enjoy a happier life.
